View From Founders
The cold and rain on Commencement day did not dampen spirits.
PHOTO: DAN Z. JOHNSON
T
his has truly been a year like no other. We celebrated Commencement, for instance—two weeks later than normal because of our delayed semester start— masked and distanced on a record-cold rainy day that turned Cope Field, the College’s cricket pitch, into a sea of red-and-white umbrellas. Despite the wet, chilly weather, the good cheer that prevailed brought up yet another swell of gratitude for the enduring strengths of Haverford, even as I’ve come to see our strengths in a new light. It isn’t simply that we successfully met the challenges of disruption and change prompted by the seasons of COVID-19, even though we did: There were only nine positive on-campus test results among students over the course of the entire school year. The adaptations instituted—and embraced—emerged from a shared sense of commitment to others, and to a better world, that is at the heart of Haverford’s mission. The College was particularly well-positioned to weather this storm because of our commitment
to community, and I see our success as affirmation of our long-standing approach to residential liberal arts education. I knew it was possible that we could do it, and I also knew that what was in our control might not be enough. I will remain ever grateful to our students, faculty, staff, families—and alumni, who support the College with your generous gifts of time, talent, and treasure. All of you made our success possible. And yet COVID-19 was not the only force of change this year, nor the one that I believe will bring the most durable impact and ongoing institutional strength to Haverford. We are experiencing a long-overdue national reckoning with race and racism. The murder of George Floyd last summer came as Haverford students called out and called on the College and its leadership, starting with me, to accelerate progress toward equity for all, beginning with racial equity. A student-led strike ensued, leading to learning, dialogue, and scores of institutional actions, for change today and for the decades SUMMER 2021
3
