McKeegan committed to moving Mount forward
President inaugurated a year after taking helm of college amid pandemic challenges
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CRESSON -- After more than a year into his term, John McKeegan was officially inaugurated as the 15th president of Mount Aloysius College in a ceremony Friday afternoon.
McKeegan was formally announced as Dr. John Mills' replacement in April 2020, just weeks before the rapid arrival and spread of COVID-19 throughout the U.S. and the world. Some believed that the timing of McKeegan's arrival was no coincidence.
"One might conclude that it was just the luck of the draw," president emeritus Sister Mary Ann Dillon said. "I, however, suggest to you that there be something more at play here."
Faculty and staff praised McKeegan's immediate involvement in the planning and navigation of the college through the early stages of the pandemic and the gradual reopening of the school.
"When he joined us more than a year ago in the middle of a pandemic, I thought he must be one of the most courageous men I ever met," said Renee Martin-Nagle, president and CEO of A Ripple Effect PLC and member of the Mount Aloysius Board of Trustees.
"He assumed responsibility for leading a college steeped in tradition when the future of higher education was uncertain at many levels," Martin-Nagle said.
Before arriving in Cresson, McKeegan had served as vice president for Institutional Advancement and General Counsel at Linfield College in Oregon. He grew up in the Lewisburg area, however, and still has family in the region.
When talking about his time so far at the Mount, McKeegan spoke fondly and often about the students and community.
"It has been an absolute honor, privilege and blessing to be able to serve this community, this committed group of Mounties," McKeegan said. "From Day 1, I've been blown away by how -- whether faculty, whether staff, whether student -- people care for each other here and how they look out for each other."
McKeegan said he was also proud of how well his staff and faculty handled and planned for the coronavirus pandemic and how well the students responded and worked together.
"We went in person last fall; responding to input, we decided we were going to be in person," McKeegan said. "The gratitude from our students for getting back in the classroom for an entire academic year, the way we pulled together to respond to COVID and our success moving forward has been wonderful to be a part of."
The theme of the entire inauguration ceremony was growing greater and moving forward, as the speakers all shared positive improvements and advancements from the college since McKeegan's arrival. In his inauguration speech, McKeegan shared that in the fall, the Mount had welcomed its largest freshman class in six years, rebounding nicely to start the third academic year impacted by COVID-19.
In a surprise announcement at the end of the ceremony, Richard Rose, chair of the board, shared that McKeegan had started a new scholarship fund for English and education majors in honor of his mother. The fund has already gained more than $100,000.
McKeegan said he was confident in the future of Mount Aloysius and was eager to help move the college forward, to prepare it for generations to come.
"Regardless of what awaits tomorrow, I am confident this is our era to be even better, our time to continue the Mount's growth," McKeegan said. "Those who come after us, those who will one day stand on the shoulders of our efforts will marvel at all we have achieved."