NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The 13th president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was formally installed on Saturday and challenged the college community to "love your students to success."

 

Diana Rogers-Adkinson, now nicknamed "President R.A.," was lauded by new and old friends colleagues who filled the Amsler Campus Center before giving her address: "A Shared Voice — A Bright Future."

 

"Thank you all for loving me to success," she said. "A life isn't rich without people like you to hold me tight. So finally, feel friends traveled in here today, and we almost all started as colleagues. We all believed in what education can do for people, and somewhere in all that work, we became something more. We lifted up our students, and we lifted up each other. Thank you for lifting me up today."

 

Rogers-Adkinson started in her post in July, succeeding the retiring James Birge. She was most recently senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which oversees 10 universities serving approximately 80,000 students.

 

She and other speakers touched on the issues impacting higher education today — the loss of faith in a college education and the challenges faced by students. 

 

"If people have lost confidence in higher education because they believe institutions intentionally keep our students enrolled longer for our financial reasons, then we have failed to tell the real story," she said. "Our students are not statistics; they are people navigating complex lives while pursuing an education and a better future."

 

Rogers-Adkinson pointed to a 78 percent retention rate at MCLA and comparable institutions, and flipped it by looking at the 22 percent who left. It's a figure she said she wasn't comfortable with and declared a goal of 100 percent retention.

 

"Our responsibility is to ensure that every student who arrives on this campus has every possible opportunity, support system, and pathway to succeed before they decide to leave," the president declared. "And leave, some will. But if we do it right in helping them exit with grace, dignity, and support, then maybe the right time they will be back and a part of our future."

 

She pointed to the college ranking fourth in social mobility by U.S. News & World Reports' "Best Colleges." The ranking was based on Pell Grants graduation and retention rates. 

 

"That distinction matters because it measures something profoundly important. Tells us whether we change lives or not, and we certainly do," Rogers-Adkinson said. "Social mobility means that for the students who graduate from MCLA economic opportunity is not just a promise; it becomes reality. ... 

 

"Our graduates earn stronger incomes, contribute to their communities, build lives of purpose, and are more likely to have on toward stability. Their success strengthens families, communities, and the commonwealth itself."

 

Social mobility means the college is providing opportunity, expanding access and developing a democratic citizenry, she continued, and excellence is not measured by who the college admits but by who succeeds.

 

"And every student who entrusts us with their future deserves nothing less than our full commitment to their success," Rogers-Adkinson said. "They chose us. We chose each other. Together, we have a bright future."

 

The president was accompanied by begowned faculty as she walked through the college's ornate gates to the gymnasium. She also selected the music, with procession entering to the strains of "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman." 

 

"America the Beautiful" and the alma mater were sung by students Alexia Moses, Danielle Dominguez and Rachel Lamarre and theater professor Laura Standley. Lamarre and Standley also sang an interlude of "Simple Gifts" accompanied by James Bergin on the violin. 

 

Richard Glejzer, provost and senior vice president, was the master of ceremonies. Welcomes were given by Alumni Association President Crystal Adelt, Foundation Board President Timothy Cherubini, Student Government President and senior Tia Kareh, AFSCME steward Jennifer Dermady, Faculty Association representative Kerri Nicoll, and Board of Trustees Chair Buffy Lord. 

 

"While on the surface today is about inaugurating a new president, in a larger sense, it's about who MCLA was and who we want to become. It is time to reflect on what it means to each of us to be part of the MCLA community and to recommit to our mission as the commonwealth's public liberal arts college," said Lord. "President R. A. is the clear choice for the board. She's passionate about public higher education, and most importantly, is passionate about the students. If asked, she will tell you students are at the heart of all that we do."

 

Also attending were U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who administered the oath of office, interim Commissioner of Higher Education Jose Luis Santos, Mayor Jennifer Macksey, state Sen. Paul Mark, and state Reps. John Barrett III, Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Leigh Davis. Lord and Santos presented the presidential chain and a reception followed on the patio. 

 

Macksey stressed the importance of the relationship between the college and and the city and how she looked forward to being a partner with Rogers-Adkinson.

 

"MCLA is not simply a college here in North Adams, but is part of our fabric of our city. Our futures are connected. When MCLA succeeds, North Adams succeeds. When the city moves forward, MCLA moves forward," the mayor said. "President R.A. brings tremendous experience to this position, but what has impressed me most about her, other than we're the same height, is her keen sense to be part of the larger community."

 

Santos, Mark and Barrett pledged their support, with Barrett, an MCLA graduate, saying he felt Rogers-Adkinson was well-suited to lead the college and that he was particularly impressed with how she has opened her home to students.

 

"What this may seem like a very small gesture in the big scheme of things, but don't believe it," the representative said. "It sends a very clear message to the students that their president wants them to know, know them, wants to hear them, and believes that their voices matter."

 

Mark has frequently spoken of his own educational journey and called the college a "trailblazing place for opportunity."

 

"As long as I have the honor of serving this region of the Senate, but I will always fight and work as hard as possible to make sure you and the school have the resources needed to stay successful," he said. "And as we continue to work together over the coming years, I will be grateful to call you a partner and colleague. As we get to know each other better, I hope to someday call you an actual friend. And as an adjunct professor here, I'm also happy to call you boss."

 

Two of Rogers-Adkinson's former colleagues traveled to North Adams to speak of her integrity, curiosity, leadership and innovation.

 

Martha Wygmans, vice president of student affairs at Stockton University in New Jersey, said she'd Googled MCLA to see if it was the right fit for her friend and found it "checked every box."

 

"She deeply believes in the liberal arts tradition and the power of education, she is indeed fortunate to have found you, and you likewise are very fortunate to have found her," Wygmans said. "What Dr. Rogers-Adkinson brings to MCLA, those four words are intense, intellectual, intimidating, and intelligent. And I want to be very clear: these are compliments."

 

Daniel Greenstein, chancellor emeritus at the Pennsylvania State System, recalled the time when Rogers-Adkinson addressed higher education leaders during the merging of three institutions into the state system. She repeated their concerns, took ownership of the problems and committed to addressing them, and told the leaders what they could be doing better to support integration. 

 

"Diana's approach to innovation is exemplary. It is what innovation in higher education should look like. It is not a moonshot. It is not show. It is driven by someone instead who has curiosity to seek practical solutions to problems and to realize opportunities that are often admired but not acted upon," he said. "And she does that standing with the faculty, staff, students, boards, employers, and legislatures, enabling action with impact."

 

Neal, before giving the oath, noted that both he and Rogers-Adkinson were first-generation students and how higher education had opened up opportunities for them to succeed. 

 

"One of the great things about first-generation students is we embrace the notion of learning to think critically, and then how to communicate so that we might try to solve problems and how to adapt to the world that changes around us," said the congressman. "The idea of the community and higher education is to promote a more civic and civil national conversation. And time and again, MCLA has demonstrated just that in terms of workforce development and competing missions that await all of us. 

 

"Madam President, as you should begin this new chapter, you have a partner here in the federal government. I know about the aspirations that this community feels, because just in the other part of the valley, I was part of it. At college, it is an opportunity to transform and still to change the world, and I know that will be the case for its 13th president."