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player ready...Pomp and circumstance were in order in River Forest recently as Glena Temple accepted formal inauguration as the 11th president of Dominican University.
About 600 faculty, students and guests attended the April 7 ceremony in which Temple was entrusted with leadership of the Catholic higher education institution.
Following a long search process, Temple assumed her working role at the campus last August.
As is custom, similar to graduation commencement, the formal inaugural ceremony for a university president traditionally takes place in the spring.
“We looked at well over 100 resumes,” Board of Trustees Chair Anne Kohler said. “I was on the search committee and we found Glena to be amazing. She’s so committed to our mission, and we loved that.”
Since last summer, Leadership Greater Chicago in February named Temple one of 25 recipients of the Daniel Burnham Fellowship. The honor recognizes leaders and decision makers who shape the work force and socioeconomic future of the Chicago region.
In her acceptance speech, Temple said she had recently met with students who, for example, worked on- and off-campus jobs to pay for tuition and books.
“A significant part of my sense of calling in higher education is to be part of the mission of strong religious women who have demonstrated time and time again how they step up and lean in to meet the needs of our communities and support the marginalized among us,” she said. “I am working towards developing strategies and solutions to address your ideas, concerns and feedback. We need to build structures to continue to listen to our students and meet their needs.”
In addition to thanking predecessors and inspirational figures, Temple cited nearly two dozen examples of students or alumni who were living the Dominican University motto of “Caritas et Veritas” — love and truth.
“Nathaly Valdivia Oberto-Besso, who is a senior bio-chem major and current Dominican Lincoln Laureate awardee with plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health, spent the summer canvassing areas of Chicago hit hardest by the pandemic to counter vaccine misinformation and provided leadership on and off campus in health equity issues,” Temple said. “Or Anastasiya Hedesh, a senior neuroscience major, who is originally from Ukraine. After she heard word of the Russian invasion of her homeland, she hurriedly organized relief and support efforts in her neighborhood and across campus.”
The inauguration began with nearly 100 faculty making a formal procession from the historic Lewis Memorial Hall to the Lund Auditorium. Following an invocation and introductions, the solemn Candle and Rose ceremony was held, where the two symbolic items were exchanged between Temple and retired outgoing president Donna Carroll.
“Donna retired after 27 years,” Temple later said. “That’s an unheard-of length of time for someone to hold that position these days, and hers are intimidating shoes to step into. It’s inspirational and a little scary.”
Temple came to Dominican from her last position as president of Viterbo, a Catholic university in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“The interesting thing is that Glena was not looking for a job,” Kohler said. “But she told our recruiter that Dominican was a university she had been watching for years and that she would consider.”
Temple is married to her husband Stephen, a scientist at the Land O’Lakes company. Originally from New York state, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master of Arts in Educational Policy and Administration and a Doctorate in Botany and Plant Sciences.
Like a growing number of higher education students, Temple was the first in her family to graduate from a university.
“I was the first in my family to graduate from college,” she said. “My parents had attended some college and they gave everything so that my sister and I could achieve what they were unable to, which was life-changing for me. I’ve been given so much because of education and how my parents made that possible, and now I would like to give back.”
The Latin “Caritas” and “Veritas” words were both present on banners and in speeches from numerous dignitaries and faculty who spoke at the inauguration.
“More than 50% of our undergraduate students are first generation,” Temple said in her address. “We appreciate the partnership of these students and their families as they seek a private, holistic Catholic education grounded in caritas and veritas.”
Student Kiara Valenzuela, a Business and Marketing major, commented on Temple’s inauguration speech after the ceremony.
“I thought it was really inspiring,” said Valenzuela, 20, of Melrose Park. “It was especially great when she explained how everything connects back to the ‘caritas-veritas’ authority of Dominican University and how, as a school, we really value those connections.”
With an enrollment of just over 2,000 undergraduates, Temple said nearly 60% of the incoming freshman class is Hispanic.
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“We’re pretty unusual in having a freshman class entering that is almost 70% students of color,” she said. “We want to continue attracting the youth of Chicago who need this type of education, and we can achieve this through great partnerships, through word of mouth and through our reputation of being a place that supports students of color and first-generation college students. Our work is being a place where first-time, low-income and historically minority students thrive.”
Kohler said: “We are actively trying to attract more students of color. As an HSI, or Hispanic-Serving Institution, diversity is what Dominican is all about. A diverse student population is good for us and we’ll continue to maintain that and welcome such students.”
In her speech, Temple mentioned pillar concepts of prayer, study, community, service and justice.
“I can’t say that one of those is more important than another, but I think prayer is at the core of what we do at Dominican,” she later said. “It doesn’t matter if a student is Catholic or not, but prayer really builds a foundation for the other pillars.”