Emily Messer, the new president of Texas Wesleyan University, knows a thing or two about being the first and building community around where you’re planted.
She’s not only the first female president to lead the east Fort Worth campus, but also a first-generation college student. She received her bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville State University and, later in her career, became a senior administrator in enrollment management at the Alabama university.
“Her leadership skills were evident even as a [college] student, whether she was leading the student body as president of the student government association or choreographing dances for the orientation team,” said Don Killingsworth, president of Jacksonville State University. “Her goal was to be involved and to be a leader.”
Killingsworth spoke at the investiture ceremony for Messer, her official inauguration into office. While she’s been on the job for nearly a year after replacing longtime president Fred Slabach, the formal ceremony celebrates the more than 130-year-old university’s legacy and the path forward with her leadership.
The small liberal arts college has around 2,600 students, the majority of whom come from Tarrant County, and more than half are the first in their family to attend college. Assembled at the event in the Martin University Center Ballroom were notable community leaders, alumni, students, faculty and a whole contingent from Alabama who traveled to support Messer. A who’s who of state and city political officials attended, too — many of whom are Texas Wesleyan alumni.
“I would not be where I am today without Texas Wesleyan University. It played a huge role for me,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a 1995 graduate of the school. “I was one of those students that didn’t have a lot of money and was looking for a place where I would fit in, so I could do something with my life.”
Speakers talked about the university’s commitment to the community and its economic development. One called it a “launching pad” for upward mobility, with community engagement being a key part of the university’s “DNA.” Political leaders presented proclamations from the Fort Worth City Council and the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, and even President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wrote a letter to wish Messer success in her new role.
In the formal investiture ceremony, Messer was given the university Bible, the university charter, a mace and the chain of office.
“We know Dr. Messer’s dedication to excellence and her commitment to student success and, of course, her visionary leadership will propel Texas Wesleyan to even greater heights, further cementing its wonderful legacy as a pillar of educational excellence in this city,” said Mayor Mattie Parker, a 2012 graduate of the Texas Wesleyan School of Law, which became the Texas A&M University School of Law in 2013.
Messer talked about the importance of mentorship to shape her own career, and the transformative power of higher education. Her key goal is to support student success through mentorship and skills development, especially honing soft skills like communications. This past academic year, she’s been on a listening tour, attending classes and student group meetings to hear the concerns and ideas of the university’s students.
It’s been a longtime goal of Messer’s to become a college president, not because of the title, she said, but because of the opportunity to serve students and make a difference. That mission came from her mentors.
“I’m committed to paying it forward by empowering and supporting Texas Wesleyan students on their own journeys of growth and development,” said Messer. “At Texas Wesleyan, [we’re] not just a university, but a cornerstone of our community, a place where students, faculty and staff, and residents collaborate to build a better future for all.”
Disclosure: Texas Wesleyan University has been a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus. Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org.
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