Dear Southwestern Community,

At the end of every summer, for the past 183 years, students have arrived on our campus to launch a new chapter in their lives. Some years they’ve come to us during moments of great turmoil and darkness in the world, carrying with them both their worries and their dreams. At those times, Southwestern University has served, not as an Ivory Tower that isolates them from all those challenges, but as a safe port in a storm—a place to build their skills and hone their talents, a place to prepare for the complicated world they’ll someday serve.

The fall of 2023 has been no different; our first-year students showed up eager to become a part of the Southwestern community and ready to contribute to our continuing legacy. As I’ve reflected on this long hot summer of renovation and recovery, I was heartened by the renewal that comes with each new academic year. I have never felt more confident in the strength of Southwestern University and the purpose of our grand endeavor. In all the changes we have made and all the innovations to come—many of which are listed below—we are focused on creating opportunities, spaces, and practices that will nurture a vibrant, welcoming, and diverse community.

Of course, we can’t ignore the challenges that we’ve faced—from the ecological to the biological. Those challenges will not be resolved easily or soon. And yet, I’d also like to celebrate the way in which we’re strengthening our community and creating spaces that will allow us to grow sustainably and responsibly, all while honoring our mission.

On that note, my deepest gratitude to all of our faculty and staff. You are the ones that make the Southwestern experience so meaningful and exceptional for our students and future alumni.

For long-time residents, it is stunning to witness Georgetown’s rapid growth. Georgetown is once again the fastest growing city in the U.S., putting us in the national spotlight along with Austin as the top city for launching a career.

And yet, Georgetown’s growth brings with it growing pains. In addition to an increase in traffic, we’ve seen an increased demand on a limited water supply. Add to the mix a blistering hot, dry summer and many lawns now look like hay fields. In what I see as a promising pattern, Southwestern has not just stayed green, we’ve planned to be green. Fortunately, as the first entity in Georgetown to utilize gray water, we have kept our athletic fields well maintained and ready for competition.

The last three years at Southwestern have been a combination of protecting our community from the ravages of the pandemic, cleaning up after three ice storms (losing more than one hundred trees and most of our plantings along the way), fundraising and issuing debt, and preparing to renovate Mood-Bridwell Hall and build two mixed-use residence halls, a welcome center and an athletic complex. What this has meant in fiduciary terms is managing the budget to end each year with a surplus, building our financial base and enhancing the endowment, issuing debt at a reasonable rate, increasing pay for faculty and staff, and diversifying revenue streams. At the same time, we have grown philanthropy and we have welcomed large classes of entering students. All of the above is driven by our five-year Tactical Plan and supported by the Thrive Campaign, which has raised just under $123 million toward a goal of $150 million.

The third year of our Tactical Plan is underway, and I encourage everyone to review the plan as we continue to fulfill its goals and objectives. We have made great strides, and are on track to complete the plan a year early. A key element in the plan is our commitment to DIBE, and to that end a website has been developed by our Marketing & Communications Office to track progress and initiatives as well as to capture the institution’s work over the years. In conjunction with Associate Professor of Education Alicia Moore, Marcom also recently launched a new Diversity at Southwestern webpage where you can find the latest in DIBE news, research, initiatives and more. I’d also like to express my appreciation to the planning group of faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and students who created the position description and title, Vice President for Equity, Accountability and Inclusive Excellence. The process of hiring a search firm is underway and we have composed the search committee with outstanding colleagues: Associate Professor Alicia Moore, Professor of Chemistry Maha-Zewail Foote, Vice President for Student Life Brit Katz, Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life Ron Swain, Dean of Financial Aid James Gaeta, Dara Adebayo ’24 and alumna and trustee Dr. Elizabeth Medina. 

We have an exciting lineup of speakers coming to our campus this fall. Kevin Young, poetry editor for The New Yorker, will be the keynote speaker at the Shilling Lecture on October 13. Kevin is an award winning poet and author, and a member of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His most recent novel, Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News, examines the history and ubiquity of hoaxes.

