Spring Hill College has set dates for a two-day inauguration celebration honoring Christopher Puto, the Mobile campus’s new president, who officially took office earlier this summer.
Puto assumed leadership of the private Catholic college on June 1, succeeding the Rev. Gregory F. Lucey, who is remaining involved with the college in an administrative role. School officials say the transition has been closely coordinated to keep major campus initiatives moving during the change in leadership.
The inaugural festivities will open with an Inaugural Mass of the Holy Spirit at St. Joseph Chapel on campus, followed immediately by a community picnic intended to bring together students, faculty, alumni and neighbors for an informal welcome. The following day’s program centers on a formal inauguration ceremony at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center, capped by a reception for attendees.
Puto’s ties to Spring Hill run deep. He graduated from the college in 1964 before building a long career in business, work that eventually brought him back to Mobile to lead his alma mater. Among the career highlights supporters point to is his role in helping shape Burger King’s “Have It Your Way” advertising campaign early in his career as a sales manager, an example college officials say reflects the kind of practical, results-driven experience he brings to campus leadership.
College officials say the inauguration is designed to be more than a ceremonial event, framing it instead as an opportunity to introduce Puto’s vision for the college to the wider Mobile community, including local alumni, donors and civic partners who have long supported the campus.
Spring Hill, one of the oldest Catholic colleges in the country, has emphasized continuity through the leadership change, with Lucey’s continued administrative role intended to help maintain momentum on ongoing academic and campus initiatives while Puto settles into the presidency.
Members of the public interested in attending portions of the inauguration festivities are asked to RSVP through the college’s website ahead of the September events, as seating for the formal ceremony and related gatherings is expected to be limited.