The College – News

Beloved and brilliant Martin Andrucki, Dana Professor Emeritus of Theater at �ֲ��ý, dies at age 80

Jay Burns — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:56:37 +0000

Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of Theater Martin E. Andrucki, a beloved and brilliant teacher and scholar who secured a seat at the liberal arts table for �ֲ��ý theater, died Feb. 8, 2026, at age 80. A faculty member for 47 years, Andrucki was among the longest-serving �ֲ��ý professors in the college’s history.

Martin Andrucki was a �ֲ��ý professor for 47 years, among the longest service by a �ֲ��ý faculty member, from 1974 to 2021, when he retired as the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of Theater. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Raised in the Bronx, N.Y., Andrucki earned a bachelor’s degree in English, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Columbia University and a doctoral degree in English from Harvard University.

Andrucki’s arrival at �ֲ��ý for the 1974–75 academic year coincided with theater becoming a major for the first time. Yet the department, which at the time housed both theater and rhetoric, was at a low point due to retirements and departures. “It was on the verge of expiring,” recalled Andrucki in 2021. Some at the college were openly questioning the legitimacy of theater as a liberal arts discipline.

Martin Andrucki Service and Memorial Gifts
information about his funeral service in Lewiston on Friday, Feb. 13; family and survivors; and a memorial gift designation to �ֲ��ý. The service will be .

As with other young professors who joined �ֲ��ý in the 1970s and 1980s and helped to build academic programs, Andrucki arrived brimming with gusto; an early student described him as bringing “a fierce intellect and a wise-ass New York City sense of humor” to �ֲ��ý.

The task before him 50 years ago, Andrucki recalled, was to “create a curriculum that emphasized literature and theory and producing serious drama on our stages. We wanted our majors to be broadly educated in theater and drama and to see theater as one of the liberal arts.”

Martin Andrucki gazes at the Schaeffer Theatre stage in this circa 1980 photograph. Andrucki devoted his 47-year career to giving theater a place at the liberal arts table. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)

During retirement events in 2021, proof of his success resounded in the words of theater alumni. Theater at �ֲ��ý “equipped me with hands-on experiences I apply nearly every day in life,” recalled Bobbi Bell Birkemeier ’78. “Time management and making deadlines, thinking quickly on one’s feet, improvisation, how to take criticism and direction in a positive fashion, how to direct and delegate, and how to ‘play nicely with others’ in working collaboratively.”

And from his first days on campus, his students felt Andrucki’s intellect and generosity, his lofty standards coupled with a belief in their potential for success. “Marty was completely invested in our work in the classroom and onstage,” Sarah Pearson ’75 said in 2021. “Marty made me believe that anything was possible, and his confidence in me — in all of us — was invaluable and gave me the boost I needed to face the next stage of life.”

In this clipping from the The Daily Argus of Mount Vernon, N.Y., teenaged Martin Andrucki (center), who had recently graduated from Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx, practices swordplay to prepare for his role as Hamlet in a Croton-on-Hudson production of the play in July 1963. (The Daily Argus/Newspapers.com)

“He always seemed to focus on the big picture, the big idea, if you will. Plot. Character. Thought. Diction. Music and spectacle,” said James Lapan ’86. For Amanda San Roman ’17, Andrucki was a “steady and grounding force in my �ֲ��ý experience. His subtle humor, wealth of intelligence, and supportive nature never went unnoticed by anyone he interacted with.”

Andrucki rose swiftly through the academic ranks. In 1975, he was promoted to assistant professor and that year began his decades-long service as department chair. He earned tenure in 1983, was promoted to full professor in 1990, and in 2001 was appointed to a Dana Professorship, one of the most prestigious faculty honors at �ֲ��ý.

With stage manager Ben Cuba ’16 at the ready, Martin Andrucki directs a rehearsal of Little Egypt in Schaeffer Theatre in 2014. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Though �ֲ��ý theater was ripe for renewal in the mid-1970s, Andrucki was building on a firm foundation. Two years before his arrival, �ֲ��ý had named its theater on College Street in honor of Lavinia Miriam Schaeffer, who retired in 1972 after leading the �ֲ��ý theater program since 1938.

As Andrucki noted in 2021, Schaeffer was a champion of the Little Theater Movement that emerged in the early 1900s in the U.S., which emphasized authenticity over grandiosity, “aiming to produce challenging drama in an intimate atmosphere,” he said. The vibe always resonated with Andrucki. “Let’s remember Lavinia and those values as we move ahead,” he said in 2021.

Students of Martin Andrucki, seen teaching circa 1985, felt both his intellect and generosity, his lofty standards coupled with a belief in their potential for success. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)

At �ֲ��ý, he taught courses on theater history, dramatic literature, directing, and playwriting. He directed more than 50 theatrical productions at �ֲ��ý, in the U.S., and abroad. His directing ranged widely: classical and Shakespearean works such as Antigone, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream; European modern and political theater including Three Sisters, Endgame, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle; American and contemporary plays such as Bus Stop, The Skin of Our Teeth, Eurydice, and Love/Sick; as well as original and experimental projects including his own Marie and the Nutcracker and the radio-play production Radio Waves.

Cael Schwartz ’19 (left) as Lord of the Underworld and Sukanya Shukla ’20 (right) as Eurydice in Martin Andrucki’s 2018 production of Eurydice. “It’s a wonderful synthesis of the traditional and the new, and therefore a great vehicle for doing theater in the liberal arts context,” said Andrucki. “Since our students’ default mode is realism, this is a good opportunity to jog them out of their aesthetic habits.” (Theophil Syslo/�ֲ��ý College)

His can-do spirit inspired his students. In 1981, he scoured local junkyards to find the right prop for a production of Sam Shepard’s The Unseen Hand: a busted-up 1957 Ford sedan, hauled straight into the Schaeffer Theatre carpentry shop, where Andrucki chose to stage the avant-garde play.

Every other Short Term from 1999 to 2019, Andrucki and Kati Vecsey, senior lecturer in theater, led students to Budapest and Prague for the course “Central European Theater and Film,” the college’s longest-running off-campus Short Term program. “And yes, Marty learned to speak and read Hungarian,” said Vecsey, a Hungarian herself, noting the difficulty that English speakers have with the language.

