In late July, Swarthmore College announced Dr. Chyna Hart as the new associate director of student activities and leadership in the Office of Student Engagement. Hart succeeds Ben Shalk, who served as associate director from January 2022 until early summer 2026.
Hart previously served as the associate director of the Dowdy Multicultural Center at West Chester University, where she simultaneously earned a Doctorate of Education in April 2026.
In an email correspondence with The Phoenix, Hart expressed that her experiences at West Chester University had taught her that “student engagement is not one-size-fits-all.” At West Chester, Hart was a leader in various campus spaces, including the 2022 Latinx Communities Conference Committee and the First-Generation Students of Color Internship Prep Program.
In previous years, the associate director role has been responsible for facilitating many Swarthmore traditions, including the Crum Regatta and Worthstock, and has provided leadership support to both new and established clubs on campus. Hart declined to comment on “decisions, practices, and initiatives that predate [her tenure]” until she feels “more established in the role and [has] a fuller understanding of the work.”
For now, her day-to-day schedule includes a range of tasks such as meeting with the leaders of student organizations, planning upcoming campus events, and assisting students who have questions about “policies, resources, spaces, and budgets.” Looking to the future, Hart envisions a Swarthmore where students “feel that they aren’t simply participating in campus life but … have a voice in shaping it.”
