A Fond Farewell to President Pelton

The time has come to bid a fond farewell to President Pelton. After 10 years at the helm, he is leaving an indelible mark on the College’s history, as well as leaving its community members with indelible memories. Here are some favorite moments shared by staff:

“I had the honor of saying a few words on behalf of the graduate student body at President Pelton’s inauguration. In my speech, I joked with him that I started my undergraduate career at Emerson in President Liebergott’s first year in charge, and I was starting my graduate degree in his first year. I asked him for a heads-up if he was ever going to leave so that I could figure out what to do for my next degree. But he never reached out, so I’m at a loss.” —Tim Douglas (Academic Advising)

“When I first started as a full-time staff member after graduating from Emerson, Sofie Belenky and I worked on a project to audit all the printers on campus. At one point, we made it up to the 14th floor of Ansin to Lee’s office. I remember it was huge, with beautiful couches and a gorgeous view. He immediately started talking with Sofie as if they were long-lost friends. And while they talked, I had the absolute joy of getting down on all fours, in my cutest sundress, to shuffle around on the very plush carpet underneath his desk to write down his printer information.” —Chloe Warfford (IT)

*****

“Let me set the scene: Explorateur, 8:15 am. It’s raining out. Lee and I enter at the same time from opposite directions, and we have that “Oh, hi, good morning” moment. The line is not short, and in order to not be standing in the breezeway, freezing, we have to stand next to each other. We make a little small talk, and then, as we are waiting for our coffees, Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ comes over the speakers. Everyone in that place starts bobbing heads and tapping toes. Lee feels that, just like the rest of us, and his head nods along, too. I will always fondly think of him as a PART of our community…not a person who expected to be regarded a certain way simply because he happened to be president and have the nicest chair and conference room on campus. Just an Emersonian willing to make small talk and enjoy the simple pleasures of good music and tasty coffee early in the morning. That’s the memory of Lee I plan to keep.”
—Shaylin Hogan (Graduate Studies)

“In the Fall of 2011, Lee had just arrived at Emerson and I was starting my term as chair of Faculty Assembly. This gave me the enviable opportunity to meet regularly one on one with him as he acclimated to Emerson. He was new; I had been at Emerson since 1990. His questions about our faculty and culture were thoughtful and pointed. And he really listened to the answers. He shared his approach to higher ed and gave me a hint of what the next 10 years would bring. Those talks filled me with optimism for Emerson’s future, which proved to be accurately foretold. Lee has made me proud of the institution where I have spent my career. Godspeed Lee and thank you.” —Jan Roberts-Breslin (Graduate and Professional Studies)

*****

“I will always appreciate the calm and steadiness that Lee projected during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular when it came to big decision-making moments for the College. At times when information was changing rapidly and the virus was emerging as a historic health care crisis, Lee insisted that the safety and health of our students, staff, and faculty had to be a top priority when delivering a world-class education.

Another memory that I have speaks to Lee’s humility and his true nature: I can’t tell you how many times people wanted to call him President Pelton—during interviews, during events, during meetings—and how many times he would say, ‘It’s just Lee.’ So many other leaders in his position would request the title be used.” —Michelle Gaseau (Communications and Marketing)

“I remember when our staff union had a walkout before our first contract was finalized. Members gathered outside of the Ansin Building to rally, and we were all chanting and holding signs. Lee came down to see what was happening, and when he stepped onto Boylston Street to see us all, he began smiling from ear to ear. Someone shouted, ‘How long have we waited?!’ I screamed back, ‘Too long!,’ and then Lee turned his head, looked directly at me, and grinned. The fact that he came down to greet us that day meant a lot to me, and I’m sure to others as well. Lee was always dedicated to making staff feel seen, heard, appreciated, and respected. I will miss his leadership.” —Nicole Martignetti (Marlboro Institute)

*****

“Almost immediately after I started working at WERS, I attended the Public Media Development and Marketing Conference in Boston. As a board member for GBH and the president of Emerson (and, therefore, WERS), President Pelton was asked to give the keynote address. Sitting there in a ballroom with hundreds of public media professionals from around the country, I listened to him give the most remarkable speech I’d ever heard about the importance of storytellers and the role of an independent and unbiased news media. This was in 2016, in the heat of the election season, and there was so much fear and hurt and anger in the air. And in a few short minutes, with a few well-chosen words, he replaced that fear with passion. That hurt with resolve. And inspiration to do whatever it took to make the world a better place. And made me believe that I could do it. To this day, nearly five years later, I remember the exact way it felt to say to myself, ‘That’s my president.’” —Ashley Peterson (WERS)