Martin Andrucki (top left) and Kati Vecsey (second row, second from right) pose with their students in Budapest during the two faculty member’s long-running Short Term course, “Central European Theater and Film.” (Courtesy of Kati Vecsey)

“Marty and I watched many great, and many boring, theater productions together over the years,” Vecsey said. “When we would go to the theater, Marty always made sure to get an aisle seat, to make sure he had a quick way to escape if the show was unbearable.”

Learning Hungarian was just another example of Andrucki’s smarts, streetwise and otherwise. “There was this mysterious skill that fired his intellectual life,” Vecsey said, “a capacity to explore new territories without forgetting the old ones.” Andrucki brought “profound knowledge, wisdom, and humor into every room [he] entered, both as a director and as a professor,” said Maddy Shmalo ’19.

Marie and the Nutcracker, Martin Andrucki’s new take on the old story, staged at Schaeffer Theatre in November 2015, included Colin McIntire ’16 (left) as Drosselmeier and Brennen Malone ’17 (right) as the royal. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

While he could be the smartest person in the room, Andrucki was often the most welcoming. “He seemed an untouchable mad genius to me at times, but at the same time a friend to sit and shoot the breeze with,” Chuck Richardson ’86 said during the 2021 retirement celebration.

A course with Andrucki, recalled writer Elizabeth Strout ’77 during a 2019 visit to campus, was not only one of her favorites, but also influenced her writing as a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of fiction. In the course, Andrucki guided his students through plays by classic American playwrights like Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams. “He loved those people so much that I loved them,” Strout said.

From reading the plays, Strout learned a valuable lesson about writing authentic dialogue.

Elizabeth Strout ’77 greets Dana Professor of Theater Martin Andrucki, one of her formative �ֲ��ý professors, following her talk in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall in 2019. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

“When you write dialogue in a story or a novel, there has to be a translation between what people are actually saying to the page. You can’t write what people are actually saying, because it’s too boring. You’ve got to translate it to the page in a way that sounds authentic.”

In 1979, Andrucki was named a Mellon Fellow to conduct research into the teaching of theater. In 1987 he joined a directors’ forum at Columbia University, doing advanced studies with Liviu Ciulei, Lee Breuer, Adrian Hall, and others. He was a professor of English at the Harvard Summer School from 1993 to 1996. In 2002, he earned a Fulbright Scholar award for research in Hungary.

He wrote four plays, including Manny’s War. Staged at �ֲ��ý in 2000 in collaboration with The Public Theatre of Lewiston, the play helped a local man, Murray Schwartz, reconcile his feelings of failure as a World War II soldier.

In fall 2000, Martin Andrucki posed with Murray Schwartz at his Mechanic Falls farm. Andrucki’s play Manny’s War, staged at �ֲ��ý in October 2000, helped Schwartz reconcile his feelings of failure as a World War II prisoner of war. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Schwartz, like Andrucki, was a New Yorker transplanted to Maine. He had headed to war with pride as an avenging Jew, and earned a Combat Infantry Badge, a Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts, but then felt shame when, as a prisoner of war captured during the Battle of the Bulge, he resorted to stealing a fellow prisoner’s bread. “The play caught the inner struggle,” Schwartz said. “Not the generals’ strategies, but the betrayal of the will.”

As Andrucki wrote in �ֲ��ý Magazine, the play’s opening night at Schaeffer Theatre saw Murray Schwartz “watching his wartime pain, psychological and physical, played out on stage. He was surrounded by family and friends, �ֲ��ý people and Lewiston–Auburn citizens, a full house serving witness to a fellow American’s story.” The play was nominated for the New Play Award of the American Theatre Critics Association.

In Ladd Library in March 2017, ahead of his fantastical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Martin Andrucki quotes English writer Nicholas Rowe, who said that Shakespeare’s greatness is most apparent when “he gives his imagination an entire loose, and raises his fancy to a flight above mankind.” (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Andrucki was a prolific writer. He wrote a series of 15 critical essays published by the Portland Stage Company on topics ranging from love and lying in Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love to the handicap of virtue in Ted Tally’s Terra Nova. Among his hundreds of essays were 108 audience guides as a humanities scholar and dramaturge for two of Maine’s professional theaters, Portland Stage Company and The Public Theatre.

His writing appeared in Modern Philology, Theatre Journal, Text and Performance Quarterly, and The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama. In the early 1990s, he was host and writer of Wide Angle, a weekly television show on Maine Public focused on Maine filmmakers.

Not all his writing was theater-focused. In January 1981, he wrote a nostalgic essay recalling his childhood in the Bronx, and the memories of heating a home with coal, a fuel that made a resurgence during that historically cold winter. “It’s the childhood I really had,” he wrote. “For me, the rattling chute and dusty bin, the gritty ashcans and the pungent smell, are all redolent of New York in the last days of its unruffled pre-eminence, when televisions had round screens and no one had heard of the Sun Belt.”

In 2017, Martin Andrucki decided to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1930s America, with Fairyland a fantastical world of Hollywood’s golden age because, he said, the play was was too often staged with “actors covered in bark or in tutus, wearing mosquito wings.” (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Heating with coal in his Maine home created a connection with his son, Max, then 3 years old, the young boy being dazzled by the heat that poured forth from a pile of black rocks, “a moment of connection between my childhood and his, a New York memory for my son from Maine.”

When he retired in 2021, Andrucki had served �ֲ��ý for 47 years, a tenure matched only by the late Karl Woodcock, professor of physics. To honor his career, the college’s black box theater was then named the Martin Andrucki Black Box Theater.

Emily Diaz ’23, as Sarah, confronts Rishi Madnani ’23, as Bill, in Martin Andrucki’s 2019 production of John Cariani’s Love/Sick. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Andrucki treated theater, and his teaching of theater, as both an intellectual discipline and a lived experience. “I teach because I like working in a profession and at a place where intellectual and aesthetic values prevail, where telling the truth, as one understands it, is the objective,” he said, during a retirement event. Drawing on the thinking of the late Princeton scholar and poet Michael Goldman, he went on to explain theater’s power to deliver “total education.”

