On Oct. 30, Dr. E. Joseph Savoie will formally be sworn in as the sixth president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Several events are planned throughout the day including an Ecumenical Prayer Service at 9 a.m. in front of Martin Hall.
This community event will feature several Acadiana choirs and readings from UL Lafayette students.
“ We are inviting the community to come and celebrate this historic day with the university,” said Traci Aucoin, member of the Inauguration Committee. “The service will feature readings, prayers and music from various religions represented on campus. The event is serving as a kickoff for the rest of the day’s activities.”
Lafayette High School’s choir will open the service with its rendition of “Let All the Nations Praise the Lord.”
Father Chester Arceneaux, pastor at Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church on campus, will give the Welcome and offer the Opening Prayer. A reading on wisdom will follow along with a performance by Ascension Episcopal School’s choir.
The group will sing “How Good is the Lord” in both French and English and “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.” This will be followed by a prayer for wisdom.
The Acadiana Ecumenical Choir will perform after a second reading on truth which will be followed by a prayer on truth by Rev. Daniel Hixon from UL Lafayette Wesley Foundation.
A third reading on love and a prayer on love will close the event. Rev. Eric Treuil with Chi Alpha will recite the prayer.
Reverend Lloyd Joiner with Progressive Baptist Church will give Closing Remarks and the Benediction.
A reception will follow on the grounds at Martin Hall. Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church is the designated rain site. Parking will be available at the Cajundome with shuttle buses running to and from Martin Hall. Drivers should enter the Cajundome parking lot off of Reinhart Drive and Cajundome Boulevard. A limited number of wheelchair-accessible parking spots will be available at Martin Hall. If the rain site is necessary, a limited number of wheelchair-accessible parking spots will be available at the Student Union.
Other activities scheduled for Inauguration Day on Oct. 30 include:
• 2 p.m. Presidential Investiture Ceremony at the Cajundome. Dr. E. Joseph Savoie will formally become UL Lafayette’s sixth president in its 108-year history. Thomas Frey, Executive Director and Senior Futurist of the DaVinci Institute, will serve as the keynote speaker. He is editor of one of “the top five science blogs in the known universe” and is Google’s top-rated futurist speaker. This ceremony is open and free to the community.
• 6 p.m. ‘We Are Louisiana’ Celebration at the Cajundome Convention Center. This reception will celebrate Dr. Savoie’s inauguration and the 2008 Homecoming Week. Entertainment for the evening includes Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, Irma Thomas and The Molly Ringwalds. Dress is casual for this event and admission is a donation in the amount of your choice to the Student Scholarship Fund. This event is open to the public.
For more information on Presidential Inauguration events, email inauguration@louisiana.edu or call (337) 482-6307.