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Putting Maine on the map

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Waterville, Maine to meet with the relatively new President of Colby College, David Greene. I went to Colby seeking a graduation speaker, a goal which I am excited to share has materialized for the class of 2017. David seemed incredibly eager to come to the oldest school in Maine and connect with our graduates regarding what lies ahead for them in higher education and beyond.

I am happy to say that, in this conversation, I found so much more than a graduation speaker. Learning of David’s ambitious agenda for Colby College resonated deeply with many of my parallel dreams for Berwick Academy. David envisions a day when Colby is known not merely as another strong liberal arts school in Maine but as a true national leader in the world of higher education. Without question, he is raising the sights and dreams of that institution to define itself in new ways, strengthen its admission profile, and build financial resources in a way that will position Colby to be even stronger and more durable than it is today.

While there were other parallels related to his work like creating a more interdisciplinary academic program, I was particularly struck by his emphasis on rebuilding the city of Waterville. It was fascinating to hear him articulate all of the ways Colby College benefits from its symbiotic relation with the town of Waterville. From student experience to faculty recruitment to the ability to catalyze growth and evolution for his organization, he so clearly sees the town as worthy of substantial time and attention. With the generous assistance of the Alfond Foundation, Colby is in the process of quite literally transforming its college town.

While our landscape at Berwick may have a few less zeros at the end of the donation checks and operational budgets, the parallels are clear. I have always envisioned a Berwick Academy that would one day be known nationally as one of the finest educational institutions in the land. Similarly, I see our partnership with the town of South Berwick as essential, and I know our Board of Trustees shares my passion to not just be good neighbors but to be strategic partners with our local community and essential to the economy of the Seacoast. Offering service and support for local community is nice, but establishing the public purpose of Berwick Academy in the Seacoast is a moral and strategic imperative.

In any event, I am thrilled to let the community know that David will be joining us this spring at graduation. Here is a link to his bio if you are interested: https://www.colby.edu/president/biography/

I sent him a thank you email last night with this picture attached. The youngest Schneider girl was delighted to learn that a college in Maine had been named after her……President Greene approved.


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