Diana Gehlhaus, Defense Department Fellow at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, has been invited to make a presentation at the October meeting of the Board of Trustees. Her research focuses on the intersection of technology and talent, including domestic talent pipelines in AI and other emerging technologies. 

Ainsley Carry, The University of British Columbia’s Vice President for Students and author of Washington Next?: Disputed Monuments, Honorees, and Symbols on Campus, will be here for SUnity Day on October 31.

A PenAmerica Author’s Evening is also planned with Julia Sweig, the author of the New York Times instant bestseller, Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight. She is the creator, host and executive producer of the podcast In Plain Sight and the executive producer of The Lady Bird Diaries, a feature-length documentary film based on her book and podcast. 

On Saturday, October 14, Georgetown will experience a near total eclipse of the sun. It will start at 10:23 a.m. and last till 1:32 p.m. The maximum will occur at 11:53 a.m. when 87.7% of the sun will be covered by the moon. A public viewing is being planned on the Academic Mall. 

With the continuing leadership of Vice President Brit Katz, Student Life has been formulating new plans for student engagement, ranging from trips to Austin to a fall formal at the Georgetown Community Center to which all students are invited. The student handbook and conduct code have been rewritten; our 26 RAs are better compensated for all they do; and a bias response team has been created. We have completely reimagined Welcome Week, and a planned Senior-Year Experience is evolving. Finally, thanks to a committee of staff and students, the Bishops’ Lounge has been refreshed and is replete with new furniture—students are welcome once again to lounge in the lounge. There are also more opportunities for intramural activities including two new pickleball courts. I hear this is a great year for student travel with a trip being planned for juniors and seniors to hike Mount Kilimanjaro in January, and faculty-led study abroad programs in Buenos Aires, Granada, London, Belize, and the 2024 Paris Olympics. New this year is the opportunity to attend The International Summer Program (ISP) at Colegio de México (ColMex), a five-week, summer program at one of the most prestigious institutions in Mexico, to learn from renowned faculty in vibrant Mexico City. In addition, there are many regional adventures being planned including an upcoming trip to Colorado Bend State Park. Recognizing that many of our students come from diverse faith traditions, almost twenty varied faith communities sent delegates to meet our Southwestern community. Under the leadership of Chaplain Ron Swain, the inaugural Interfaith Fair was recently held to create an experience where all are welcomed. 

A new team is in place in the Office of Academic Affairs. Led by Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa Gaunder, the team also includes Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola, Associate Dean of the Faculty and Associate Professor of History Jess Hower and Assistant Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Spanish Laura Senio Blair. They have been busy this summer collaborating and preparing for a dynamic academic year. With Southwestern’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution, Professor Senio Blair will lead a HSI working group to explore various programming initiatives. We were formally notified in June by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) regarding the University’s very positive reaccreditation; this glowing review was made possible by multiple faculty and staff. Also, this summer we contracted with the firm of McAllister & Quinn to offer a workshop on grant writing for faculty, and they will also strategically assist us regarding applications to foundations. This year, we anticipate conducting searches for ten new faculty in Business, Economics, Classics, Biology, Communications Studies, Philosophy, Biology, GIS/Environmental Studies, Political Science, Education and Studio Art. In addition, we are glad to welcome Director of Institutional Research Kim Faris who will be sharing institutional research with faculty and staff on a regular basis. The successful Faculty of Color Connect Program, led by Professor Maha Zewail-Foote and Associate Professor Alicia Moore, has been expanded to include most of our Associated Colleges of the South consortium members.  

I want to express my appreciation to all the athletes who helped with the heavy lifting during a flawless first-year move-in. The students and their families were all thankful for your support and enjoyed meeting you.  

My thanks to the coaches and staff for their dedication and commitment to the athletic program. Varsity athletes currently make up 40 percent of the incoming class and I applaud the coaches’ successful recruiting efforts.

