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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