FRANKLIN, Mass., April 16,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dean College is proud to
announce that our president, Kenneth Elmore, J.D., has been
inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Scholars at
Morehouse College.
The collegium is part of Morehouse's
College of Ministers & Laity and is named for Dr. King, who
graduated from the school in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in
sociology. Collegium inductees are individuals who have
"demonstrated and are evolving toward great achievement in their
chosen vocation; have a profound commitment to their community and
society, the planet and the cosmos; and are living their lives
according to a high standard of cosmopolitan ethical
principles."
"My life's work has been focused on breaking the barriers of
divisiveness by pushing communities to discover their shared
humanity and to foster meaningful, authentic friendships," said
President Elmore. "That is why being inducted into the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College is so very meaningful to me. Dr.
King was the epitome of a remarkable leader and selfless servant,
and I pledge to continue his legacy as a member of the MLK
Collegium of Scholars."
The induction ceremony took place on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in the Martin Luther
King, Jr. International Chapel. This year's ceremony theme was
"Saving Democracy While Thriving in the Wake of Cosmic Trauma." The
collegium recognized Elmore as an academic and scholar who is
"committed to research, writing, teaching and mentoring a wide
variety of disciplines and contexts that promote and give support
to the work of peace through moral cosmopolitan social
responsibility."
Elmore was nominated for this honor by Dr. Keith Magee who said, "The reason I nominated
President Elmore is due to his commitment to social justice and
what it has represented throughout his professional
career. His leadership in higher education has been impeccable
and he has used his business acumen, training, and understanding of
family and community to represent the best of all of us. He has
certainly upheld the legacy of Dr. King who understood the value of
us not being judged by the color of our skin but by the content of
our character. And equally important, President Elmore embraces Dr.
King's words that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere and has used his platform in higher education to ensure
quality access to education for all."
Elmore is the 14th president of Dean
College. He has more than three decades of higher
education experience as an accomplished leader, connector and
community builder. Throughout his career, Elmore has been an
institutional catalyst dedicated to making and keeping the common
ground compelling. He is committed to public engagement and the
pluralistic ideal.
Elmore has co-led efforts to facilitate free speech and
expression climates – to expose, debate and wrestle with ideas,
understand our bias and encourage critical engagement. Early in his
career as a dean of students, Elmore pioneered a long-standing
discussion series – Coffee and Conversation – to foster an
inclusive atmosphere through listening and idea exchange.
Throughout his career, Elmore has cultivated an institutional
mindset that ensures traditional non-academic departments
understand that the student experience is multi-dimensional and not
solely about social integration and skill-based experiences
"outside the classroom" to achieve better student outcomes.
Elmore has received several honors and professional
distinctions, including being named a Pillar of the Profession by
the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
(NASPA) and a Diamond Honoree by the American College Personnel
Association – College Student Educators International (ACPA) for
outstanding work in student affairs and services, and in higher
education. In 2019, Elmore was selected by the Mayor of
Boston to deliver the annual,
historic Fourth of July oration at Faneuil Hall.
President Elmore is a lifelong advocate, teacher and learner who
believes in the potential of students and the value of education to
change lives. He is a graduate of Brown
University, Boston University,
and New England Law | Boston.
Dean College is a private,
residential New England college
grounded in a culture and tradition that all students deserve the
opportunity for academic and personal success. A uniquely
supportive community for more than 150 years, Dean has woven
together extensive student support and engagement with exceptional
teaching and innovative campus activities. Our graduates are
lifetime learners who thrive in their careers, embrace social
responsibility and demonstrate leadership. This is The Dean
Difference.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dean-colleges-president-inducted-into-the-martin-luther-king-jr-collegium-of-scholars-at-morehouse-college-302117698.html
SOURCE Dean College