Images Courtesy of Sean Elliot
Davi Becomes President!
Being president of Connecticut College for a day was certainly not on my bingo card for my final semester of college. When I saw the email encouraging students to apply to switch places with newly-inaugurated President Andrea Chapdelaine for a day, I loved the sound of the tradition but felt a bit hesitant. Was my daily college life exciting enough for the president? My dad pushed me to apply and provided me with a compelling list of reasons why I would be the perfect pick.
As Managing Editor of The College Voice, I was already familiar with Chapdelaine due to our monthly meetings along with the co-editors-in-chief. She expressed her excitement about Conn’s first “Chap Swap” and told us about the tradition, which she started when she was president of Hood College. A few weeks after I applied for Conn’s first “Chap Swap,” I was delighted to find out that I was chosen by the committee (which did not include Chapdelaine).
Leading up to the big day(s), I met with the secretary of the College and the director of digital marketing to plan the “Chap Swap” schedule. Chapdelaine and I began our swap on a Monday night, at my weekly Hillel board meeting. I entered the Zachs Hillel House conference room to see Chapdelaine wearing the same Conn Coll Hillel t-shirt as me—we were already in sync! When the president addressed me from across the table as “President Chapdelaine,” my role as president of the College felt more and more real.
Tuesday was the day I assumed President Chapdelaine’s duties. I put on one of my new professional outfits that I got for job interviews and other post-college responsibilities. (Little did I know that I would also need these clothes for my stint as college president.) Upon meeting Chapdelaine in the student-run Coffee Grounds, she briefed me on the agenda for the senior administrative cabinet meeting I was to lead that day. We were then joined by two trustees from the local area, Dwayne Stallings ‘99 and Chip Clothier ‘79. Chapdelaine kindly bought us drinks and we chatted about my resume (which they viewed beforehand), trustee responsibilities, and funny stories.
It was finally my time to shine and lead the president’s cabinet meeting. Bearing Chapdelaine’s name tag, I felt a surge of power as I sat at the head of the table in the Cro Alice Johnson Room waiting for the seats to fill. I was familiar with about half of the meeting’s attendees, which included Deans Victor Arcelus, Danielle Egan, Erica Smith, and Andy Strickler, in addition to vice presidents, faculty, and staff cabinet members. I confidently shared each agenda topic and listened intently to the administrators’ subsequent dialogue. The meeting made me realize how much hard work and decision-making it takes to run a college. Conn’s model of shared governance shone through during the cabinet meeting; no decisions were made without consideration of multiple perspectives.
Basking in the glory of having successfully led a senior administrative cabinet meeting, I then enjoyed lunch with Chapdelaine in Harris. My final presidential duty was sitting in on (part of) an interview for Conn’s new vice president of advancement.
Wednesday was the day that Chapdelaine stepped into my shoes (quite literally, because she wore comfortable sneakers in place of her usual dress shoes). We began the day by attending a “Green Office breakfast” hosted by the Office of Sustainability. After a brief break in the president’s office, we headed to my Health Psychology class in Bill Hall. College photographer Sean Elliot awaited us at the door, snapping photos like the paparazzi. I will let Chapdelaine recap the rest of our class experience in her segment.
We then joined some fellow staff members from The College Voice for lunch in Harris, followed by our biweekly campus distribution of the new edition of our newspaper. One of my favorite parts of the “Chap Swap” was getting to walk Koda, Conn’s newly “inDOGurated” first dog. Koda was so excited to pull me around Tempel Green and say hi to all the students enjoying the sunny day! I feel truly honored to have been the first “Chap Swap” student at Conn. Spending the day as president was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget.
Pres Chap Joins the Class of 2025!
For my part, I attended a Hillel board meeting on Monday night, as Davi is a member of the board. We debriefed on a number of recent events, as well as planned the remaining events of the semester. I was impressed by the number of activities Hillel sponsors and organizes. I found it hard not to step into my president role to assist in their work with various offices on campus. Instead, I asked Davi, in her role as the president, to bring those issues to the appropriate vice president to prevent possible obstacles to the plans – which Davi very ably did. It was a bit late for me, but I found myself very engaged throughout the meeting. I was especially happy to share the “Matzo Crack”—Matzo squares with melted chocolate and other goodies on top. I had given up chocolate for Lent, so I ate too much, but it was delicious!
On Tuesday, I shadowed Davi as president. On Wednesday, we attended her Health Psychology Class. In class, we broke into small groups and discussed recent cases involving the eligibility of transgender athletes in collegiate sports. I found the students’ discussion very thoughtful, respectful, and reflective of the complexities of this issue. Since I was a psychology major, it was great to attend a psych class. An extra bonus was that it was taught by Professor [Jefferson] Singer, so I was able to attend one of his last classes prior to his retirement at the end of this academic year.
After class, Davi and I had lunch with other editors of The Voice. We talked about a lot of different topics, and it was fun to get to know those students better. I found their insights on how a president (or any public spokesperson) should handle media inquiries brilliant and helpful. After lunch, first dog Koda joined us to deliver The Voice across campus. It was a beautiful day and fun to visit many different offices. Following newspaper delivery, I had to go to my office and be the president again.
It was bittersweet to leave Davi and return to my real job; I had so much fun being a student! The swap provided me with a different perspective of Conn that helps me better understand our students’ experiences, which helps me be a better president. I appreciate the willingness of Davi to share her world with me and the warm welcome I received from everyone. I am grateful to all those who worked behind the scenes to make it happen, and to all the students who expressed interest. I do hope it becomes an annual event.