For students, that meant discovering their “entire being rather than the intellect alone.” Theater, Andrucki said, “engages the whole self,” whether as actor, director, designer, or playwright, in the deepest sense of education: the Latin educare, to lead forth, to draw out what is already present and waiting to be revealed. “Which is what college is supposed to be all about.”

Martin Andrucki gives his actors notes after a dress rehearsal prior to the 2019 production of John Cariani’s Love/Sick. In a sense, said Andrucki, the play “is about disposability in relationships — there’s this sense of, you pick them up and you drop them. Everything is always on the verge of coming apart and ending.” (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

National recognition for �ֲ��ý’ ‘exemplary’ success in community engagement as well as its return on investment for graduates

Mary Pols — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 20:07:06 +0000

�ֲ��ý has once again been recognized by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its deep level of commitment to community engagement, an honor the college first achieved in 2008 and again in 2015. Recently �ֲ��ý was also lauded by ACE and Carnegie for its success in providing paths for graduates to earn competitive wages.

Last week, ACE and Carnegie announced that �ֲ��ý had been designated with the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. Community engagement constitutes “collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.”

At �ֲ��ý, inspiration for that work comes from the diverse and rich opportunities for student learning, skill building, and collaboration offered by the college’s location, explained Darby Ray, director of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships.

“The Carnegie recognition is a wonderful affirmation of the college’s dual commitment to high impact student learning and community well-being, as well as the off-campus community’s investment in our students, “ said Ray, who is also the Donald W. and Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement.

Mutual respect between college and community, along with desire for collaboration, is a key part of the success, Ray said. “The result of it is that �ֲ��ý students have meaningful opportunities to work alongside community leaders to develop and apply knowledge and skills to address real-world challenges like public health, affordable housing, and arts-based economic development.”

�ֲ��ý was one of approximately 230 institutions nationwide to receive the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, and the only Maine institution of higher education on the list. This designation, which �ֲ��ý must apply for cyclically, is valid until 2032.

“Your institution’s application documented excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement,” ACE and Carnegie wrote in a letter to �ֲ��ý, lauding the college’s “exemplary institutionalized practices of community engagement.”

Aspirations Days, a joint effort of the Harward Center and the Aspiration Club, provide 8th-grade students of Auburn Middle School and Lewiston Middle School opportunities to think about potential next steps in life. Between 500 and 600 visit campus annually. In September 2025, students from Auburn Middle School toured the campus and had a full day of college access workshops, Purposeful Work sessions, and activities led by �ֲ��ý students and Harward Center staff. More than 100 �ֲ��ý students volunteer during Aspiration Days. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

�ֲ��ý has advanced the work of deepening partnerships, leveraging community assets, and addressing urgent societal challenges with “clarity and distinction,” the award letter said. The accomplishment “is especially noteworthy amid significant federal policy and funding shifts shaping the future of higher education.”

In addition, in 2025, �ֲ��ý was identified for its success in a relatively new classification that ACE and Carnegie began using in 2022, the Student Access and Earnings Classification (an earlier version was known as the Social and Economic Mobility Classification), which prioritizes student success. The classification is intended to identify which American colleges and universities are providing access to students from lower socioeconomic and historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds to higher education and paths to earning competitive wages.

�ֲ��ý ranked high in terms of its return on investment. Eight years after a student first enrolled at �ֲ��ý — so typically, four years into being in the workplace — data shows that their median earnings are 68 percent above the median earnings of a comparison group of similar institutions.

“Both these designations speak to the deep and rewarding experiences �ֲ��ý has to offer to students,” said President Garry W. Jenkins. “We’re committed to our community and we’re giving our undergraduates meaningful educational experiences not just on our campus, but within the Lewiston-Auburn region we care about so much. They’re volunteering in public schools and museums. They’re consulting and conducting research in a wide range of areas, from sustainability to water quality and asbestos remediation, and studying the history and culture of this community.”

On a chilly night in December, students from Associate Professor of Theater Courtney Smith’s Introduction to Digital Media course presented their final project on Lisbon Street, the heart of Lewiston’s historic downtown. For their work in this community engaged learning experience, they explored resources that included the Muskie Archives on campus and the Androscoggin Historical Society, culminating on a multimedia portrait of Lisbon Street, dating back to the days of electric trolley cars. In attendance at the big reveal included Professor Emeritus Doug Hodgkin, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, and Darby Ray, who collaborated with Smith. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

These community connections are not fleeting, Jenkins noted. “We see this reflected in how many �ֲ��ý graduates stay in the state — a little more than 12 percent — or how they develop the habit of building community connections in their future neighborhoods and communities across the country and the world.”

“At �ֲ��ý, we believe that students from all backgrounds should have access to the transformative power of education,” Jenkins added. “That is and always has been part of our mission. To know that their �ֲ��ý education is helping graduates thrive in their careers is reason to celebrate.”

Picture Story: Back to �ֲ��ý 2025

�ֲ��ý News — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:28:31 +0000

Picture Story: She said ‘yes!’ to a Purposeful Work internship

Phyllis Graber Jensen — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 19:08:35 +0000

This summer, Raegan White ’26 of Duxbury, Mass., was one of 18 interns at the bridal shop where hit TLC television show Say Yes to the Dress was filmed for 23 seasons, each episode chronicling the shopping adventures of brides on the hunt for their perfect gowns.

Picture Story: This Summer at �ֲ��ý

Phyllis Graber Jensen — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 19:05:54 +0000

Photos from the campus that never sleeps, from 5Ks to the greenest of leaves and lawns and with a few trips away from �ֲ��ý to see �ֲ��ý students in action.

President Garry W. Jenkins wins Maine Black Excellence Compass Career Award

Mary Pols — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 20:56:11 +0000

President Garry W. Jenkins has received the 2025 Maine Black Excellence Compass Career Award from , a network that connects Maine’s Black professionals, students, and entrepreneurs to opportunities across multiple areas, from social to professional.

The Third Place gives its Compass Career Award in recognition of “outstanding professional achievement, principled leadership, and a commitment to equity and excellence in one’s field.” The nonprofit, which was founded in 2017 by Executive Director Adilah Muhammad, noted that Jenkins, the ninth president of �ֲ��ý, is also its first Black president.

