Recently named Seton Hall President Dr. Joseph Nyre made his first official public visit to Seton Hall’s South Orange campus on Feb. 22 with his wife, Kelli, and three of their four children. Nyre also visited Seton Hall Law School and Interprofessional Health Sciences campuses located in Newark and Nutley, respectively.
Each campus hosted a welcome reception to help introduce him to faculty and students and to celebrate of Nyre’s recent election by the Board of Regents to lead the University as its 21st President.
“[Nyre] recognizes the potential of this institution and particularly the people who work here, who serve as faculty, and perhaps most importantly, our student body,” Board of Regents Chairman Patrick Murray said in his introduction to Nyre, adding that he received unanimous support from the Presidential Search Committee. “He has considered our history, weighed our considerable strength, embraced our dreams, and made them his own. It is clear to me, and I believe it will soon be clear to you, that Seton Hall’s future could not be brighter.”
In his address, Nyre chose to reflect on his blue-collar Wisconsin upbringing and time as a first-generation college student, as well as laying out broad goals for his upcoming tenure as President which is set to begin Aug. 1.
“We will work together to serve at the intersection of faith and education,” Nyre said. “We will work together to elevate Seton Hall’s academic distinction via strong academic planning and investments. We will advance inclusion and accessibility. We will plan an invest in campus moderation, and we will grow the University endowment to support student scholarships, faculty, and distinction.”
Interim President Mary Meehan, who addressed the crowd following Nyre, expressed gratitude in having the opportunity to serve in her interim capacity as she has since the departure of former President Gabriel Esteban in July 2017.
“It is not a privileged job, but it is a privilege to serve in this role,” Meehan said. “That’s why the selection of Dr. Nyre as our next President has filled me with such confidence in Seton Hall’s future.”
Meehan then presented Nyre with a gift from the University, a small statue of Elizabeth Ann Seton, and concluded her address with a strong expression of support to Nyre: “We are here for you.”
“I really liked what Dr. Nyre said, but more importantly I’m just excited about the energy in the room,” sophomore diplomacy major Andrew Wilson said. Wilson further explained that he felt positive energy was precisely what the University needed at such a pivotal time in its history.
“I think President Meehan did a great job in her two-year tenure,” he said, “but I think everyone was looking for a positive, lovely change and I think that’s what we got.”
Nicholas Kerr can be reached at nicholas.kerr@student.shu.edu. Find him on Twitter @nickerr99.
