Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño To Be Inaugurated as Cornerstone University's 12th President
On Friday, Oct. 22, Gerson Moreno-Riaño, Ph.D., will be inaugurated as Cornerstone University’s 12th president. This event will include nationally recognized voices from ministry organizations, Christian higher education and the public square who will help set the stage for the new administration.
The inauguration ceremony will take place in Christ Chapel on Friday, Oct. 22. An invitation-only gala will take place on Saturday, Oct. 23 in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.
This celebration occurs in conjunction with Cornerstone’s annual Homecoming & Family Weekend. In the midst of celebrating the first alumni gathering on campus in two years, the university will also celebrate a new era under new leadership.
“The presidential inauguration of Dr. Moreno-Riaño is a symbol of our steadfast commitment to both the teachings of Jesus Christ and rigorous academic excellence,” said Bob Sack, vice president for advancement at Cornerstone. “Dr. Moreno-Riaño is faithfully committed to seeing Cornerstone flourish, and the weekend is our outward confirmation of his ability to lead us.”
The ceremony itself will feature an address from Dr. Moreno-Riaño. This address will be the initial unveiling of Dr. Moreno-Riaño’s vision for Cornerstone. Inaugural speakers Jeff Manion, senior teaching pastor of Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Dr. Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, represent the support of area churches in West Michigan and Christian institutions around the country. Pastor Manion will speak into Dr. Moreno-Riaño’s qualifications as a spiritual leader for Cornerstone’s community, and Dr. Wood will articulate the important challenges that face Christian higher education faces in this decade.
The inaugural gala on Saturday will feature several nationally-known speakers. These speakers were selected to discuss the role of Cornerstone both in the public square and in our local context, celebrating and affirming Dr. Moreno-Riaño’s faithfulness to God’s calling. The inaugural speakers include:
- Adm. Vernon Clark, retired Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy and Dr. Moreno-Riaño’s personal mentor.
- Dr. Kay Coles James, former dean of Regent University’s school of government and former president of the Heritage Foundation.
- Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities.
- Josh Wilson, contemporary Christian recording artist.
Friday will also include an opportunity for students to have breakfast with the president, followed by an all-campus worship service. Dr. Moreno-Riaño will participate in other Homecoming events throughout the weekend.
The inauguration ceremony will take place on Friday at 2 p.m., and members of the Cornerstone community are invited to this free, ticketed event. The event will also be livestreamed and available on Cornerstone’s website. The inaugural gala will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m. and is by invitation only.
Audrey Wierenga
Audrey Wierenga (B.A. ’18) is the copywriter for Cornerstone’s Marketing & Communications Office. She graduated from Cornerstone in 2018 with a degree in broadcast communication. Audrey also serves on the Young Alumni Council.
In her spare time, Audrey enjoys working on her own full-length work of fiction, co-hosting a podcast about the Academy Awards and participating in local theatre productions.
