BY AMELIA POSSANZA

In print | Published April 16, 2009

While on campus for a series of meetings, President-Designate Rebecca Chopp held an informal reception with members of the Swarthmore community on Tuesday, April 14.

Chopp opened the reception with some brief remarks, expressing her gratitude for the support she has received from alumni, faculty and parents. “Since my appointment has been announced, I have received several hundred e-mails, letters and phone calls,” Chopp said to the members of the college community gathered in the lobby of Lang Concert Hall. “The outreach has been an incredible welcome.”

“The biggest category [of letters] I’ve been getting have been from students,” she said. One student suggested that Chopp and her husband eat at Sharples for a week to learn about the dining plan while another sent her an extensive response to an academic article written by Chopp.

Although she is still filling her post as president of Colgate University and is not slated to become Swarthmore’s president until July, Chopp is already getting to know the college community. She introduced herself to several members of the faculty and staff, as well as to students and alumni, for over an hour after giving her remarks. Barbara Mathers, Chair of the Board of Managers, estimated that around 125 people came out to see Chopp, most of whom were able to speak with her personally.

Several student groups sent representatives to the reception in order to introduce their projects to the President-Designate. “I think it would be good for her to hear from us rather than about us,” said Megan Long ’12, a member of SLAP. “That’s how to start a genuine relationship. We’re going to have to be working together to work towards mutual goals that we have.”

Other students came for personal reasons. “I’m a religion minor and she’s a prominent feminist theologian,” Justin DiFeliciantonio ’10 said. He hopes that Chopp will help bring religion professor Jeff Stout, whom she has collaborated with in the past, to campus.

At Colgate, Chopp has made a point to engage in student life and maintain a visible presence on campus. In addition to attending student athletic events and productions, she has also taught courses on globalization and religion. She plans to continue these types of activities at Swarthmore. “I hope to have lunch in Sharples,” she said. “I’m really eager to meet the students, faculty and staff and learn what makes this such a great community and about everyone’s intellectual and social interests.”

But according to Mathers this was not the only reason Chopp was selected. “One of the reasons we liked her was that she was open and interested in being the public face and voice for the college,” Mathers said.

“I just wanted to meet the president. She came to our building the other day, and I’ve heard that she’s a really warm person. I think her personality and background are a great match for our community,” ITS software specialist Mark Davis said. “One thing that I really like is that she’s approachable, and that’s a wonderful thing.”

Two alumni, Jared Solomon ’01 and Jordan Brackett ’01, also got a chance to meet with the new president. During his chat with Chopp, Solomon joked that Al Bloom would not leave easily and that she would have to kick him out to take her post. But he also acknowledged the promise of the change.

“It’s an exciting time at Swarthmore with new energy coming in,” Solomon said.

On Tuesday night Chopp met with President of Bryn Mawr College Jane Dammen McAuliffe. The two began their teaching careers together at Emory University. After some meetings Wednesday afternoon, Chopp and her husband returned to Colgate.

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