November 21, 2024
At a Blessing Ceremony by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland on Sunday, November 17—Founder’s Day—the Ursuline College Board of Trustees formally installed David King, EdD as the College’s 18th president.
Board Chair John “Jack” Newman Jr. presented the College’s presidential medallion to Dr. King, alongside Sister Anne Marie Diederich, OSU, ’66 and Sister Diana Stano, OSU ’68, the College’s 15th and 16th presidents, respectively. Sister Diana explained, “The medallion bears the coat of arms of the Ursuline Sisters and the Seal of Ursuline College, together signifying the heritage and the challenge of the college presidency.”
Sister Anne Marie then presented the College’s charter from 1871 to Dr. King. She stated, “I place in your hand the actual Charter of Ursuline College granted at the request of Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont and the State of Ohio on this date, November 17, 1871 – exactly 144 years ago today!”
The ceremony was held in the chapel of Merici Crossings, home to the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. It featured several hymns and blessings from representatives of the Board of Trustees, the faculty, staff, and students, who also represented future alumni. Sister Laura Bregar, OSU, ’81, MA’99, president of the Ursuline Sisters, offered a special blessing on behalf of the order, as the College continues its work to enter a Strategic Partnership with Gannon University.
“We pray with Saint Angela,” she said, “that ‘you act, move, believe, strive, and hope’ and know that as God, ‘he has given you this charge, so he will give you also the strength to be able to carry it out.’ You and your family will be daily in our prayers.”
She continued, “Ours is a moment defined by vision and possibility, coupled with the timeless and unchanging value of our mission, heritage, and charism in an ever-changing world.”
After being introduced by his wife, Winnie Lowrie King, Dr. King, echoed similar themes in his address, “Our Path of Pilgrimage.”
“We would not be here today were it not for the Ursuline Sisters who, in 1850, undertook a journey from France to Cleveland ‘with a humble heart and with an openness to be transformed’”, said the new president, citing the Renovare Weekly, a “Pilgrimage.”
“Todays’ generation of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland have- individually and as a community,” he continued, “exhibited humble serving hearts and an openness to being transformed.”
Dr. King added, “Stewarding the legacy of Ursuline College is also embracing the tension between past and future, a tension made even more palpable in our moment as we embark on our pilgrimage to a future marked by a new model fused with our historical strengths. … Ours is a moment defined by vision and possibility fused with the timeless and unchanging value of our mission, heritage, and charism in an ever-changing world.”
To show their appreciation for the Blessing Ceremony, the Kings presented the Sisters with a Kintsugi bowl, and a copy of Makoto Fuijimura’s book, A Theology of Making: Art + Faith which Dr. King quoted in his address.
Ninety guests, which included 40+ Ursuline Sisters, College Board members, faculty, staff, students, and friends, attended the 50-minute ceremony with another 155 viewing the festivities online. When the formal event concluded Sister Laura encouraged attendees to enjoy some refreshments and to “let this house resound with gladness.”
