Dear Marietta College Community:
I am honored to write to you on my first day at Marietta College to let you know how very pleased and excited I am to be your new president. My wife, Judy, and I, along with our dog Fuzzy, moved into the historic and beautiful President’s House on Sunday (a big thank you to the College’s Physical Plant for making sure a doggie door and fence were added).
Since the announcement of my appointment on May 18th, it has been exciting to receive numerous correspondences from colleagues at Marietta College and from alumni and friends of this great institution from across the U.S. and around the world. I was fortunate enough to attend the kickoff event for the New York City regional association on June 15th, and during that event I heard many accolades and praise for Marietta — most notable its stellar reputation, outstanding students and remarkable faculty. None of this surprised me and is at the heart of my decision to become Marietta College’s 19th President. I am excited to lead one of the nation’s great colleges, but equally excited to make even more discoveries about what makes Marietta great.
There are plenty of items on my to-do list, but the first thing I must do is listen and learn. We are already looking at ways to schedule opportunities for me to meet with alumni, students, faculty and staff — as well as members of the wonderful Marietta community. I want to hear and learn more about you, your work and your passion for Marietta College. If you want to share your thoughts now, please do so by emailing me atbill.ruud@marietta.edu. I guarantee you I will read every comment that is received.
I will also spend my early days on campus working closely with the academic and administrative leaders so we can collaborate to make sure Marietta College is doing its best to guarantee our students the greatest possible experience. And I can’t wait for the first-year student move-in day in August. Judy and I will be right there to help the Class of 2020 move into their rooms and also greet their family and other loved ones who are here to support them in this next chapter of their lives.
Judy and I are very grateful and humbled by the warm welcome we have received from everyone. We also wish to convey our deepest thanks to Marietta’s Board of Trustees, senior leadership team, search committee, search advisory committee and many others who have helped make our adjustment to Marietta so smooth.
Please, if you see me on campus, around Marietta, in your department, or at an alumni gathering anywhere in the world, I hope you will feel free to introduce yourself. I am ready to get to work and make sure each and every one of us work together to ensure a prosperous future for Marietta College.
Sincerely,
Bill Ruud
President, Marietta College