Bergeron Named President Emerita

Conn's Board of Trustees awared former president Katherine Bergeron the title in recognition of her exceptional service

Connecticut College’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution awarding former president Katherine Bergeron the title of president emerita in recognition of her exceptional service during her nearly decade-long tenure.

The honor, enacted during the Board’s spring meeting on campus in May, places Bergeron among Conn’s several other emeriti presidents, including her predecessor, Leo I. Higdon Jr., and Katharine Blunt, the institution’s first woman president. 

“President Bergeron has served with integrity, purpose, passion and an unwavering commitment to the values and mission of Connecticut College,” said Board Chair Debo P. Adegbile ’91. “She imbued the College with a spirit of intellectual curiosity and a desire for the continual pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the campus community.”

Specifically, the resolution pointed to Bergeron’s involvement in developing and launching many new initiatives at Conn, including the distinctive Connections curriculum, the Athletic Department’s Action Plan for Competitive Success and Conn’s inaugural membership in the Liberal Arts College Racial and Equity Leadership Alliance.

The resolution also noted how Bergeron’s efforts impacted the campus’s physical space with the renovation of Palmer Auditorium into the Athey Center for Performance and Research, the restoration of the Kohn Waterfront and Archibald Way along the Thames River, the renovation of Fanning Hall to improve accessibility and house the Hale Center for Career Development, the repurposing of the ground floor of Blaustein Humanities Center to create the Walter Commons for Global Study & Engagement, and the implementation of the College’s first campus-wide sustainability plan.

Finally, the resolution praised Bergeron’s talents for fundraising. Trustee Pamela D. Zilly ’75, a former chair who led the search committee that selected Bergeron, said, “Katherine developed and led the Defy Boundaries campaign beginning in 2017, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of the College, securing numerous major gifts through her inspiring vision, thoughtful stewardship and ability to invite support for her unwavering belief in the College.”