News

Board of Managers names Chopp next president

In print | February 26, 2009

Dr. Rebecca S. Chopp, in her six years as the president of Colgate University, created the biggest expansion of academic space in the university’s history; organized the university’s most successful fundraising campaign on record, raising over $200 million before going public; and spearheaded a successful effort to increase the institution’s diversity and global reach. With a B.A. from Kansas Wesleyan University, a M.Div. from St. Paul School of Theology and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Chopp is an accomplished scholar of religion and American culture.

This past Saturday, Feb. 21, the Board of Managers approved Chopp to be the 14th president of Swarthmore College. She will be the first woman to serve in this position. Later that day in the Eldridge Commons of the Science Center, an informal reception was held with remarks from Chair of the Presidential Search Committee Tom Spock, Chair of the Board of Managers Barbara Mather ’65 and finally Chopp herself.

“I’m delighted to be here — my husband Fred Thibodeau and I are so eager to join this community,” Chopp said after the applause slowed down in the Science Center. “This has been a wonderful process and I can assure you this committee has grilled every candidate. They’ve asked everyone in the world for a reference check. They have done their homework.”

In an interview before the reception, Chopp explained that she has felt a strong connection to the college long before accepting the job. “Swarthmore has always, for me, represented the essence of what a liberal arts education is about,” Chopp said.

Several years ago Chopp read “The Meaning of Swarthmore,” a collection of essays that attempts to explain the essence of the college.

“[The] essay has in bold various values: intellectual rigor, passionate justice, the life of the mind, the community of learners, making the world a better place. What’s drawn me to Swarthmore is this combination of values,” Chopp said.

Thibodeau spoke of the impact that the essay had on Chopp: “She’s had this [article] for years, but when she brought it home she said ‘Fred, this is what liberal arts education is all about.’ It’s how she understands it.”

As a first generation college student who attended Kansas Wesleyan University, Chopp attributes a great deal to the teachers she met throughout her time in higher education.

“I think about how they changed my life, pushed me, made me think in ways that weren’t comfortable,” Chopp said. “I think about my mentors … who taught me about moral leadership. I was very fortunate to have a lot of great teachers.”

Because Chopp was only able to attend the schools that she did because of the financial support of those institutions, she has become a big advocate of financial aid. “I have a profound belief that education can transform an individual. In my experience, it introduced me to a world I didn’t even know existed. It also made me a big believer in financial aid. I could not have gone to college if it had not been for the support and generosity of the schools I attended.” She wants that same opportunity to be extended to future Swarthmore students, and plans to make financial aid a priority in her time.

“I think it is imperative to have financial aid and to do all we can to make sure that every student has the opportunity to come to Swarthmore who is qualified to do so,” Chopp said. “Financial aid is about making sure individual students can come, it is also about making sure that the right talent is found domestically and globally, that we protect our talent pool for our culture and the world. It is a public good and a private goal.”

In addition to concentrating on financial aid, Chopp hopes to connect with students and maintain a visible presence on campus. “I think we are all in this business because we care for and enjoy students. I’m looking forward to attending events, dance — I’m very excited about Swarthmore’s dance and performing arts program — athletic events, lectures, and hope to have students over to the President’s House frequently.”

While Chopp is in the habit of meeting with students on a regular basis because Colgate’s presidents are traditionally expected to have the student government over to the President’s House, she also extended invitations to those not part of the student government. On one occasion, she invited all Colgate students from Kansas over.

Furthermore, this past fall, Chopp co-taught a course on globalization and religion. “We looked at seven different countries, seven different religions, and how religion, economics and politics work together,” Chopp said.

Though Chopp was ordained at Divinity School, she made the decision to pursue the academic aspect of religion very early on. “From college on, I was oriented toward the academic side, the study of religion,” she said. “The actual push came because back in the early ’70s in Kansas, it was very difficult to be a woman minister, and I got lots of support from the church to go on and get a Ph.D., which was a much more acceptable profession in the eyes of the church, and for me too. I don’t have any regrets.”

Chopp’s affirmation by the Board of Managers marks the end of a long and in-depth process that involved strict confidentiality. Spock explained that this confidentiality was necessary in order to assure the most diverse applicant pool possible. He compared the openness of Haverford’s recent presidential search to the lack of transparency of Swarthmore’s.

“It wasn’t really a Swarthmorean search, but for us the most important thing was to get the broadest, deepest pool we could,” Spock said at the reception. “We had quite a few sitting presidents, provosts, deans of undergraduate education from around the country. In short, we would not have had anything close to the pool we got, including our president-designate, if we didn’t do that.”

The committee in charge of selecting a president for recommendation at the Board of Managers meeting involved students, faculty, Board members, staff and alumni representatives. Aaron Schwartz ’09 and Lauren Stokes ’09 were the two student representatives on the committee.

“I feel great about the decision,” Schwartz said. “This search process has been such a big part of my life. It’s a huge relief to see that everyone’s as excited about this candidate as we are.”

A group of staff and students were also in charge of meeting with the three finalists for the position to give a stronger say to the general community. Ten students were on the panel.

Several members of the student panel spoke of her distinct ability to positively interact with students. Caitlin Mullarkey ’09 was happy with the final decision.

“When meeting with her, it was unique in that it was very conversational and it wasn’t a grilling session,” Mullarkey said. “She both listened to the questions we had and threw them back at us. It was a pleasant experience. She seemed to fit and mesh well with the students.”

Brianne Gallagher ’09 spoke of a similar experience. She noted that before meeting with the three finalists, everyone read through their CVs to have a thorough understanding of each person. All three finalists were said to be extremely qualified.

“It was in our interactions [with the candidates] that convinced me that [Chopp] was a fit for Swarthmore,” Gallagher said. “I feel like she was very authentic. It seemed like part of Swarthmore’s mission was very personal to her, and she had wanted to make a life of, and continues to make a life of [that mission].”

Biology Professor Liz Vallen served on the 13 member faculty panel. She was also impressed with Chopp’s natural affinity for the Swarthmore community.

“She’s completely inspiring — her interactions with the faculty panel, her sense of what Swarthmore is and who she is makes her just an incredible match for the things we care about here like social rigor and social justice,” Vallen said.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jim Bock ’91, although not a part of the selection process, was extremely happy with the choice. He reflected on how she commended the years of service by President Al Bloom and looks forward to working with her.

“My first reaction is that I’m thrilled and excited that we found someone that brings so much depth and scholarship and leadership,” Bock said.

Chopp will take over as the 14th president of Swarthmore in July.