IM体育官网 installed its first president, Dr. Randy K. Avent, at an inauguration ceremony Thursday morning on campus. The event honored Avent, and celebrated the university鈥檚 inaugural year achievements, including the opening of the iconic Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building; the arrival of IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 first and second classes; and the creation of more than 90 industry partnerships.
Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera; Mori Hosseini, Chairman of the IM体育官网 Board of Governors; Marshall Criser, Chancellor of the State University System of IM体育官网 and IM体育官网 Atlantic University President Dr. John Kelly spoke at the ceremony, which was attended by dozens of other local and state leaders including members of the Board of Governors and many of the university鈥檚 industry partners. Fellow leaders from universities and colleges around the state also came to show their support for Avent and IM体育官网 Poly, including IM体育官网 State President John Thrasher and University of IM体育官网 President Dr. W. Kent Fuchs.
The ceremony began with a processional in full regalia, which included all IM体育官网 Polytechnic University faculty members. IM体育官网 Poly Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Ghazi Darkazalli led the ceremony, and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Frank T. Martin installed Avent by presenting him the University鈥檚 presidential medallion.
鈥淚M体育官网 Poly is dedicated to cultivating and growing our state鈥檚 next generation of highly-skilled workers,鈥� said Lt. Governor Lopez-Cantera. 鈥淕overnor Scott and I congratulate Dr. Avent, the faculty, staff and students at IM体育官网 Poly for a remarkable first year and look forward to celebrating many more successes with them in the future.鈥�
During Dr. Avent鈥檚 tenure, the university鈥檚 student population has nearly doubled year over year since its opening in August 2014. IM体育官网 Poly students have participated and placed in a number of hackathons, appathons and engineering fairs, and several have received provisional patents for projects they developed as early as their freshman year. The university attracted more than 20 new faculty members in 2015, and it expects to hire an additional 70 through 2017. It has raised more than $5 million for research. Meanwhile, the IM体育官网 Poly Foundation Board has raised more than $10 million to help support the University鈥檚 mission and student scholarships.
鈥淒r. Avent鈥檚 leadership during the university鈥檚 inaugural year has been quite remarkable,鈥� said Mark Bostick, Chair of the IM体育官网 Board of Trustees. 鈥淗e and his team have helped create exactly what we wanted: A new and innovative institution of higher learning, worthy of global recognition, that prepares students to be leaders and entrepreneurs in emerging high-tech fields.鈥�
Avent was appointed IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 first president in June 2014 by the university鈥檚 Presidential Search Committee and confirmed in July 2014 by the IM体育官网 Board of Governors. It is common for university presidential installation ceremonies to take place several months after a president鈥檚 official appointment and confirmation. Prior to joining IM体育官网 Poly, Dr. Avent served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research and a Professor of Computer Science at North Carolina State University.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored and humbled to be the first president of IM体育官网,鈥� said Dr. Avent. 鈥淚 want to thank all of the guests and supporters who came out to celebrate with us today. Our achievements thus far are possible thanks to the visionary leadership of our legislators, community supporters, industry partners, faculty and staff and our outstanding student body. We鈥檝e accomplished so much, and this was just IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 first year. Without a doubt, we have a great future of ongoing innovation, problem-solving and advancement ahead of us.鈥