Menlo-Magazine-Fall-2014

The 2014 Presidential InaugurationAtherton resident Mark Flegel gave Richard A. Moran, President of Menlo College a congratulatory handshake at the Inauguration.PHOTO: DOUG PECK PHOTOGRAPHYAfter a processional led by the Members of the Prince CharlesPipe Band, local politicians, technology leaders, presidentsof other colleges, and other dignitaries, the inauguration ofthe tenth president at Menlo College commenced. Faculty SenatePresident Melissa Michelson commented on the “optimism andcollaboration between the Menlo College President and faculty.”Student Government President Haley Heryford added that “MenloCollege is lucky to have him.” Chair of the Board of Trustees GeirRamleth called the new president a “special person and a leader.”With these accolades and more, Richard A. Moran wasinaugurated.President Moran said he was “humbled and honored,” and promisedto fulfill his new duties “faithfully and to the best of his ability.”He confided that he set his sights on becoming a college presidentwhen he was eighteen years old. As a teenager, he purchased abook about college presidents at a library book swap for a quarter.President Moran then displayed the book he has held on to allthese years for the time when it would come in handy (althoughhe acknowledged that as the book was published in 1918, itmight not be all that useful today).The president asked the audience to “make Menlo more Menlo.”He rallied the community to work together and be proud. He saidthe community should think of Menlo College as more than ahidden gem. Menlo College should be held as a leader in SiliconValley. He concluded that we should keep striving to make theCollege a better place.Peter Moore, a video games executive spoke on the importance ofresilience, one of the great lessons of life, and one that he stated isembodied by President Moran. His talk included a recitation ofthe poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. The ceremony ended with aspeech by Kerry Dolan who told tales about the billionaires shehas met during her career as the editor of the Forbes Lists ofBillionaires. After glowing speeches by Moore and Dolan, theceremony concluded and the spirited crowd of guests steppedout of the massive tent into a delightful warm afternoon receptionreplete with bountiful toasts. A splendid time was had by all.MENLO COLLEGE 7