Friday’s event was part of a two-day celebration that began on Thursday, April 16, and included a breakfast in Georgetown, lunch in Wilmington, Prez Walk and Run, gala and community barbecue. On Friday, several distinguished guests joined Carlson on stage in front of Memorial Hall, including former U.S. president and UD alumnus Joe Biden, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Gov. Matt Meyer and Reverend John I. Jenkins.

Biden said he’s gotten to know Carlson over the last year and that he’s confident in her ability to lead the University during a tumultuous time for higher education and the nation as a whole.

“She’s a wise and thoughtful leader who’s committed to building on this University’s already strong foundation,” he said. “I feel hopeful for both our state and our nation that they have someone of [her] character and intellect to help, guide and inspire them.”

A presidential inauguration signals the beginning of a new chapter in the University’s long and proud history, said Terri Kelly, chair of the Board of Trustees. Kelly noted that while the Trustees provide oversight and support, it is ultimately the president who provides the strategic vision and leadership to enable the University to thrive.

“[Carlson exemplifies] all the qualities and capabilities to successfully lead the University as our next president,” Kelly said. “[She is] authentic, approachable, purpose-driven, tenacious, while at the same time humble and clearly passionate about UD. [She is] truly a role model for so many of us.”

Blunt Rochester said she believes Carlson will be a president who embodies UD’s motto: “Knowledge is the Light of the Mind.” 

“She will be a leader who will help expand horizons by bringing more people into the fold — one who reaches out to students, so that they can reach their full potential,” she said.

Meyer said the inauguration was a big moment not just for the University, but for the state. UD is the place where ideas are developed, research advanced and leaders shaped, he said.

“With President Carlson at the helm, this institution is not just prepared to meet the moment — it is poised to define it,” Meyer said. “During challenging times, we today have reason to be more confident than ever about the bright future of our great state and this great university.”

Charting a path forward

Raised in a family grounded in its Swedish heritage, Carlson learned early the importance of belonging, community, hard work and the transformative power of education — principles that continue to shape who she is, how she leads and what she values.

Before joining the Blue Hen community as provost in 2022, Carlson spent 28 years at the University of Notre Dame as a psychology professor, later serving in senior leadership roles, including vice president, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and began her professional life teaching fourth grade in a rural public school, before pursuing graduate study. She received a master’s degree from Michigan State University and a doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

While the two-day celebration honored UD’s new president, Carlson emphasized the importance of community.

“This inauguration is not about me. It is about us,” Carlson said. “It is about a community moving forward together, offering hope in a time of tension, an example in a time of discord, and charting a path forward in a time of uncertainty.”

A defining moment

The festivities offered a colorful, tradition-rich welcome that celebrated the University, while weaving in elements personal to Carlson herself, among them a reading of “On the Pulse of Morning” by Maya Angelou, musical performances by UD faculty and students, and even custom attire. At the celebration gala the evening before, Carlson wore a dress and jacket created by UD students and faculty — and stitched with symbolism. On the morning of the investiture, The Green was filled with students, faculty and community members sporting blue and gold. 

Under Carlson’s leadership, UD is not just a place where Blue Hens inquire, create, innovate, grow, welcome, educate, work, belong or stand. It’s also a place where we inquire with impact, create with connections, innovate with intention, grow with purpose, welcome with promise, educate with outcomes, work with trust, belong with joy and stand with pride.

“Community here is not accidental; it is intentional,” Carlson said. “We build, measure and strengthen cultures of connection, so that every Blue Hen hears their voice reflected in OurUD and understands that the way in which we each define belonging, collectively defines who we are.”

Her vision is already resonating. Nivedita Prabhu, a senior honors double major in biochemistry and political science, commended Carlson for her proactive efforts to reach out to the student body.

“Seeing this school spirit is really meaningful,” she said. “It’s a celebration of our community as a whole. I’m seeing friends from all different activities, and I feel like it’s a great opportunity for us to celebrate Delaware.”

Mia Bernstein, a first-year honors chemical engineering major, echoed that sentiment, saying having a new president gives the University more opportunities for growth.

“I have faith that she is someone who will lead the University in a positive direction, and I’m excited to see what happens in the future,” Bernstein said. “It’s like a fresh start for our whole community. It brings everyone together to celebrate something really big that’s changing.”

As president, Carlson is committed to a University that shows up — for Newark, Lewes, Georgetown, Dover, Wilmington and every community across Delaware — advancing opportunity, inquiry and service for the public good.

“The University is not just a university that happens to be located in Delaware,” Carlson said. “It is a university for Delaware — for the whole state. And through that service, for the nation and the world.”