Inauguration of President Joshua D. Merchant
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Inauguration Ceremony
On Friday, May 4th there were many events on the schedule to help celebrate the inauguration of BVU's new president. There was a luncheon for special guests which featured presentations from professors on staff such as Dr. Wind Goodfriend, Dr. Shawn Stone, and Dr. Bethany Larson. There were also campus tours available for guests.The inauguration procession began at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4th, 2018. The installation of President Joshua Merchant followed the procession in the Siebens Fieldhouse. During the ceremony, two of President Merchant's past mentors spoke about their positive experiences with him in their past. There were also addresses of support from various representatives of the community, and music from Buena Vista's band and choir. In attendance to the ceremony were President Merchant's friends and family members, faculty and staff, representatives from other institutions in Iowa, alumni and students of Buena Vista University, and community members. Following the installation of President Merchant, there was a reception hosted in the Sieben's Forum. The reception welcomed everyone to enjoy food, drinks, and conversation.
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Block Party ​
On Saturday, May 5th, 2018, Buena Vista's Student Activities Board hosted the 2018 Block Party. This was held in celebration of Inauguration and the end of the school year for students. Everyone was invited to attend this celebration including members of the community. There were many activities set up including inflatables, face painting, water balloon paint explosion, spin art, bag toss, and much more. SAB also brought in food trucks that served funnel cake, fried Oreos, barbecue, cheese curds, burritos, and tacos. President Merchant attended the Block Party where he took selfies with the art models and indulged in the food trucks. At 8:00 p.m. students were invited to attend a paint rave. SAB invited a D.J. to play music for the students to dance and enjoy the gallons of paint.
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