Luther College invites Decorah residents to ‘Inaugural Night on the Town’ Oct. 3

The inauguration of Bradley M. Chamberlain, Ph.D., as the 12th president of Luther College will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Brad Chamberlain

“Dr. Chamberlain is only the 12th president of Luther College, which is remarkable when you think of the college’s 164-year history,” said Board of Regents Chair Bob Paulson. “We invite members of the Decorah community to join the Luther community as we celebrate this joyous and historic occasion.”

The celebration will continue with “Inaugural Night on the Town” hosted by Luther. Community members are invited to enjoy Scandinavian-American music performed by Decorah-based Foot-Notes string band starting at 7:30 p.m. on the Hanson Vesterheim Commons patio at Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. The rain location is inside the Commons.

Additionally, three Luther student a capella groups will perform at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 inside The Landing Market.

Chamberlain is the first president to have been promoted from within the college in more than a century; Luther’s third president, Oscar L. Olson, was a faculty member before becoming president in 1921.

Chamberlain began his duties on Feb. 7, 2025. He comes to the president’s role with more than two decades of experience at the college. Chamberlain joined Luther as a visiting professor in 2001 and has progressed to a variety of academic and administrative leadership positions over the past 10 years.

“It is unusual to have had an internal candidate with the depth and breadth of President Chamberlain’s experience, both as a long-tenured and very successful and respected professor, and as an administrator who had the opportunity to hold and successfully execute a variety of essential leadership positions at the college,” Paulson said. “He cares deeply about his colleagues, about students, and about community – the Decorah community as well as the Luther community – and his ability to listen and understand, and to connect and communicate with people truly set him apart to both the search committee and the Board of Regents.”

Delegates from 30 institutions of higher education will be honoring President Chamberlain and displaying their support by taking part in the formal procession, as will a dozen Decorah community representatives, two dozen current and former regents, two former Luther presidents and two former interim presidents.

The inauguration theme is “For the Common Good.” The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

The inauguration activities are part of Luther’s Homecoming weekend. More details and a complete Homecoming schedule can be found at luther.edu/homecoming.

Chamberlain’s complete bio is available on Luther’s Office of the President webpage.

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