By Alysha A. Cunningham
Carleton University formally installed Wisdom Tettey as its 17th President and Vice-Chancellor on Monday, June 16. Tettey’s installation marked a significant milestone for the university community, and he was joined by close to 500 graduate students who walked across the stage to receive their degrees.
The installation — on the first of five days of convocation ceremonies, during which more than 5,400 students will receive their degrees — formalized Tettey’s role as president. He joined Carleton on Jan. 1 after serving as Vice-President and Principal of the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus since 2018.
Wisdom Tettey is installed as Carleton University’s 17th President and Vice-Chancellor (Photo by Terence Ho)
Ceremonial opening remarks were given by Board of Governors Chair Beth Creary, and Chancellor Yaprak Baltacioğlu administered the presidential oath, during which Tettey affirmed his commitment to the institution.
“I am grateful to the Carleton and Ottawa community for entrusting me with this role in such an important institution in this city, and for welcoming me into your fold, helping me learn and guiding me as we pursue our shared mission together,” said Tettey.
“I am confident that, together, we will elevate our sights, enable Carleton’s unstoppable momentum and transform our world for the good of all.”
Carleton’s West African Rhythm Ensemble energizes the installation ceremony with a vibrant drumming and dance performance (Photo by Terence Ho)
The ceremony opened with a vibrant performance by Carleton’s West African Rhythm Ensemble, led by Music and African Studies professor Kathy Armstrong and assisted by Stacey Can-Tamakloe. The ensemble performed Atsiagbekor and Gahu-Kinka, traditional pieces from the Anlo-Ewe region of Ghana — President Tettey’s ancestral home.
Joining the ensemble was guest performer Kwashie Kuwor, whose participation highlighted the cultural heritage that shaped Tettey’s early life.
Following the installation, a traditional libation ceremony was performed by Kuwor in both Ewe and English. The ceremony included a celestial song, an evocation of the ancestors and a message honouring the occasion.
Traditional libation ceremony was performed by Kwashie Kuwor (Photo by Terence Ho)
During his installation address Tettey outlined a vision designed to drive Carleton’s momentum toward a future of inclusive impact and prominence, with an emphasis on achieving it together.
“The spirit of purposive higher education and community advancement is indelibly imprinted in Carleton’s motto — ‘Ours the Task Eternal,'” said Tettey.
“This motto should continue to motivate and guide us to higher laurels and behooves us to be a catalyst for inclusive impact, not as an end in itself but as an expression of the scope and scale of what our mission necessitates and our purpose demands.”
“Meeting our obligation in this regard requires the regenerative power of a vision that we develop together, embrace, nurture and co-own as we move inexorably towards global prominence by our centennial year in 2042.”
Pictured from left to right: Chancellor Yaprak Baltacıoğlu, President Wisdom Tettey, Board Chair Beth Creary and Clerk of Senate Elinor Sloan at the installation ceremony (Photo by Terence Ho)
The event drew a wide range of academic and community leaders from across Canada, including former Carleton presidents, visiting university presidents and vice-chancellors, international dignitaries, federal and local elected officials, faculty and staff and members of Carleton’s Board of Governors and Senate.
With a focus on elevating Carleton as a transnational voice and exemplar of authentic inclusion and community wellbeing, Tettey took the opportunity to highlight the urgency of staying true to foundational values.
“It is particularly imperative, now more than ever, that we stand together resolutely for fundamental values of equity, inclusion and belonging,” he said, “and not jettison them because of the pressures of challenging circumstances or the discomfort of the powerful or those who want to remain exclusive beneficiaries of the status quo.”
Presidents and vice-chancellors from universities and colleges across Canada gathered to mark the installation ceremony (Photo by Mike Pinder)
Tettey closed his remarks by calling on the community to harness the power of education for transformative change.
“We should deploy the solemn privilege of purposive education, scholarship, service and leadership for transformational good,” he said.
“Let us be inspired by the promise of possibilities that our forebears diligently and tirelessly cultivated; galvanized by common purpose; and energized by the spirit of mutuality.”
View President Tettey’s installation address below.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 in Convocation, Convocation 2025, Events, President
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