“I would like the students of Connecticut College to have more opportunities to experience the wonderful features of the city of New London,” said President Katherine Bergeron during an interview in her office.
With her upcoming inauguration this Saturday, Bergeron, a native of southeastern Connecticut, is sharing her plans for “deepening the relationship of the College to the surrounding community.” Connecticut College, only a few years past its centennial mark, has its roots planted in the local community. Already desiring a women’s college in his city even before Wesleyan ceased to enroll women in 1909, New London schoolmaster Colin Buell was part of the team of founders of Connecticut College. New London and Conn have been connected since the beginning, but relations between the two could stand to be strengthened as we move into a new presidential era.
“Expanding our relationship with New London is definitely needed,” said SGA President Evert Fowle ’14. While Fowle says that the College has been working to set up the foundation for improving relations, “President Bergeron is taking the next steps to make this possible.”
Erica Lovett ’14, a member of the inauguration committee along with Fowle, added: “[Bergeron] is open to hearing everyone’s ideas. I know a senior who has already visited her five times. She’s so supportive and wants to help in any way she can.”
Since beginning her term in January, Bergeron has already met with many undergraduates, and cited nearly 30 students who have visited her during open office hours to express their aspirations and concerns about the College and the community. On many nights, Bergeron has stayed in her office until 7 p.m., not wanting to end these conversations early.
“I have been edified by the students,” she said. “Some want to tell me about their experiences, some want to ask about my experiences, and others want to tell me about specific concerns regarding the campus.”
While Bergeron has begun to make an impression on the students, they in turn have begun to make an impression on her.
“I’ve listened to the students’ desire to have a positive impact in New London. I want to support the good work that is already going on and build on what we are already doing,” she said, citing the Office of Volunteers for Community Service (OVCS) and the Holleran Center for Community Action and Public Policy (PICA) as two examples of positive student involvement in the city. “It’s important to know more about the cultural organizations and notable figures in New London and the surrounding community.”
A former Professor of Music at Brown University, Bergeron’s love of and connection to the arts has potential to open doors for positive, rewarding relationships between Connecticut College and New London, which — despite receiving flak from some students as having ‘nothing to do’ — actually has quite the thriving arts and music scene.
Bergeron names the Hygienic as a personal favorite, and was thrilled with the recent collaboration between Conn’s Education Department and the Expressiones Cultural Center on Bank Street for an exhibition called “Artful Resistance.” Of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, she said, “It is extraordinary to have something of that caliber in a city of this size. We are really fortunate that we have a city with that kind of personality.”
“I also love Fiddleheads,” she added. “You can put that in there.”
Even President Bergeron’s office offers a refreshing minimalist style as opposed to President Higdon’s shelves of souvenirs (not that his “Big Hig” t-shirt collection wasn’t a form of art in its own right).
To kick off a week of events leading up to the eleventh president’s inauguration, the Thames Club in downtown New London opened its doors for a welcome ceremony, inviting the College community and local community leaders to celebrate the beginning of a new era of collaboration and innovation.
New London mayor Daryl Finizio gave the first speech, remarking that the College has “made an excellent choice” in selecting Bergeron, and that he looks forward to renewing New London and Conn’s relationship and partnership — a partnership which Bergeron went on to say “is as old as Connecticut College.”
After performances from two Conn a cappella groups, the Shwiffs and Williams Street Mix, Bergeron spent her time mingling with members of Connecticut College and the greater New London community. It was her first time at the Thames Club, renowned for being Connecticut’s oldest social club. It was also the first official Connecticut College event at the venue, though in the past Conn has been loosely associated with some occasions at the club.
Brian Haagensen, president of the Thames Club, said, “We would love to continue a relationship with Connecticut College. Once [Bergeron] gets settled, we would love to have her back to give us a talk about her plans and intentions.”
Though the Thames Club’s first floor boasts two gorgeously decorated dining areas, the real treasure exists in the basement of the building: a two-lane duckpin bowling alley. As guests began to leave, President Bergeron — accompanied by her husband and several Conn faculty and students — snuck downstairs for a peek.
Kicking off her heels, Bergeron took an honorary turn at the game. Camera phones flashed and Vice President for Administration Ulysses B. Hammond, who is also a member of the Thames Club, let out an energetic “woo-ee!”
Six pins fell. One for each day left before the inauguration ceremony.
Beginning tomorrow, different events will be held every day in honor of the upcoming inauguration. “We want to get people excited about it and make them aware of what’s going on,” said Pamela Zilly ’75, who serves as honorary chair of the inauguration committee. “[These events] are an opportunity to talk to the president and others in the spirit of the inauguration. It isn’t just one ceremony. It’s really meant to include the whole community.”
Thursday night will bring a student reception with President Bergeron, which, according to Fowle is “essentially a hang out with the new president.” The ambiance in Ernst will include music from the Death Cab for Cutie Pandora station — Bergeron’s pick. “She said she will know every song that plays.”
Panels and concerts and Camel cookies will provide opportunities for the Connecticut College and New London communities to interact and perform together. Avid Twitter users can follow and document the week’s events with “#ThinkDoLead.” The hashtag was inspired by Bergeron’s speech leading up to ReVision Week on how we at Conn should want to represent ourselves. “It’s like she was planning her own surprise party,” Fowle joked.
Saturday’s ceremony and luncheon will culminate the week in a mixture of tradition and transformation. “We don’t want it to be the same ceremony over and over again,” Zilly said. “We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the traditional aspect of [the ceremony], but making it more relevant and more contemporary. It’s tradition, but it’s also a new step, a new installation. It’s important to have a good blend of something that resonates as a tradition, but not as dusty.”
Associate Dean of the Faculty Abigail Van Slyck, who serves as co-chair of the Installation Committee alongside Professor of Sociology Ron Flores, echoed Zilly’s sentiments. Planning the ceremony, “We wanted to honor those traditions but at the same time, mark and celebrate a new chapter for the College.” The committee looked at how they could freshen up past traditions and reflect on what Connecticut College represents as an institution in the twenty-first century.
Fittingly, the musical selections were one way in which the committee feels they have accomplished this goal. Rather than have one student perform “America the Beautiful” at the beginning of the event, this year the song will be sung by a quartet composed of one staff member, one student, one faculty member and one New London resident. “That sort of change is subtle, but important,” said Van Slyck.
According to Flores, the end of the ceremony will consist of more celebratory music than past inaugurations: jazz. “The recessional really mattered a lot to us because past installation ceremonies just ended…like people leaving after the end of a movie. No sense of joy or hope or excitement.”
Jazz reflects the committee’s and school’s hope for a bright future. Flores said, “We didn’t want people to just leave. We hope to have them dancing in the aisles.”
As for the ceremony itself, the President took advantage of spring break to work hard on her speech, the content of which is a secret until Saturday, though she did offer up the title: “Transplanted by a River.”
Bergeron’s mentor Ruth J. Simmons, President Emerita and Professor of Comparative Literature and Africana Studies from Brown, will be providing the keynote speech. Mayor Finzio and Governor Dannel Malloy will be in attendance, as well as 93 delegates from other higher-education institutions.
“An inauguration is always an important time for an institution,” Bergeron said. “It’s very moving to see the care and concern for Connecticut College expressed by so many people — both those within our community and those whose life and work lie beyond the College.” •