President Garry W. Jenkins receives the 2025 Maine Black Excellence Compass Career Award from Adilah Muhammad, president and executive director of The Third Place Maine. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

“From the courtroom to the boardroom to the college green, Garry Jenkins has led with integrity, brilliance, and heart,” the group said, citing his record spanning higher education, law, philanthropy, and public service. “His career is a compass for those navigating the intersections of leadership and justice.”

“I’m deeply touched by this honor, and for this award to be tied to my new home state of Maine,” Jenkins said as he accepted the award at a dinner celebration on a beautiful August evening outdoors at the Caswell Farm and Wedding Barn in Gray. “It carries special significance because it comes from a community that understands both the challenges we face and the excellence we represent.”

“Our democracy and our institutions succeed and flourish when everyone has a seat at the table and has the support and encouragement to shine brightly,” he added.

President Jenkins addresses the crowd gathered for the awards ceremony at Caswell Farm and Wedding Barn in Gray, Maine. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Jenkins was one of . He spoke of his pride at leading �ֲ��ý, citing its rich and unique history of inclusion and legacy of producing remarkable Black leaders through the 20th century and into the 21st century. Specifically, he mentioned John P. Davis, a debater at �ֲ��ý who graduated in 1926 and would go on to be a lawyer and pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance, and civil rights icon Benjamin Mays, a member of the Class of 1920, as well as pioneering television journalist Bryant Gumbel ’70 and Val Smith ’75, the president of Swarthmore College.

“I want to make sure that we continue to produce alumni, of all backgrounds, who go on to make a difference to their communities, fields, and institutions,” Jenkins said.

His remarks ended with an invitation to attendees to come to �ֲ��ý, walk on the beautiful campus, visit the museum, and attend theatrical and musical performances as well as athletic competitions.

President Jenkins speaks after receiving his award. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Among the �ֲ��ý community members who joined Jenkins at the event were recent graduate Davina Kabantu ’24, who is a trainee in a bank management development program, Professor Emerita of Politics Leslie Hill, and Morgan Kinney and Mohamed Awil of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships. The Portland Press Herald .

�ֲ��ý College Board of Trustees elects four new members effective July 1, 2025

Mary Pols — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:13:00 +0000

�ֲ��ý College has announced the election of four new trustees, effective July 1, 2025:

Jeanmarie Hester Cooper ’85, P’19 is a nonprofit leader who has served in multiple board and development roles in Connecticut;
Peter J. Friedman ’92, P’24, P’26 is managing partner and founder of Five by Five Capital LLC;
Sarah E. Norris P’26 leads the Midwest office of BBR Partners, where she is a partner and a director of portfolio and wealth advisory;
Jennifer VanBelle ’90 is an independent board director who served in senior leadership for more than 25 years at General Electric Co.

“On behalf of the board, I want to express how grateful we are to Jeanmarie, Peter, Sarah, and Jen for their willingness to share their impressive expertise with �ֲ��ý and to commit a significant amount of time to supporting the board’s work,” said Gregory A. Ehret ’91, P’23, chair of the �ֲ��ý College Board of Trustees. “They join a dedicated group of trustees that helps ensure �ֲ��ý is fulfilling its mission, and I know their varied experience and perspectives will be incredibly valuable to the college. I look forward to working with them.”

The new trustees will serve five-year terms that extend to June 30, 2030.

Jeanmarie Hester Cooper ’85, P’19

Jeanmarie Hester Cooper is a nonprofit leader who has served in multiple board and development roles for several charitable organizations over the last two decades, including The Village for Families and Children Inc., Connecticut’s largest nonprofit mental health and community support organization. With an annual budget of $60 million, its 500 employees serve 20,000 individuals a year. Cooper has also worked with the Junior League of Hartford Inc., the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls Giving Circle in Hartford and served on the local board of A Better Chance in Glastonbury, Conn. The Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies recognized her as a Family Champion in 2015.

Jeanmarie Hester Cooper ’85, P’19

Cooper began her career in investment banking, working for both Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. and G.E. Capital’s Corporate Finance business, providing growth and acquisition financing to middle market companies.

While at �ֲ��ý, Cooper majored in biology, was on the dean’s list and played varsity soccer all four years. She was also on the indoor track team and served as a junior advisor. Cooper went on to earn a M.B.A from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She’s been a dedicated member of the alumni community particularly through the Hartford �ֲ��ý Network, and served on multiple Reunion Gift Committees, including co-chairing her 35th. As a �ֲ��ý parent, she served on the Parents Fund Committee and was Parents Leadership Circle Chair, 2017–19, receiving a �ֲ��ý’ Best Award for volunteer service in 2018.

Cooper lives in Guilford, Conn. with her husband Colin Cooper P’19. They have two adult children, Ashley and Eli. Eli ’19 majored in economics at �ֲ��ý and will attend The Sloan School at MIT in the fall.

Peter J. Friedman ’92, P’24, P’26

Peter J. Friedman ’92, P’24, P’26

Peter J. Friedman is the managing partner and founder of Five by Five Capital LLC, a private equity firm focused on a broad range of industries, including financial services, aerospace, and defense. He is also a principal at AgileCap, a boutique commercial lender specializing in solutions for the insurance industry. Prior to founding Five By Five Capital LLC, Friedman managed mergers and acquisitions as the vice president of corporate development for Loews Corporation.

Earlier, Peter was a director in the Corporate Strategy and Development Group at United Technologies Corporation, managing mergers and acquisitions across the company. His responsibilities included sourcing, managing, and negotiating all aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Friedman was a geology major at �ֲ��ý. Early in his career he was a pilot for US Airways. In 2003 he received a M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He served on the advisory board at Tuck, and in May 2025 returned to �ֲ��ý to teach a new Short Term course called “Tuck Business Essentials,” which he taught alongside faculty from Tuck and other �ֲ��ý/Tuck alumni.

Friedman and his wife, Kitty Northrop Friedman ’95, P’24, P’26, a �ֲ��ý trustee emerita, are deeply engaged alumni, and were both members of The Campaign for �ֲ��ý: Endowing Our Values campaign committee. Friedman’s service to his class is extensive and includes serving as chair of his 30th Reunion Gift Committee and co-chair for his 10th and 25th Reunions.

