The Johnstown campus of the University of Pittsburgh is experiencing a flurry of activities this academic year, the least of them being the school’s 80th anniversary; it was the center of global attention last weekend during the installation ceremonies of its fifth president.

IT’S ALL GOOD—Dr. Jem Spectar gives the thumbs up during his historic installation ceremony as the fifth president of the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

Dr. Jem Spectar’s inauguration, held Sept. 28 in the campus’ Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, was historic in that Spectar, a Cameroon, West Africa native, is the first foreign-born Pitt president.

Since Spectar has earned a reputation as a world scholar through his published articles on international law and made presentations focusing on the world’s disadvantaged, international human rights and global health issues, it followed that his installment would garner accolades and bring greetings from many world players including former president Bill Clinton, Liberian President Ellen Johnson and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Additionally, Spectar joins Livingston Alexander of Pitt’s Bradford campus as the second Black president at the university.

Prior to arriving at Johnstown, Spectar held leadership positions at Western Oregon University, the University of Scranton, Princeton University and the University of La Verne.