Moore College of Art & Design inaugurates 8th president

Moore College of Art & Design, founded in 1848, inaugurated its eighth president, Cecelia Fitzgibbon, at a ceremony held Sept. 12.

Fitzgibbon, a former Drexel University professor and department head, was introduced by her former colleague, Drexel president John Fry. A crowd of about 250 guests including board members, faculty, students, and staff attended the ceremony.

During Fitzgibbon’s 16-year tenure at Drexel, she directed the university’s Graduate Arts Administration Program, which teaches students to lead and manage cultural organizations, and was a professor in the program. She was also head of the university’s department for Arts and Entertainment Enterprise.

When she took the position as president in July 2012, Fitzgibbon succeeded Happy Fernandez, who had held the post since 1999.

Mayor Nutter addressed the crowd, as did Moore board of trustees chair and alum Frances R. Graham (class of ’66), and Gabrielle Lavin, chair of Staff Council.

The ceremony was followed by a reception held in Moore’s Wilson and Widener Memorial Foundation galleries.