The Friedmans live in Park City, Utah, and have three adult children, Ned, Lindley, and Molly. Ned ’24 majored in politics, was a co-chief of �ֲ��ý Emergency Medical Services, and is now working as a firefighter in the Denver area. Lindley ’26 is majoring in biology and is a captain of �ֲ��ý Emergency Medical Services.

Sarah E. Norris P’26

Sarah E. Norris P’26

Sarah E. Norris is a partner and a director of portfolio and wealth advisory at BBR Partners, and leads the company’s Midwest office. She joined the company in 2015 and works with clients to develop their overall financial strategy, manage their investments, and integrate their investment, tax and estate planning into a cohesive wealth management plan. Before joining BBR, Norris was an executive director in the Private Bank at JP Morgan. Earlier in her career, she was selected as a First Chicago First Scholar.

Norris is a graduate of Brown University, where she majored in international relations and economics and played varsity field hockey. She received a M.B.A. from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Her community work includes serving on the board of trustees and senior advisory council for the Latin School of Chicago. She is a member of the investment committee of Jewish United Fund of Chicago and was recently elected to the board of trustees of Steppenwolf Theatre Co.

Norris lives in Chicago with her husband, Clifford “Cliff” Norris P’26. They have four adult children, Molly, Sophie, Max, and Lucy ’26, who is majoring in biology at �ֲ��ý with a minor in theater. Lucy is also a member of the field hockey team.

Jennifer VanBelle ’90

Jennifer VanBelle ’90

Jennifer VanBelle ’90 is an independent board director and a retired senior executive at General Electric Co. Between 1998 and 2024 she held multiple roles at General Electric, most recently serving as senior vice president and treasurer, as well as CEO and treasurer of GE Capital, the financial services arm of General Electric. As treasurer, VanBelle was responsible for global funding and liquidity, capital structure, cash management, and treasury services globally. She also served as a member of the Advisory Board of GE Women’s Network and as an Executive Sponsor of GE’s Disability Advocacy Network. She had previously worked for Banque Indosuez, ING Barings, and Chemical Bank.

VanBelle currently sits on the board at AerCap, the world’s largest aviation leasing firm and owner of commercial aircraft. She also serves as a board member at buildOn, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education. She previously served as a board member of the Child Guidance Center.

At �ֲ��ý, VanBelle majored in economics. She was a member of house council and the economics club, and participated in the �ֲ��ý Blood Program. She earned a M.S. in finance from the London Business School. As an alumna, VanBelle served as a volunteer career counselor for �ֲ��ý students for more than a decade.

VanBelle and her husband, Andy Brode, live in Old Greenwich, Conn. She has two adult sons, Nick and Thomas, as well as four stepchildren, Rhyan, Alex, Turner, and Campbell.

Slideshow: This Month at �ֲ��ý

Phyllis Graber Jensen — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 14:07:21 +0000

The final month of the academic year begins with students wielding rakes and radar, and ends with fist pumps, Ferragamos, and farewells. The crescendo of Commencement arrives and passes, followed by time for respite and rejuvenation. But before the curtain rises once again, and before the next story unfolds, enjoy this month at �ֲ��ý.

Discovery in Process

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Caroline Friedman ’25 (center) of Mercer Island, Wash., and Will Morris ’27 (right) of Wayland, Mass., operate a Ground Penetrating Radar device on May 1 along Alumni Walk as Assistant Professor of Earth and Climate Sciences Shreya Arora (left) watches their progress.

The GPR device does what its name suggests, using radar pulses to create images of subsurface features. On this day, the students were investigating the location of underground storage space beneath Alumni Walk, created when Lane Hall and the bygone Maintenance Center were built during the 1960s.

The students were part of Arora’s hands-on, outdoor-focused Short Term course that teaches the ins and outs of various technical equipment, and how mastering equipment can help critical thinking, problem-solving, and employability.

Ink, Press, Joy

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

From canvas totes to tank tops, creativity was in full swing at the annual Free Press printmaking event held outside Commons on May 7.

Participants used a variety of stamps, all created by �ֲ��ý student artists, rolled the stamps in ink, and then felt the simple joy of pressing ink onto fabric — no experience required. The event was sponsored by the Multifaith Chaplaincy and organized by Multifaith Fellows Jilly Scott-Lewis ’27 of Portland, Ore., Rosina Makwabe ’26 of Arusha, Tanzania, and Hana Roggendorf ’27 of West Hartford, Conn.

Rake Break

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

“The best part of Short Term is that we get to work with our friends in Facility Services who are amazing and some of the best people I know on this campus,” said Jonah Yaffe ’26 of Dallas, a gardening assistant for the Facilities Services grounds crew, hard at work beautifying the campus ahead of Commencement and Reunion.

Yaffe, photographed in the vicinity of Chase Hall working with fellow student to seed and plant new flowers, took a moment to display his talent at balancing a rake on his nose.

Hopping into Earth Day

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

The annual Short Term Earth Day barbecue was in full flight as George Fauver ’26 of Bedford, N.Y., leapt over Tommo White ’25 of Duxbury, N.Y., during the May 14 celebration.

Held outside Commons and sponsored by Sustainable �ֲ��ý and Dining Services, the event featured local food, solar smoothies, bike repair, live music, and plenty of springtime energy.

Softball Sendoff

Theophil Syslo/�ֲ��ý College

With joy and flair, �ֲ��ý softball celebrated Senior Day in early May prior to a doubleheader against Tufts. The team honored its senior Bobcat, Grace Householter (No. 13) of Manhattan Beach, Calif., with a spirited team photo complete with this uplifting moment.

Heart of the Stone

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

E.J. Holm ’25 of Hamilton, N.Y., tried their hand at masonry during the installation of the Class of 2025 ivy stone by campus mason Ron Tardif.

Holm designed this year’s stone — a stylized map of downtown Lewiston–Auburn with a heart marking �ֲ��ý’ location — as a tribute to both the college and the community the class has called home. “The stone represents a connection to place that I found in my time at �ֲ��ý,” says Holm.

‘No Easy Feat’

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

With a celebratory point and a smile, Uche Anyanwu ’25 of Brooklyn, N.Y., marked the binding of his senior thesis on the steps of Coram Library.

An economics major known on campus as Uche the Chompman — DJ, producer, and artist — Anyanwu explored the economic impact of entertainment and media across Sub-Saharan Africa. The project, he says, “was no easy feat.”

