Garrett: Founders' vision 'resonates with my life'

"Cornell has been fundamentally shaped by its founders' lasting vision of a university dedicated to inclusion, to egalitarianism and public engagement. I found that vision compelling. It resonates with my own work and my life, which involves public service," said Elizabeth Garrett, the university's newly named 13th president and the first woman to hold the post, at a press conference Sept. She continued: "Just as Cornell has been acknowledged as the first American university, I am confident that we are the American university that will help shape this century as an influential global presence in education." The Cornell Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Garrett as the university's next president. Garrett, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Southern California, will begin her tenure July 1, 2015. Garrett, 51, was introduced to media by Robert Harrison '76, chairman of the board, and Jan Rock Zubrow '77, chairman of the Executive Committee of the board and of the Presidential Search Committee. Harrison, who praised the dedication of Zubrow and the committee, explained the intricate task of selecting a new president.