Dr. Emily Messer was inaugurated as Texas Wesleyan’s 21st president on April 26.  

Messer’s inauguration was a milestone for the university, celebrating its first female president. The investiture ceremony was held in Andrew’s Hall at 10 a.m. with a number of esteemed guests, faculty and students in attendance. Among those in attendance was senior exercise science major and Student Government Association president, Brooklynn Rowe.  

“Knowing that Dr. Messer grew up as a student leader and has now become a university leader is nothing short of inspiring and something that I aspire to become,” Rowe said. 

Rowe and many others including U.S. Rep. Kay Granger ’65 HON ’92, Mattie Parker, Fort Worth mayor, and Glenn Lewis, chairman of the board of trustees, took part in the ceremony and shared their congratulations with Messer. Letters from United States President and First Lady Joe and Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also sent to Messer to congratulate her on the impact she is making on higher education.  

“I am very honored and humbled,” Messer said. “It’s hard to come up with the words because it is a dream come true.” 

This important moment for Messer was shared not only with the university and surrounding community, but with her family who sat in the front row to support her. Her mother, Tina Messer, gave some words of encouragement to her daughter. 

“To remain the moral friendly, great person that she is and keep God first.” 

The ceremony filled with kind words and music from the Wesleyan Chamber Singers and Wind Ensemble was followed by a reception at the Eunice and James L. West Library as well as a gala at the Omni Hotel Fort Worth later that evening.