�ֲ��ý Fulbright Five

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Seven young alumni earned Fulbright Student grant offers for 2025–26, including these five members of the Class of 2025, who gathered on Alumni Walk three days before graduation.

From left, Maple Buescher of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Maddy Kwei of Pasadena, Calif., Charles Breyfogle of Columbus, Ohio, Claire Bohmer of Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Wes DeOreo of Westport, Conn.

Joining these five as Fulbright Student award recipients are recent grads Emma Seitz ’25 of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Helena Raddock ’24 of Warren, Vt.

�ֲ��ý has been a Top Producer of Fulbright Student awards for 14 years.

Showcase Sweatshirts

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Angel Huntsman ’27 of Harpswell, Maine, and Graca Bila ’28 of Westbrook, Maine, wear sweatshirts that celebrate their Short Term course with Assistant Professor of Psychology Elena Maker Castro.

Castro and her students worked together to redesign her “Educational Psychology” course, making suggestions for course materials, assessments, and engagement strategies.

The students wore the shirts during the annual Short Term Showcase, a presentation session where students share findings and progress from two groups of courses, Short Term Innovative Pedagogy and Practitioner-Taught Courses.

Past, Present, and Future

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Students in Visiting Assistant Professor of History Janice Levi’s Short Term course “Mobile Histories: Transmitting the Past in Africa and the African Diaspora,” hear from guest speakers Fowsia Musse, a leader and health advocate in the Lewiston community, and Yun Garrison, assistant professor of psychology.

The course explored how people remember their pasts when forced into exile. Specifically, the courses looked at examples of African communities under duress due to climate change, political oppression, and religious persecution.

Granny’s House

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

For four years, Jose Carmona ’25 of Chicago has made the short walk from campus to visit Carmen Thibodeau, the Lewiston grandmother he gained through a bond that began more than a decade ago with his older siblings and the Thibodeau family.

With hugs, shows, snacks, and sage advice, Carmen helped make �ֲ��ý — and Maine — feel like home for every Carmona who passed through. “Some of my friends know she’s not my actual grandma,” says Jose. “Others just say, ‘You going to Granny’s?’”

Tuck Time

Phylllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

From left, Roan Hopkins ’27, Hope Seketa ’25, Jack Kingsley ’28, and Willa Laski ’26 review their final presentations for the inaugural “Tuck Business Essentials” Short Term course in late May.

Sponsored by the Center for Purposeful Work, the skills-focused course was taught by faculty of Tuck Business School at Dartmouth and led by Peter Friedman ’92, a Tuck graduate who served as the course’s practitioner-in-residence.

Learning all about data analytics and business intelligence were two “big themes” for the internship, said Laski, while gaining an appreciation for a liberal arts education in business added even more value.

“Tuck taught me the value of embracing a liberal arts background when approaching business ideas. The interpersonal skills that come with a �ֲ��ý education have really come into play.”

One Last Huddle

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

During the annual Farewell Celebration for Seniors and Faculty, Daniel Snider ’25 (center, in green cap) and his Orange Whip teammates took a moment to watch the Division III Ultimate championship.

Snider, who won this year’s Donovan Award, Ultimate’s highest honor for skill, spirit, and leadership, reveled in the evening’s laughter, gratitude, and connection, both with his classmates and his professors.

“This event was special,” said Snider, a French and Francophone major from Belfast, Maine, “because we were able to be around each other as friends, rather than just as students and professors. Saying goodbye isn’t easy — but I’m grateful for everyone who made �ֲ��ý such a meaningful place.”

Peace Through Action

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Axelle Tougouma ’27 of Fada N’Gourma, Burkina Faso, received a $10,000 Davis Projects for Peace grant to install a solar-powered irrigation system and provide agricultural training for Burkinabé women refugees in Ivory Coast.

A double major in mathematics and economics, Tougouma is using her analytical skills and passion for service to address food insecurity and support economic independence. “My way to contribute to peace is through humanitarian action,” she says.

Honors and Celebration

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Eliza Skillings ’25 of North Yarmouth, Maine, and Maria McEvoy ’25 of Missoula, Mont., react to a slideshow during the Honors Program Celebration Banquet on May 7. Held in Commons, the event recognized students who completed honors theses, and their faculty mentors, with heartfelt remarks, shared stories, and well-earned celebration.

Introduced by Professor of Philosophy David Cummiskey, Kate Fetrow ’13, offered the keynote.

A double major in philosophy and politics at �ֲ��ý who earned a law degree from Stanford Law School, Fetrow is now with the New York Legal Assistance Group, a leading civil legal services organization, where she litigates structural reform cases on behalf of people experiencing economic hardship.

Stones in Spring

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

More than 130 ivy stones, dating back to the Class of 1879, dot buildings around campus, with a new stone added each year. Above are two stones found on the side of Hathorn Hall, the oldest building at �ֲ��ý.

High Five for ’25

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Christine Schwartz, associate vice president for dining, conferences, and campus events, and James Reese, associate dean of students for international student programs, touch hands as they greet each other during the senior class photo on May 23 in Underhill Arena.

As two of the many behind-the-scenes Commencement organizers, they helped guide the Class of 2025 into formation — literally — for a 2025 group photo, followed by a champagne toast.

Evening Honors

Theophll Syslo/�ֲ��ý College

Students from the Class of 2025 were inducted into honor society Phi Beta Kappa during a ceremony in Olin Arts Concert Hall.

Fifty-eight students out of the 405 participating in Commencement this year were selected to join the prestigious organization, which is the country’s oldest academic honor society.

Starr Power

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Starr Bradley ’25 reacts during a recognition and celebration dinner sponsored by the college’s Student Center for Belonging and Community in Gray Athletic Building.

A psychology major from Houston, Bradley became a dedicated youth mentor at �ֲ��ý. She served as a Community Outreach Fellow for the Harward Center for Community Partnerships and coordinated programming for Tree Street Youth’s girls empowerment program in Lewiston.

In Celebration

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Family, loved ones, friends, and supporters of the Class of 2025 gather on the Historic Quad for Baccalaureate on May 24.

Presidential Pose

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

, Risa Sood Horiuchi ’25 of Queens, N.Y., poses with President Garry W. Jenkins and Raymond Clothier, interim multifaith chaplain.

