The Presidential Blog

February 5, 2010*

Forty years is a milestone by any measure, whether in the life of a person or in the life of an institution. For an individual, the 40-year mark signifies that one has entered the ripest and most vigorous part of adulthood, and many of us use this birthday to look forward to new opportunities while reflecting on the challenges and accomplishments of the past. For an institution, 40 years is still quite young, yet it is no less important an anniversary, because its achievement testifies to the fact that the institution has reached maturity. With maturity comes opportunity and responsibility—to evolve meaningfully in an ever-changing world and offer long-term relevance and intellectual sustenance.

When Hampshire College opened its doors in 1970, it stood forth as a radical departure in higher education. It was recognized as a bold experiment, with a future that was bright and hopeful. Inescapable was the uncertainty of newness. Today, after 40 years, Hampshire is well established, no longer a question mark but still always questioning, because an ethos of inventiveness and experimentation is woven into the very fabric of this institution.

As Hampshire’s president, it is my privilege every day to experience the immense creativity and talent of our students, faculty, and staff. I am inspired by the intelligence, curiosity, resourcefulness, and boldness of one and all. Likewise, I have the great good fortune to spend considerable time visiting with Hampshire’s alumni. After but 40 years, the count of Hampshire’s graduates is 9,000 and growing. I see or hear of their work everywhere—in the food I eat, the films I watch, the books I read, the art I appreciate, the political influence I witness in the public arena, the science that informs my world—truly, in every realm imaginable. Seeing what a Hampshire education helps our students and alumni make of themselves is one of the great pleasures of my professional life.

I consider it a tremendous honor and responsibility to be associated with Hampshire College. A number of “alternative” colleges were created in the tumult of the 1960s, but not all have survived. Hampshire, on the other hand, has become a standard-bearer, with many of its most treasured innovations adopted and adapted elsewhere: self-directed courses of study, students working closely with faculty on research and creative endeavors, profound interdisciplinarity across the curriculum, capstone projects, and a pedagogy informed by real-world issues and infused with social justice. Such emulation presents us with the unique challenge of continuing to be distinctive and on the cutting edge in an environment where these claims are now commonplace, all the while retaining and fostering our core values.

One of the most amazing features of Hampshire is how much this college has done with so little. Despite deeply constrained financial circumstances—including being undercapitalized at its founding and having an endowment that is only a fraction of that of most of its true peers—the past 40 years have witnessed astonishing growth, for which we can thank all the people who believe in Hampshire: its alumni, students, faculty, staff, current and past parents and grandparents, friends, and grant-makers. I see the depth of their commitment and resourcefulness in fundraising initiatives such as the Community Scholars Fund for Educational Opportunity, the James Baldwin Scholars Program, and many other efforts to support diversity and access through financial aid. I see it in the spirit of collaboration that pervades Hampshire’s relationships, from the opportunity students have to work one on one with professors, to the development of interdisciplinary ventures such as the Culture, Brain, and Development and the Design, Art, and Technology programs, to Hampshire’s involvement in the Five College Consortium. And I see it in the intellectual passion and incredible dedication that typify Hampshire’s faculty, whether they have been here since the College’s founding or have recently embarked on their academic careers.

Commitment, resourcefulness, and creative investment will prove all the more important as Hampshire moves into the next 40 years and beyond. The global economy and the patterns of funding for higher education are changing dramatically, requiring us to call upon all our creativity and idealism, our dedication and discipline. Most especially, alumni and friends must translate their belief in Hampshire as never before into increased and sustained philanthropic support. I am confident that we, as individuals and as an extended community, will succeed.

As Hampshire College celebrates its 40th year, we renew our commitment to its founding mission. This is a moment to look to the past and express our gratitude to and admiration for those who first envisioned this remarkable college. It is equally the moment to look to the future and see Hampshire thriving ever more vibrantly over the decades to come. On to the 80th!

*This entry was written in the context of planning for Hampshire College’s 40th anniversary celebration, which will be held June 11-13, 2010 and can also be found within the latest issue of Hampshire’s magazine, Non Satis Scire. Complete magazine can be read at http://issuu.com/hampshirecollege/docs/winter_2010