This marks the first year in our new conference, the Southern Athletic Association, led by our 119-member football team. The remainder of our athletic teams will move to the SAA in two years. We also are welcoming new coaches this year: Caitlin Kriesel-Biglerand joins us in women’s basketball and Nyssa Peele joins us in men’s and women’s tennis. There were also several facilities upgrades in the Robertson Center this summer with the installation of a new women’s locker room and the conversion of racquetball courts into a team meeting room, lounge, and content creation lab. Associate Vice President for Integrated Communications and Marketing Dinah Ritchie and Senior Creative Director Matt Madsen worked diligently with Athletic Director Ken Ralph to replace the remnants of the old athletics brand in Robertson. Planning for our new multi-use athletics complex is underway as well as the fundraising to support it. In addition, conversations are being held about the feasibility of constructing an outdoor pool adjacent to the Robertson Center.

The university ended the year with a balanced budget and has benefitted from new personnel in the department including David Sanchez, Associate Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, Kirk Walker, our new Associate Vice President for Human Resources, and Erica Smith, Director of Contracts and Procurement. A brown bag lunch is being planned for faculty to meet with Kirk and hear about his plans for outreach and support this coming year.

Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer Lenora Chapman has multiple projects underway. A new Wellness Program has been introduced with 139 employees registered to date. Aramark, our food service provider, has invested over $3 million in complete renovations of the Servery and the Cove. Just days after our beautiful May commencement ceremony the Servery in the Commons was reduced to bare walls. Anyone who has ever done a renovation will tell you demolition is the easy part. It’s putting everything back together that’s hard. My great thanks to the group of students assembled by Student Life who collaborated on the design and floor plan, as well as the Aramark staff and management, who funded the project. After great and speedy efforts, all the pieces came together in a stunningly attractive way. Faculty and staff will be invited to a grand reopening on September 14 to enjoy lunch and the new ambiance. When you dine at the Commons be sure to congratulate Ella Sedwick and Sheri Clayton—they recently received the Food Management Magazine’s Food Service Hero Award. This is a national award that garnered more than 600 nominations, demonstrating just how exceptional Ms. Ella and Ms. Sheri are in their work at Southwestern. 

IT has made numerous upgrades campus-wide to improve reliability and security, and has implemented new tools to enhance communication and collaboration. Classrooms in Mundy have been upgraded with new A/V, and an ongoing fiber replacement project will result in faster data transfer and create a fiber infrastructure that will be readily adaptable to future technology enhancements.

We will be initiating a sustainability audit of all buildings on campus this year, an initial step in creating a sustainability strategic plan for the university. A request for proposals (RFP) has been sent to landscape contractors and vending machine operators and a selection committee has been convened. The Facilities Management Department accomplished numerous building renovations and upgrades, successfully renovating Mabee Hall and the second floor of Mundy Hall, now equipped with 36 work spaces for existing and future projects. The fire suppression system has been upgraded in the McCombs Campus Center, the central plant replacement and upgrade is completed, and the first year of a two-year replacement of the chilled water system is underway. The library re-leveling is on schedule and the deep renovation of Mood-Bridwell is about to begin. Construction is on schedule for two new residence halls and a new welcome center starting in March 2024 with a completion date expected in summer of 2025. The buildings on the southeast corner of East University Avenue and Maple Street will soon be cleared and plans are moving ahead for an indoor-outdoor restaurant scheduled to open in January 2025. Busy times indeed!

This past year was certainly a productive one for both fundraising and alumni relations. In addition to the great campaign kickoff in the spring, numerous events were held in Georgetown, Austin, Houston, Washington, D.C. and New York City. Thanks to the continuing generosity of the Southwestern Community over $18.75 million was received with over $9.3 million coming from estates and trusts. The university is fortunate to have so many supporters including the Parent Leadership Council, the Board of Visitors, and the President’s Council. New additions to the team include Eileen Roybal, Director of Stewardship, Jess Kuras, Assistant Director of University Events, Tim Yourison, Director of Development for Intercollegiate Athletics, Shawna Jiles, Advancement Services Coordinator, and Sally Cameron, the University’s first Director of Conference and Event Sales. As we look to add to our operational budget by diversifying our revenue streams, Sally has provided campus tours to film production companies and she is already booking weddings in our beautiful chapel. Veteran Kent Huntsman has graciously agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for University Relations. A search for the next Vice President for University Relations will begin this fall.