During the service, Horiuchi offered a tribute to parents, guardians, and supporters.

“Your love has held us through the lows, been with us through the highs, and stayed constant for every moment in between. We’re so proud to have you by our sides and are endlessly grateful for all that you are.”

Early and Elated

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Joyful, photo-ready, and dressed in white with garnet �ֲ��ý stoles, . Why so early? “These are the best friends I’ve had in my life,” said Hayden Eckblom ’25, an earth and climate sciences major from Tolland, Conn. “I don’t want to forget them.”

Earned Not Bought

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

On Commencement morning, mathematics major Jamil Mouehla ’25 of Harrington Park, N.J., wore these Ferragamo loafers, not for their label but for their legacy. A gift from his older brother, they symbolize the family’s values of effort and perseverance. “These shoes were not bought but earned,” says Mouehla. “And I can walk in these shoes as my brother did.”

Ceremonial and Personal

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Professor of French and Francophone Studies Mary Rice-DeFosse carries the college mace during Commencement on May 25, 2025. Accorded to the senior member of the �ֲ��ý faculty, the role is a high ceremonial honor and, judging by her smile, also high personal joy.

Fist Pump Finale

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Economics major Hope Seketa ’25 of East Amherst, N.Y., gives a triumphant fist pump as she and other graduates accept congratulations of �ֲ��ý faculty members during the Commencement recessional.

Float Like a Tribute

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Event participants react to the unveiling of a 10-foot bronze statue of Muhammad Ali in downtown Lewiston that honors the city’s connection to Ali’s 1965 “Phantom Punch” victory.

Positioned on Main Street near the bright and colorful Hopeful sculpture, the statue represents the “loud, proud, strong, resilient” spirit of Lewiston, said Maine Gov. Janet Mills, seen in a tan raincoat exuberantly gesturing at the statue.

Among the speakers during the May 31 event were President Garry W. Jenkins (second from left) and Ilyas Bashir ’25 (far left), a newly minted �ֲ��ý grad and former Golden Gloves champion. “Ali showed us that the fight is bigger than the ring…. That’s why this statue matters, especially to kids in our community who can look up at Ali and see that greatness starts right where we stand.”

Quiet and Reflective

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

A few days after Commencement and the final departure of students, empty Adirondack chairs on the quiet Historic Quad welcome summer visitors to sit for awhile.

Paul’s Pride

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Director of Campus Safety Paul Menice smiles while being recognized for his 35 years of work at the college. A familiar �ֲ��ý presence since he arrived from Curry College in 1989, Menice has led Campus Safety for five years.

The day-long retreat for the staff of the college’s Student Affairs division included conversations, activities, and remarks from President Garry W. Jenkins and Vice President for Student Affairs Rosanna Ferro.

Gonzo Comes to �ֲ��ý

Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College

Sadie Williams, daughter of famed artist Ralph Steadman and managing director of the Ralph Steadman Art Collection, reacts to Vintage Dr. Gonzo, a life-size bronze sculpture inspired by Steadman’s longtime collaborator, Hunter S. Thompson.

The piece is among more than 149 objects in the current �ֲ��ý Museum of Art exhibition, Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing, that deftly capture Steadman’s artistic practice.

“It provides an opportunity for everyone — from longtime fans to newcomers —to engage with Ralph Steadman’s incomparable works and experience the unique mind and defining style of such a pivotal creative in American culture,” said Samantha Sigmon, the assistant curator at the �ֲ��ý Museum of Art who has curated the exhibition.

�ֲ��ý College announces senior leadership transitions

�ֲ��ý News — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:23:18 +0000

Leigh Weisenburger, who has led the �ֲ��ý admission and financial aid program since 2012, will become vice president for institutional affairs and secretary to the Board of Trustees, effective July 1, President Garry W. Jenkins announced today.

Weisenburger succeeds Michael Hussey, a member of the senior leadership team at �ֲ��ý College since 2012, who has decided to step down to consider new professional opportunities. In the meantime, he will transition to the role of senior advisor to the president.

“Leigh is a deeply experienced and trusted leader who brings to this position an extraordinary understanding of �ֲ��ý and its mission,” Jenkins said. “Her strategic acumen, institutional knowledge, and collaborative spirit will serve the board, this leadership team, and the college as a whole in vital ways.”

Weisenburger joined �ֲ��ý in 2004 as an assistant dean of admission, became dean of admission and financial aid in 2012, and was promoted to her current role, vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid, in 2021. She is only the fifth dean of admission in �ֲ��ý history and the first woman to serve in that role, and has led �ֲ��ý through a period of remarkable success in enrollment and heightened national reputation.

Michael Hussey, a member of the senior leadership team at �ֲ��ý since 2012, will transition to the role of senior advisor to the president, effective July 1, 2025.

Under her leadership, the college has seen record-breaking application numbers in three of the last four years, strengthened its global recruitment, and deepened its commitment to access and inclusion. �ֲ��ý recently became part of the Questbridge network to broaden access for high-achieving low-income students, a partnership — and goal — Weisenburger was instrumental in helping to facilitate.

“Leigh has helped the college grow in terms of national reputation, the record-breaking number of students who are interested in joining our community, and in the absolutely essential work of making this college more accessible to all,” Jenkins said. “Her expertise and background will be enormously valuable as a key strategic partner in the President’s Office and to the Board of Trustees.”

Hussey joined �ֲ��ý in 2012 from Harvard University, where he held administrative positions across multiple departments for a decade. At �ֲ��ý, he served as chief of staff and secretary to the Board of Trustees until 2018, when he was named a vice president. He has overseen and supported a wide array of institutional projects on behalf of the Office of the President — serving as a trusted advisor and steward of institutional knowledge. In his role as secretary to the Board of Trustees, he is responsible for ensuring that the board conducts its work effectively, through both its formal meetings and its ongoing duties throughout the year. Hussey serves as the key point of contact for this dedicated group of professionals who commit significant time and energy to fulfilling their fiduciary oversight of the college.

