President of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Dr Richard W. Georges pictured with members of the College’s Board of Governors, Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and Deputy Premier, Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). Photo: Junior Daniel/HLSCC

President of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Dr Richard W. Georges pictured with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College’s faculty members. Photo: Junior Daniel/HLSCC

President of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Dr Richard W. Georges is pictured with Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). Dr Wheatley is also a former lecturer of the College. Photo: Junior Daniel/HLSCC

The formal presidential investiture ceremony of Dr Georges, as the seventh president of the College, took place on Thursday, January 28, 2021, at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, Paraquita Bay Campus.

'Privilege & great responsibility'

In his investiture address, Dr Georges affirmed his strong commitment to making the College a better place for its students and for the community.

“Being chosen to lead this institution is a privilege and a great responsibility that I do not take lightly. I will listen. I will communicate with vigour, urgency, and sincerity."

Dr Georges made known that his goal will be to increase understanding wherever possible, "to retain self-respect and love for each other in our dealings, to respect the loyalty, dedication, and quality of our faculty and staff.”

He assured that he will do his best to fulfil all the duties of this office with dignity, with reverence, and a dedication to fairness and the betterment of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and the territory it serves.

The single question!

“I only ask of you that you commit with me to be engaged in daily deliberation of a single question, what Dr Martin Luther King Jr. described as life’s persistent and most urgent question: What are you doing for others? I ask that you stand with me, even though we will not always agree, committed to making our College a better place every day for our students and for the community. It is only through us all working together, committed to making that vision reality, will HLSCC be afforded the best possible chance to be better.”

The ceremony included an academic procession with members of the College’s faculty, representatives from the higher education community, community partners, members of the College’s Board of Governors and government leaders.

'We must salute the legacy of H. L. Stoutt'- Premier Fahie

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said, “Today, not only has the College produced many with degrees, but the College has birthed a president - and for this, we must salute the legacy of the late H. L. Stoutt.”

Dr Georges was appointed HLSCC’s President on October 1, 2020, by the College’s Board of Governors after having acted in the position since October 22, 2019. Before his presidential appointment, Dr Georges served as Senior Lecturer, Head of Humanities, Social Sciences and Communication Department, Director of Institutional Advancement and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Dr Georges is an award-winning author of fiction, poetry, and essays in addition to being the Territory’s first Poet Laureate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Texas Christian University, a master’s degree in creative writing from Aberystwyth University and a doctorate in critical and creative writing from the University of Sussex.

According to HLSCC, investiture ceremonies are one of the oldest traditions in academia, with ‘investiture’ originating from the Latin phrase for “dress in robe.”

"They are thought to have originated in English Universities and are modelled after ceremonies of knighthood. It is the formal ceremony conferring the authority and symbols of high office, and in which colleges and universities welcome a new era and celebrate the pursuit of knowledge," it stated.