¾«¶«AV

Katherine Bergeron awarded title of president emerita

¾«¶«AVā€™s Board of Trustees has unanimously approved a resolution awarding President Katherine Bergeron the title of president emerita in recognition of her exceptional service during her nearly decade-long tenure.

The honor, enacted during the Boardā€™s spring meeting on campus May 19-20, places Bergeron among ¾«¶«AVā€™s several other president emeriti, including her predecessor, Leo I. Higdon, Jr., and Katharine Blunt, the institutionā€™s first female president. Bergeron leaves office June 30 and the president emerita title becomes effective July 1.

The resolution detailed several areas in which Bergeron, ¾«¶«AVā€™s 11th president, excelled after her arrival at ¾«¶«AV in 2014.

ā€œPresident Bergeron has served with integrity, purpose, passion and an unwavering commitment to the values and mission of ¾«¶«AV,ā€ said Board Chair Debo P. Adegbile ā€™91. ā€œShe imbued the College with a spirit of intellectual curiosity and a desire for the continual pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the campus community.ā€

Specifically, the resolution pointed to Bergeronā€™s involvement in developing and launching many new initiatives at ¾«¶«AV, including the Collegeā€™s distinctive ¾«¶«AV curriculum, the Athletic Departmentā€™s Action Plan for Competitive Success and ¾«¶«AVā€™s inaugural membership in the Liberal Arts College Racial and Equity Leadership Alliance.

The resolution also noted how Bergeronā€™s efforts impacted the campusā€™s physical space with the renovation of Palmer Auditorium into the Athey Center for Performance and Research, the restoration of the Kohn Waterfront and Archibald Way along the Thames River, the renovation of Fanning Hall to improve accessibility and house the Hale Center for Career Development, the repurposing of the ground floor of Blaustein Humanities Center to create the Walter Commons for Global Study & Engagement, and the implementation of the Collegeā€™s first campus-wide sustainability plan.

Finally, the resolution praised Bergeronā€™s talents for fundraising. Trustee Pamela D. Zilly ā€™75, a former chair who led the search committee that selected Bergeron, said, ā€œKatherine developed and led the Defy Boundaries Campaign beginning in 2017, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of the College, securing numerous major gifts through her inspiring vision, thoughtful stewardship, and ability to invite support for her unwavering belief in the College.ā€

In her final letter to the College, appearing in the summer edition of CC Magazine, Bergeron credited the entire ¾«¶«AV community for their roles in strengthening the College over the past decade.

ā€œNone of this would be possible, of course, without your ongoing and generous support,ā€ she wrote, thanking the alumni for their monetary and other support of ¾«¶«AVā€™s growth and evolution.

Further, Bergeron praised the faculty and student body, citing ¾«¶«AVā€™s 50 Fulbright Fellows in the past decade, four Watson Fellows in the last three years, two Beinecke scholars in the last two years and the first Marshall Scholar in College history.

Finally, she noted the Collegeā€™s increasing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and full participation. In particular, she cited the reinvigorated connection between ¾«¶«AV and the city of New London, the largest cohort of Posse scholars on campus, the creation of the Collegeā€™s first Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, and the launch of the Gund Dialogue Project.

The Board concluded the resolution by stating, ā€œWe, the members for the Board of Trustees of ¾«¶«AV, commend and honor Katherine Bergeron for her extraordinary tenure and extend our deepest appreciation for her tireless commitment and service to ¾«¶«AV.ā€