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In a vibrant and high-spirited ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 4, Lycoming College formally installed Charles “Chip” Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98, as the institution’s sixteenth president. The theme of the ceremony, “The Good of This Place,” resonated deeply with the more than 700 students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members, and delegates from colleges and universities across the country who gathered, drawing attention to the enduring values, relationships, and mission that define Lycoming College.
For Edmonds, who graduated from Lycoming 27 years ago with a double major in history and music, the ceremony represented a profound full-circle moment that saw him taking the reins of the place that shaped his early academic and professional journey.
A distinctive atmosphere of hope and commitment
The installation unfolded with a palpable sense of energy that reflected not only a leadership transition but also a recommitment to the College’s mission and future and a shared belief in “the good” that Lycoming cultivates in its people and community.
“This is a place that is not interested in the status quo but instead dedicated to the notion that we must continually endeavor to be better… It will be my great honor to steward the collective decisions and investments we make to ensure Lycoming continues to thrive as an institution committed to the most noble of public service: educating students for exceptional careers and service to humanity.”
During the ceremony, Edmonds received the Lycoming College presidential medallion, a piece commissioned for the College’s 175th anniversary. The medallion features the College seal — a telescope representing the arts and sciences, an open book representing the humanities, and the Greek word aletheia, meaning “truth,” with the names of Lycoming’s 15 past presidents and its founder engraved on the reverse — symbolizing continuity, legacy, and shared leadership.
Words of encouragement and shared purpose
Among the ceremony’s distinguished speakers was Gregory Jones, Ph.D. ’10H, president of Belmont University, who offered a message that emphasized the importance of leadership guided by hope and service.
“Education at its best cultivates a sense of purpose, a sense of character, a sense of wisdom,” said Jones. “The leadership that President Edmonds is equipped to provide, and that I trust he will provide, is to take the best of what Lycoming has been in its past and point it toward a dynamic and creative and innovative future to equip the leaders [that] the communities in Pennsylvania, in this region, in this country, and around the world need.”
In his own inaugural address, Edmonds spoke with heartfelt gratitude and a bold vision for the future. “This is a place that is not interested in the status quo but instead dedicated to the notion that we must continually endeavor to be better… It will be my great honor to steward the collective decisions and investments we make to ensure Lycoming continues to thrive as an institution committed to the most noble of public service: educating students for exceptional careers and service to humanity.”
Edmonds was named Lycoming’s next president in March and officially assumed office on July 1 with a presidency that opened a new chapter for the College, rooted in both continuity and innovation. He brings decades of institutional insight and a demonstrated commitment to student access, strategic growth, and community engagement. His inauguration not only honored Lycoming’s past but ignited new momentum for its future.