Troy D. Hammond to be inaugurated May 17 as 10th president of North Central College

The May 17 inauguration of Troy D. Hammond as the 10th president of North Central College is part of a week that includes honors ceremonies, concerts and a fireworks display.

The inauguration occurs during Cornerstone Week, May 13-19, an annual celebration that commemorates the College’s 1870 move to Naperville from Plainfield and the laying of the cornerstone for Old Main. Some events will be webcast live. The week includes the following events:

Last Lecture: Legendary head men’s cross country coach Al Carius delivers North Central College’s sixth annual “Last Lecture” at 7 p.m. Monday, May 13, in Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. Since coming to North Central in 1966, Carius’ cross country teams have won 15 national titles, 39 consecutive conference titles and numerous other accolades under his coaching philosophy of “Run for Fun and Personal Bests.” The Last Lecture is presented by North Central's student-run College Union Activities Board (CUAB).

Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research Keynote Address: Dr. David Fuentes, professor of composition and theory at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., will deliver the keynote address, "Do You Hear What I Hear? Listening as Research," at North Central College’s 16th annual Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, in Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. Fuentes composes music at Calvin College for worship, television, the concert stage, theater and dance. The Rall Symposium is an opportunity for students to present and discuss their independent or collaborative original research. 

Cornerstone Celebration Picnic: North Central College’s annual Cornerstone Celebration Picnic is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, at the College’s Riverwalk Gateway between Fredenhagen Park and the north end of Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, 455 S. Brainard St. The free event features sample cuisine provided by Chartwells and Naperville restaurants, including Angeli's, The Bangkok Village, Belgio’s Catering, Cafe Buonaro's, Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn, Kuma’s Asian Bistro, Nancy's Pizza, Q-BBQ, Quigley's Irish Pub, Sullivan's Steakhouse, Twisted Olive and Whole Foods Market. Entertainment will be provided by talented North Central College student performers. Attendees are invited to bring donations of nonperishable food items or toiletries to be donated to Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry.

President’s Roundtable: STEM Education in the Liberal Arts: The public is invited to hear participants discuss Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the context of a liberal arts education as North Central College President Troy D. Hammond hosts a panel discussion from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, May 17, in Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. The discussion will be moderated by CBS2 Chicago reporter and weekend anchor Jim Williams. Participants include Dorothy Chappell, dean of natural and social sciences at Wheaton College; North Central College Trustee J. Thomas Gruenwald, vice president at 3WON, LLC and a former professor of physics at the University of Portland; David Kokorowski, vice president of product management at Pearson Education; and Lisa Long, North Central College professor of English. 

Inauguration Ceremony and Ball: Invited guests will gather at 4 p.m. Friday, May 17, in North Central College’s Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave., for the inauguration of Troy D. Hammond as the 10th president in the College’s 152-year history. Following a reception, invited guests will attend an Inaugural Ball featuring dinner, a live band and dancing from 7 to 11 p.m. in the College’s Residence Hall/Recreation Center, 440 S. Brainard St.

Sesquicentennial Walkway Dedication: The College will formally dedicate the Sesquicentennial Walkway at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at the south end of the Walkway, near Schneller Hall, 147 S. Loomis St. The Sesquicentennial Walkway opened in fall 2012 and is a pedestrian thoroughfare through the heart of campus. The 16-foot-wide path is located between Brainard and Loomis streets and extends between Jefferson and Benton avenues.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: North Central College presents “Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: The 20th Anniversary Tour” at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 18, in the College’s Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s irresistible live show has proven to be the singular standout among the numerous bands that launched the swing revival. Tickets are $50, $40 and $35; call 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.

Fireworks: A public fireworks display takes place at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at North Central College. Fireworks will be set off from the practice field behind the Residence Hall/Recreation Center and may be viewed from Zimmerman Stadium, 467 S. Brainard St.

Hoodie Allen: American hip-hop artist Steven Markowitz, better known by his stage name Hoodie Allen, headlines a concert that also features opening acts Outasight and The Ready Set at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 18, in North Central College’s Residence Hall/Recreation Center, 440 S. Brainard St. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $10 for North Central College students; call 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. The concert is presented by North Central College’s Fine and Performing Arts, College Union Activities Board (CUAB) and Office of Alumni Relations.

Inauguration Worship Service: The Inauguration Worship Service takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 19, in Koten Chapel at Kiekhofer Hall, 329 E. School St. Lead celebrant for the service will be the Rev. Dr. Tracy Smith Malone, a 1990 graduate of North Central College and district superintendent for the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.

President’s Invitation to Serve: The President's Invitation to Serve will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at an Emmanuel House facility. Emmanuel House is an Aurora-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping working-class families save and work their way out of poverty. Emmanuel House operates several residences in the area where volunteers may perform repair and maintenance work. North Central College President Troy D. Hammond, members of his family and others from the North Central College community will participate. Participants may visit nccservewiththepres.eventbrite.com to register.