Whether online, on campus, or on the road, you can see the work of our Marcom team wherever you go. For starters, Marcom recently launched an all-new Southwestern app that will help students view assignments, find campus resources, stay in the know about every campus event, and so much more. It will also be a handy tool for faculty, staff, parents and alumni, and I encourage all of you to go to the Apple Store, Google Play, or scan the QR code on one of the promotional signs on campus to start using the app, which is completely customizable to meet a user’s specific needs. As a companion to the app, the MySouthwestern website has a new look with new features.

The Marcom team has been busy with expanded branding across campus, replacing old branding and hanging fresh banners. They have produced numerous publications, including excellence brochures that highlight our campus as well as the individual achievements of faculty and staff, and an all-new University Magazine—the next issue is due in October.

Admission saw a bumper crop of applications this year, 6,585, to be exact—a record and an increase of 18 percent over the previous year. The university’s selectivity rate has dropped nearly twenty percent in three years and stands at 39 percent. As of today, we are welcoming 409 first-year students and 60 transfer students. The incoming class represents 22 states and ten countries. Our residence halls are at capacity and there is a wait list for students wishing to move on campus when rooms become available. As part of the Welcome Center project, to be constructed on the east side of campus, the offices of Admission and Financial Aid will be moved to the new location when the project is completed in the summer of 2025. Other spaces include an art gallery and gallery director’s office, a professional-grade projection room for faculty and admission events, a second mini market and snack bar and a beautiful lobby with additional office space and student lounges.

I recently discovered we are just 16 miles away from Florence, Texas, location of the archaeologically significant Gault site, where evidence of continuous human presence has been found dating back 16,000 years and possibly even 20,000 years, making this area the oldest site in the United States for human habitation.

Southwestern University is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous peoples. This land holds great historical and spiritual significance and we pledge to respect and teach about the traditions and culture of the original inhabitants as well as to be caring environmental stewards.

We can’t change history, but we can listen to it, and honor the stories it tells. In all the changes you see on campus, I hope you also see that we are building spaces for community, that we are working to preserve the natural environment where we can, and to restore it where possible. As we build and grow, we do so with a commitment to the values of equity and respect.

The 500 acres of land to the east of our campus is an incredible opportunity that will shape this university for decades to come. In the coming years, beyond the new welcome center and first-year residence hall, and beyond our new football stadium, we will build a community dedicated to and defined by the liberal arts. This new community will honor the land and the people who came before us. Indeed, its history, and the history of Southwestern, will help us shape its future.

As the trees are rooted in the earth, so our future will be rooted in our multiple constituencies, cultures and core values. So imagine these 500 acres, seamlessly flowing from our campus, with places to find peace in the midst of a growing metropolis as well as places filled with music and art, with lively discussions and the thrill of discovery. Places to live, to eat and drink and to walk.

Finally, speaking of development and deep renovations, in June I finally replaced my creaking hip. This my second time at bat, so to speak, and I am extremely grateful that we have two hips and not three. I asked my surgeon if he could install bluetooth and a garage door opener in my new titanium joint, however, he apparently lacks a sense of humor  (and, I suppose, “playful” is not really an attractive quality in a surgeon). Everything turned out just fine, and I’m once again enjoying my morning walks with Miss Twinkles and Ernest around campus. 

In Walden, Thoreau tells us that morning brings back “the heroic age,” that it’s the time when “dawn is in me.” Walking in the early morning with students and friends—taking in the beauties of our campus—has given me a bit of that light and hope, and it’s certainly been healing.

Time, as we construct it, tends to pass quickly, and it feels like I was just waving goodbye to the class of 2023, and now we have welcomed the incoming class of 2027. With joy and a steady step, I am looking forward to my senior year here at Southwestern University, and to working with all of you as we continue our work at this world-class liberal arts university.

My very best wishes for a wonderful fall semester. 

Laura Skandera Trombley
President, Southwestern University