This Friday, the Center for Faith and Life hosted Luther College’s presidential inauguration, installing Brad Chamberlain as the college’s 12th president.

The inauguration’s theme was “For the Common Good,” highlighting Chamberlain’s commitment to his five values of community, curiosity, excellence, inclusivity and sustainability.

The ceremony included performances from Luther’s five choirs and Concert Band, along with speeches by Chamberlain’s family and representatives of Luther students, alumni, staff and Decorah residents. Luther’s class schedule was adapted to allow all students the opportunity to attend. Class lengths were shortened from one hour to 50 minutes, increasing the normal Chapel break to account for the ceremony. The inauguration began at 10:30 a.m., with a reception at 11:30 a.m.

In his presidential remarks, Chamberlain revealed his vision of Luther College’s identity, which he hopes to continue.

“Our graduates stand out in their professions and their communities because of their focus on others,” Chamberlain said. “Because they are inspired and equipped to build bridges across differences. Because they strengthen communities. Because they make everyone around them better.”

According to Board of Regents member and local business owner Pete Espinosa (‘81), Chamberlain’s clear vision was one of the reasons he was selected as president.

“He shares a vision of: we can be great,” Espinosa said. “And we need to be great. But the way to get that done is academic excellence, treating people well, welcoming everybody and remaining grounded in our faith.”

The campus has noticed the impact of Chamberlain’s vision for the school.

“I feel like he’s much more interested in knowing what’s happening in students’ lives, much more connected,” Nordic Choir singer Linaea Walsh (‘27) said. “It feels easy, like if you ran into him in the hallway, you could just chat with him.”

“He’s so much more present in the students’ life,” Concert Band flautist Amelia Ramirez (‘26) agreed. “Like, he went around before [the inauguration ceremony], and he greeted every single choir, and then he came down and greeted us and said thank you.”

And it’s not just with current students. Chamberlain has made sure to connect with other various groups related to the school.

“He’s constantly making himself available to listen, to engage,” Vice President of Enrollment Matt Beatty (‘03) said. “He’s genuinely curious about what the needs, wants [and] desires are for each of those critical stakeholders, from Decorah residents to recent and past graduates.” 

As a member of the admissions team, Beatty also commended Chamberlain’s dedication to prospective students, and his focus on maintaining the relevance of higher education. Chamberlain explicitly addressed this challenge in his presidential remarks.

“He wrote over 200 individual postcards for accepted students last spring,” Beatty said. “A number of them, who arrived just a month ago, commented during move-in day and other areas about how much that was meaningful for them.”

Guests of the inauguration were encouraged to take home a presidential memento, consisting of a packet of prairie seeds. Sustainability Coordinator Kara Holmstrom appreciated this as evidence of Chamberlain’s dedication to his fifth value, sustainability.

Chamberlain was announced as the college’s next president in October 2024, and has been serving in the role since February. His journey with Luther College first started in 2001 as a chemistry professor. He held this role for 16 years before accepting administrative positions, most recently serving as provost. Chamberlain’s time in Decorah has led to a strong connection with the local community. His wife, Julie (‘96), is the lead pastor of Decorah Covenant Church, and his two sons were raised in the Decorah school district before continuing on to Luther. 

“I’m very optimistic about our future because of Brad [Chamberlain],” Espinosa said. “We have some challenges ahead, but we’re very excited to take them on and very optimistic about that. We are Luther, and that’s something we’ve always been proud to say. I think we can say it with even more pride today than ever before.”