“When Mike joined �ֲ��ý, the board asked him to lead the development of new governance processes to help improve the board’s effectiveness,” said current board chair Greg Ehret ’91, P’23, who joined the board in 2016. “He did that and more, to the point where the group talks about this as a best-in-class governing body. The work Mike does is intricate and nuanced. It’s a big job that many on campus aren’t exposed to, but it is key to how the trustees work with and for �ֲ��ý. He’s unflappable, gracious and such a brilliant advisor. The board is grateful to him, including for his willingness to stay on as an advisor during this time of transition, and will look forward to seeing a new chapter in his already impressive career.”

Mike Hussey presents at a meeting of the college’s administrative staff leadership, known as the President’s Council, in May 2023. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

Hussey helped design and execute multiple leadership transitions on the board, between two board chairs, three vice chairs, and three secretaries. He played a role in identifying and onboarding every new �ֲ��ý trustee for more than a decade.

Separate from his work with the board, Hussey has chaired or staffed eight leadership searches for �ֲ��ý, including the search that brought President Garry W. Jenkins to the college. He has supported many large-scale college efforts, including strategic planning, presidential inaugurations, institutional accreditation, crisis management, emergency planning, and the COVID-19 response. He has also been the principal coordinator of �ֲ��ý’ senior leadership team, including planning and chairing senior leadership weekly meetings and annual retreats.

In addition, the Office of Institutional Research, Analysis & Planning, which provides data and analysis for institutional planning, reporting, decision-making, and assessment activities, reports to Hussey.

“Mike has been an invaluable resource to the college for the past 13 years,” Jenkins said. “His steady hand, clear thinking, and remarkable ability to always see both the forest and the trees have been integral to many of our successes. I am so appreciative of the strong foundation he built for the work of our leadership team, our Board of Trustees, and our college as a whole.”

Weisenburger is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and has taught for the New England division’s Rising Leaders Colloquium. A national leader in the test-optional movement who is often sought out for her expertise, Weisenburger has championed �ֲ��ý’ longstanding belief — first affirmed by the faculty in 1984 — that standardized testing should never stand in the way of promising students. During the pandemic, when nearly 90 percent of colleges and universities went test-optional, Weisenburger coached other institutions on reading applications in a test optional environment.

Leigh Weisenburger interviews President Garry W. Jenkins during a Back to �ֲ��ý event in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall in October 2023. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ��ý College)

“That’s one of my proudest moments,” Weisenburger said. Other points of pride include building deeper engagement with faculty through reinvigorating its Committee on Admission and Financial Aid, elevating Student Financial Services in recognition of its vital importance to the college, and strengthening the partnership between Admission and Athletics. Finally, she noted, she’s proud of how her team of 30 in admission and financial aid responded to complex changes brought by the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision banning the consideration of race as a factor in college admissions.

Highly engaged in Lewiston and Maine, Weisenburger serves as treasurer on the YWCA of Central Maine’s board of directors and vice president and finance chair for the Maine Charter School Commission, and is a member of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute Leaders Network, the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital’s NICU Family Advisory Council, and the Chewonki Foundation’s Maine Coast Semester Advisory Committee.

As Weisenburger prepares to move into this new role, she reflected on the connection between the work she’s done and what lies ahead. Currently serving on the college’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee, she sees the opportunity to take on the college’s mission on a broader scale. “There’s truly this thread from my work in admission and student financial services to where I will be landing,” she said. “Right after my college graduation, somehow, I knew enough to be drawn to the mission of �ֲ��ý. Imagining this new role and the opportunities ahead, I see continued partnerships across campus and new ones beyond that, which will provide more chances to really lift and celebrate and actualize that �ֲ��ý mission. I am drawn to this new role as somebody who is deeply relational and values that �ֲ��ý is a deeply relational place.”

Weisenburger and Hussey have worked together as co-chairs of the Enrollment Planning and Strategy Committee and also co-chaired searches for openings on the senior leadership team. Hussey will work alongside Weisenburger this summer to ensure a seamless transition; in September, he will move to a half-time role.

Plans for interim leadership in Admission and Student Financial Services and the search for the college’s next vice president for enrollment will be announced in the near future. The search is expected to start in the fall semester.

Picture Story: Baccalaureate 2025, to love is to heal

Phyllis Graber Jensen — Fri, 30 May 2025 14:44:07 +0000

For the 504 members of the �ֲ��ý Class of 2025, Baccalaureate on May 24 was a time to show the love.

The College – News

Beloved and brilliant Martin Andrucki, Dana Professor Emeritus of Theater at �ֲ���ý, dies at age 80

National recognition for �ֲ���ý’ ‘exemplary’ success in community engagement as well as its return on investment for graduates

Picture Story: Back to �ֲ���ý 2025

Picture Story: She said ‘yes!’ to a Purposeful Work internship

Picture Story: This Summer at �ֲ���ý

President Garry W. Jenkins wins Maine Black Excellence Compass Career Award

�ֲ���ý College Board of Trustees elects four new members effective July 1, 2025

Slideshow: This Month at �ֲ���ý

Discovery in Process

Ink, Press, Joy

Rake Break

Hopping into Earth Day

Softball Sendoff

Heart of the Stone

‘No Easy Feat’

�ֲ���ý Fulbright Five

Showcase Sweatshirts

Past, Present, and Future

Granny’s House

Tuck Time

One Last Huddle

Peace Through Action

Honors and Celebration

Stones in Spring

High Five for ’25

Evening Honors

Starr Power

In Celebration

Presidential Pose

Early and Elated

Earned Not Bought

Ceremonial and Personal

Fist Pump Finale

Float Like a Tribute

Quiet and Reflective

Paul’s Pride

Gonzo Comes to �ֲ���ý

�ֲ���ý College announces senior leadership transitions

Picture Story: Baccalaureate 2025, to love is to heal

Beloved and brilliant Martin Andrucki, Dana Professor Emeritus of Theater at �ֲ��ý, dies at age 80

National recognition for �ֲ��ý’ ‘exemplary’ success in community engagement as well as its return on investment for graduates

Picture Story: Back to �ֲ��ý 2025

Picture Story: This Summer at �ֲ��ý

�ֲ��ý College Board of Trustees elects four new members effective July 1, 2025

Slideshow: This Month at �ֲ��ý

�ֲ��ý Fulbright Five

Gonzo Comes to �ֲ��ý

�ֲ��ý College announces senior leadership transitions