This past weekend marked a historic milestone for Union College as it celebrated the inauguration of its 20th president, Elizabeth Kiss. The event was especially notable as Kiss became the first woman to hold the position in the college’s history — a significant step forward for Union’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Union’s DEI mission seeks to enhance the learning and working community by promoting these values and fostering a sense of belonging both inside and outside the classroom. Inauguration weekend showcased this mission through performances by student dance groups representing a variety of cultures on campus.
The festivities began Friday afternoon with the inauguration ceremony, during which students from the dance department performed a piece that told a story of community through movement.
Celebrations continued that evening at the women’s hockey game against the University of New Hampshire at Union’s new rink. In addition to a historic win, the event featured performances by Bhangra Union and Jaiva, two of the college’s cultural dance clubs. The passion and pride the students brought to their performances were evident to all in attendance.
Before performing, Sophia Steele ’27, program coordinator for Jaiva, shared, “This event is a really great opportunity to showcase a dance style that some people might not know about. Having the opportunity to represent African culture through dance at a big event like the inauguration is an honor.”
After the performance, Sienna Chambial ’27, co-president of Bhangra Union, said she was elated. “People on my floor came up to me asking about what type of dance I performed and where I learned it,” she said. “I was overjoyed to be able to share my culture with people.”
Opportunities like these allowed students to express themselves through their diverse traditions while bringing greater visibility to cultural diversity on campus.
The celebrations continued into Saturday, when the Union College Dance Team performed during halftime at the football game. Reflecting on the experience, Paige Fox ’26, a member of the team, said, “I think this event is all about inclusion and diversity. Union is truly all about belonging, and I’m so honored to celebrate with our big family.”
Union’s very name reflects the idea of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds coming together to learn, grow and express themselves in a shared space. The performances throughout inauguration weekend exemplified the importance of DEI for students, faculty and the college community as a whole. As President Kiss affirmed in her inauguration speech, “Inclusion is not exclusion. Inclusion is about all of us.”
