During the 141 year Founders' Day celebration of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, an historically black college located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas also installed their new Chancellor, Laurence B. Alexander.
Alexander who is UAPB's sixth chancellor was installed in an investiture ceremony on Friday, April 25th at the Pine Bluff Convention center.
UAPB spokeswoman Tisha Arnold said an investiture is "a ceremony of dignity with many academic traditions and protocols."
The service included an academic procession of delegates from other college and universities as well as UAPB faculty members. The chancellor's medallion and university mace, charter and seal - as symbols of Alexander's responsibilities as UAPB will be conferred.
Alexander was selected as UAPB's sixth chancellor after Dr. Lawrence A. Davis Jr. announced his retirement from the university back in May 2012 after leading the university for 20 years. Before coming to UAPB in last year, Alexander served as the associate dean of the University of Florida Graduate School, director of its Office of Graduate Minority Programs, a distinguished teaching scholar and a journalism professor. He has held several administrative positions during his education career.
Arnold wrote in a investiture announcement that as a professor, Alexander taught more than 10,000 students and has received "significant awards, honors and recognition for his research and undergraduate instruction." Before serving at Florida, he taught at Temple University and UNO.
Watch the investiture of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's Chancellor, Laurence B. Alexander below.