Campus celebrates Inauguration Week
Christine Pharr, Ph.D., a chemistry professor turned administrator, will become invested as Mount Mary University's 12th president on April 20, 2018 and events have taken place all over campus leading up to Friday's event.
The International Club dedicated their annual "Culture Couture" fashion and cultural show to Dr. Pharr on Monday, the event included music and dance from the many cultures represented on campus.
The Inauguration theme is "A Community of Our Making: A Tower of Light, Transforming the World."
Other events have centered upon the theme of service, including a Red Cross blood drive, on-campus cleanup days and an off-campus service project at the Urban Ecology Center.
The Inauguration on Friday will begin with a Mass at 1:30 p.m. at Christ King Church, 2604 N. Swan Blvd., Wauwatosa. The Ceremony will take place in the Alumnae Dining Hall on campus at 3:30 p.m., followed by a reception. A full listing of Inauguration details can be found here.
Pharr has been president of the institution since July 1, 2017. She possesses a passion for women's leadership, particularly in the sciences.
Pharr's multi-dimensional background includes roles in fundraising and academic affairs. A higher education administrator and faculty member with more than 20 years of experience, Pharr's unique skill set made her singularly qualified to lead the institution, which is poised to build upon its commitment to support health and wellness within the community.
After graduating with her bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD, Pharr went on to earn a master's degree in chemistry from the University of South Dakota and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Idaho. She served as academic dean of Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. She served as academic vice president at the College of Saint Mary (CSM) in Omaha, Nebraska for seven years followed, by two years as vice president for alumni and donor relations at that institution.
