Presidential Investiture brings community, college together in celebration and inspiration
Photo: Courtney Kavalhuna, center, and HFC Board Chair Michael Meade, right, place the HFC presidential medallion around President Kavalhuna's neck.
On Thursday, October 18, 2018, more than 350 members of the Dearborn community came together at the Dearborn Community & Performing Arts Center to celebrate the investiture of the College's sixth president, Russell A. Kavalhuna, J.D.
The evening was filled with inspiration, reflection, and community connections.
The HFC Blue Fusion vocal chorale opened the festivities, singing a spirited rendition of Tuxedo Junction, followed by a sing-along to Pro Bono Omnium, the HFC school song. The group is led by Kevin Dewey, who wrote the school song.
After the music, Master of Ceremonies John McDonald, president of the American Federation of Teachers local 1650, shared reflections about his experiences working with every one of the College’s six presidents. He considers the Kavalhuna administration a new era for the College, and has seen positive change on campus as a result of deeper conversations and a renewed commitment to collegiality.
McDonald also extended the College’s thanks to numerous individuals and groups, including the Kavalhuna family, the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, local elected officials, members of the community, campus faculty and staff, former HFC President Andrew Mazzara, College partners, and others.
Remarks and Reflections
McDonald then proceeded to introduce each speaker as they approached the podium.
First on the docket was Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. Mayor O’Reilly was a member of the search committee that helped select President Kavalhuna, and had been on previous HFC presidential search committees in the past. He spoke about the importance of the College - community relationship, and the depth and breadth that relationship has brought to both entities. The workforce of the future, he said, will be created through partnerships like this one, in which bright minds are connected to the opportunity to earn a middle-class living and raise a family in a thriving community.
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell spoke about the transformative power of higher education as the primary pathway to a better life. As a longtime Dearborn resident, she lauded the importance of a leader who understands and values the kind of education a community college can provide. She has a close-up view of Henry Ford College, as a literal next-door neighbor. “I see you when you come to work every day,” she joked to President Kavalhuna.
Dingell cited statistics on the difference HFC makes for the local economy and community. She also made a spirited pitch for voters to head to the polls on November 6 and vote YES to renew the existing millage for Henry Ford College, because ongoing financial support is an investment in the future of our community, our children, and our economy.
Judge Phillip Green, a long-time mentor of Russell Kavalhuna, shared his reflections on five core principles of leadership that define the College’s new president as a man and a visionary. He shared what he called “war stories” from when President Kavalhuna was a young, energetic, hardworking attorney who never backed down from a challenge and who overcame great adversity both within and outside the courtroom. Green spoke of Kavalhuna as a great asset to the community and the field of law, and lauded him as exactly the man for the job.
“It seems to me there are two questions,” he said. “First, is Henry Ford College right for Russ Kavalhuna? And second, is Russ Kavalhuna right for Henry Ford College?”
Hearing the second question, President Kavalhuna’s five-year-old son shouted an enthusiastic “Yes!” from his seat in the audience, bringing down the house with delighted laughter.
Green also spoke about the depth and breadth of the questions Kavalhuna asks whenever he is undertaking a new role, and the depth and sincerity of his desire to make the world a better place.
The final speaker was HFC Board Chair Michael Meade, who spoke about his experiences with the new president, and his support of the cultural changes the president is bringing about. Meade was thrilled when Kavalhuna arrived on campus and initiated his listening tour, which included meetings with groups and individuals numbering literally into the hundreds. “He had three simple questions,” said Meade. “What is working well, what needs to be improved, and how can I help?”
Meade also talked about the importance of inclusive leadership and why it is the path toward trust, partnerships, and effective collaboration.
Ceremony, medallion, mace -- and moving beyond the symbols
The evening was highlighted by a ceremony investing the president with the Presidential Medallion and the College Mace, both of which symbolize the responsibilities of the office and the College’s role in granting degrees and changing lives through excellent education. President Kavalhuna's wife, Courtney, and Board Chair Meade placed the medallion around the new president's neck. The president was charged to undertake his new role with vision, dedication, and honor.
President Kavalhuna was the final speaker, and he spoke from the heart about his reasons for coming to Henry Ford College, and the deep commitment and extensive talent that exists at the College. While he honors the symbols of the presidency, he knows it is the College's people and community who will create its future, and it is the College's students and graduates who are the true measure of its success. He spoke inspirationally about what it means to be a team, and reminded the community that “This presidency isn’t about me. If it’s about me, it’s going to fail.”
Success, he said, comes from everyone working together toward common goals, and helping each other as a family. He pointed out that we don’t always have to agree, but our interactions should be imbued with respect and honor. Students must always be our first priority. We need to set aside our differences so we can be effective together.
The goals of the future, he said, are far more important than any difficulties from the past.
“I’m excited to be here,” he said. “I’m excited to work with all of you and our community so we can create a better future for every student who walks through our doors.”
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