When Loyola Marymount University installs its 17th president on Dec. 9, 2025, the institution will draw upon more than a thousand years of academic tradition, 500 years of Jesuit inspiration, and more than a century of its own history to introduce its new leader: Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
Delegates from universities worldwide, dressed in the colorful regalia denoting the array of institutions and disciplines, will process into the ceremony and witness as Poon officially takes the mantle, leading LMU into its future, mindful of the history that informs his role, and alive to the possibilities of what lies ahead. The theme of inauguration is “Hope, Made Here.”
“This inauguration season of events will showcase LMU’s creativity, intellectual rigor, and our commitment to the common good,” Poon says in a video message. Through expressions that are “academic, creative, spiritual, and civic, LMU shows what it means to be a university of hope and consequence. This inauguration season is about more than any one individual: it’s about us, our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners coming together to share the light we make in Los Angeles and beyond.”
The installation of a new university president is a longstanding academic tradition observed across higher education, both in the U.S. and internationally, representing a symbolic passing of the torch as a new leader assumes the honor and responsibility of guiding their institution forward. This fall, Poon was invited as a guest to the presidential inauguration ceremonies at both Chapman University and the University of San Francisco, where each institution marked the occasion through their own distinctive customs.
The LMU Inauguration Committee is working around the clock to showcase the best of LMU to the many esteemed guests who will experience what makes LMU special. “This will be the fifth LMU presidential inauguration I have attended and the fourth that I have been involved with producing, and I am immensely grateful to the talented colleagues who are coming together to ensure that our extraordinary community reflected — both in mission and impact,” says EVP and COO John Kiralla, who serves as LMU’s Inauguration Chair. “It will take all of us to ensure that the intellectual rigor, creativity, and thought leadership of our university inspires all those who attend — a worthy challenge that will be made possible through the students, faculty, and staff who will come together to make this happen. Inaugurations are not in anyone’s job descriptions — this is about volunteerism, dedication, and pride in our community.”
What sets LMU apart, and what will resonate throughout inauguration season, is the university’s Catholic mission in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, embodied through the university’s mission.
While the calendar of events will continue to be refined in the coming days, the Inauguration website will contain the latest updates, including the following signature events for inauguration season:
- Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Life Sciences Building
LMU and L.A. Chamber of Commerce Business & Education Innovation Summit:
A Shared Vision for the Future - Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 | 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Life Sciences Building
Inauguration Academic Symposium: AI: Discernment, Made Here
Keynote Address: Dr. Safiya U. Noble, David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences at UCLA, and UCLA Professor - Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 | 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Regents Terrace
ASLMU Christmas Tree Lighting, Special Inauguration Edition - Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 — Inauguration Day
10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
Missioning Mass in Sacred Heart Chapel
Presider: The Most Reverend José H. Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
Concelebrants: Provincial Sean Carroll, S.J., and the LMU Jesuit Community
Noon – 1 p.m.
Community Lunch on Regents Terrace
1:15 – 2 p.m.
Robing and Procession Line-Up (for Delegates and Faculty)
2 – 4 p.m.
Installation Ceremony in Gersten Pavilion
4 – 5:30 p.m.
Spirit of the Season Reception on Alumni Mall - Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 | 9-11 p.m. | The Lair
Cram Jam: Inauguration Edition
Students can take a break from finals and join the Residence Hall Association and LMU Dining for a special Inauguration edition of Cram Jam, your ultimate study night celebration. Enjoy a DJ, photo booth, raffle prizes, and free food for students. Whether you’re looking to recharge, relax, or refocus, Cram Jam has everything you need to power through finals week. - Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 | 1 to 5 p.m. | SoFi Stadium
LMU Day at the Rams, Special Inauguration Celebration
Through these events, LMU will do what it does best. “When we say ‘hope, made here,’” Poon said, “we’re pointing to tangible outcomes that you can see and feel: the pioneering work of our researchers and teacher-scholars, the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours our students dedicate each year, and the alumni who lead with purpose across every industry and community. Hope is made here every day because of you.”
Learn more about inauguration season events and RSVP at LMU’s Inauguration website. LMU staff and faculty are also encouraged to volunteer at key events on Monday, Dec. 8 and Tuesday, Dec. 9 – you can sign up here.