NSU Community Celebrates the
Inauguration of President and the Legacy of Achieving
with Excellence
Norfolk, Va.—Carolyn W. Meyers will be installed as Norfolk
State University’s fourth president at 10:30 a.m.,
Thursday, April 12 at the L. Douglas Wilder Performing
Arts Center, which is located on the campus of NSU. The
investiture ceremony is free and open to the public on a
first come, first served basis. The event will also be
aired on the campus cable station to overflow audiences.
Overflow sites include the Wilson Hall lobby,
Scott-Dozier Dining Hall and the Brown Hall, Little
Theater. Following the ceremony a campus lawn party will
be held at 12:30 p.m. at William “Dick” Price Stadium.
During her inaugural address, Meyers is expected to
present her vision for NSU’s future and show her
commitment to the university’s mission. The inauguration
theme, “NSU in the 21st Century: A Celebration of
Achievements,” will include two concerts, a business
women’s forum, faculty and student exhibits, lectures,
the dedication of the Marie V. McDemmond Center for
Applied Research and rededication of the Robinson
Technology Center. An inaugural gala event closes the
week-long celebration. The campus and greater community
are invited to participate in these activities. All
events are free except the gala, which is a ticketed
event. (For a complete listing of events, please see the
attached document.)
Meyers, a native of Newport News, Va., succeeds Marie V.
McDemmond, who served as NSU’s president for eight years
before resigning in 2005 for health reasons. She began
her tenure as president of Norfolk State University July
1, 2006. Prior to her appointment by the Board of
Visitors, she was the provost and vice chancellor for
academic affairs at North Carolina A&T State University.
A tenured professor in the College of Engineering at
A&T, Meyers holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical
engineering from Howard University; a master’s in
mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of
Technology (Georgia Tech) and a Ph.D. in chemical
engineering also from Georgia Tech. She completed post
doctoral work at Harvard University’s Institute for
Educational Management. Her career in higher education
spans more than 30 years and includes both academic and
administrative experiences.
Meyers holds numerous professional memberships on
several boards including the Board of Trustees of the
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the
Advisory Board for the Journal of Engineering Education
and the Board of Trustees of the Moses Cone Health
Systems. She also served as the first associate dean of
research for the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech
and was later appointed professor and dean of the
College of Engineering at North Carolina A&T State
University.
Norfolk State University was founded in 1935 as the
Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University. Founded
during the era of the Great Depression, Norfolk State
provided a nurturing and educational atmosphere in which
the youth of the region could acquire a quality and
affordable education. In 1942, the college became the
independent Norfolk Polytechnic College, and two years
later, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly it
became a part of Virginia State College. Another
Virginia General Assembly act in 1956 enabled the
institution to offer its first bachelor’s degrees. The
college was separated from Virginia State College and
became fully independent in 1969. In 1979, Norfolk State
College was designated as a university and was
authorized to grant graduate degrees.
Norfolk State University’s mission is to provide an
affordable high-quality education for an ethnically and
culturally diverse population, equipping each student
with the capability to become productive citizens who
continuously contribute to a global and rapidly changing
society.
For more information, call the Office of Communications
and Marketing at 757-823-8373 or visit the NSU website
at
www.nsu.edu/inauguration/ .
