It was standing room only on Tuesday afternoon as hundreds of people from the York community turned out to welcome President-designate Mamdouh Shoukri during a meet-and-greet reception hosted by York President & Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden.
Right: York President-designate Mamdouh Shoukri addresses the crowd
The event, which took place in the lobby of the Technology Enhanced Learning Building on York’s Keele campus, offered a warm and friendly venue for the occasion.
Applause greeted the president-designate as he took to the stage escorted by Marsden. A beaming Shoukri surveyed the crowd. "Being selected as the next president of York University is an absolute honour for me," said Shoukri. "I have been attracted to York University for many reasons. However, one of the most important reasons is that I feel very strongly about many of the values that are embodied in the culture of York University.
"I feel very strongly about York University’s commitment to excellence in research and education, its commitment to interdisciplinary research and education, its commitment to accessibility, fairness and social justice," said Shoukri. "These are important values for a progressive university in the 21st century and hence my attraction to York.
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| Above: Fuad Abdi, York Federation of Students vice-president equity and a student in the Faculty of Health, meets Shoukri |
"I’m also excited because I am coming at a point when the University is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary and I look forward to working with every member of the extended York community to build on the 50 years of heritage, the incredible work that Dr. Marsden has done for the University and to move forward together to be a model for the most progressive university in the country. Thank you very much for your generosity, I am absolutely overwhelmed."
Following Shoukri’s comments, Marsden addressed the crowd. With a twinkle in her eye, she announced that, "Dr. Shoukri is a jogger…." Marsden then presented her successor with a York sweatshirt.
Left: There will be no more purple in his life as Shoukri accepts a York ‘red’ sweatshirt
"There will be no more purple in his life," she said, referring to the colours of McMaster University in Hamilton.
"It’s red from now on," said Marsden to thunderous applause.