UM president Santa Ono inaugurated during day-long celebration

University of Michigan President Santa J. Ono on Tuesday was formally installed as the Ann Arbor university's 15th president during a day-long celebration that included a symposium, community reception and other events.

Ono, who previously served as president of University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and University of Cincinnati, is a vision researcher whose work included experimental medicine focusing on the immune system and eye disease. He is a cellist and prolific social media user who adheres to the principles of servant leadership.

Ono, the first Asian American to lead UM, began his five-year post on Oct. 14.

A procession of executive officers, deans, faculty members and board members filed into Hill Auditorium to begin the formal afternoon ceremony. It featured speakers including UM Provost Laurie McCauley, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, University of Chicago President Emerita Hanna Holborn Gray and UM history professor Earl Lewis. Music was performed by the inaugural cello choir and Momoro Ono, a Creighton University professor and pianist and Ono's brother.

Ono spent the first 15 minutes of his 42-minute speech highlighting many who spoke before him and recognizing several others including UM President Emerita Mary Sue Coleman, UM students and his family members. He then spoke to the challenges ahead, including diversity and inclusion, climate change, future pandemics and student well-being.

"Together, let us find solutions to these challenges, just like the University of Michigan has done for centuries," said Ono. "Let us transform our excellence into action and impact. Let us create a brighter, stronger and more vibrant university, one dedicated to egalitarian excellence in service to humanity and better prepared and positioned to educate tomorrow's leaders who are our students today."