Released April 15, 1999

Roush says Centre has excelled by remaining true to its mission

DANVILLE, KY -- More than 1,500 delegates and guests gathered at Centre College today for the installation of John A. Roush as the college president. During a 2 p.m. ceremony in the college arts center, Roush received the president's medallion from two former Centre presidents, Michael F. Adams and Tom Spragens, and the chairman of the Centre trustees David Grissom.

Immediately following the formal ceremony, the college celebrated with a mini-parade led by the Olympia Brass Band from New Orleans.

The theme for the day was "Founding the Future," and in his address, Roush said Centre's future will be bright because the college has remained true to the mission of its founders in 1819. "Centre has chosen not to pursue educational fads, which seem so quickly dated," Roush said, "but to add quality to its programs and facilities and to continue making teaching its first priority."

Roush said the college will stake its future on a continued commitment to small classes and excellent instruction. "This college will continue to believe that students come first," Roush said. "Centre will sustain its high-quality, undergraduate program. We will expand our reputation for being a prestigious institution, and we will vigorously pursue the ideal of educating the whole person. Students who come to Centre will be touched in spirit and soul as well as mind and body."

Roush also announced that Centre has met the terms of the Grissom Challenge Gift, garnering $6 million in endowment funds for technology and other institutional needs.

As a extension of the "Founding the Future" theme, the college created three time capsules that were presented during a morning ceremony. The capsules, which are designated for opening in the year 2050, contained items including student predictions for the future, a computer chip, and the wrapper from a Payday candy bar, a personal favorite of President Roush.

Roush began his duties as Centre president on July 1. A long-time resident of Kettering, Ohio, he holds a bachelor's degree in English from Ohio University, along with master's and doctoral degrees from Miami University. He had 25 years of experience in higher education before coming to Centre, most recently as vice president for planning at the University of Richmond.

At Centre, Roush succeeded Adams, who left to accept the presidency of the University of Georgia. Adams was joined in the ceremony by Spragens, Centre president 1957-81, and Richard Morrill, president 1982-88.

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* President Roush's address
* Biographical sketch of Pres. Roush