Bryn Mawr College President Wendy Cadge announced on April 27 the adoption of a 10-year strategic direction, “The Next Chapter,” that will connect the College’s 140 years of academic rigor with the aspirations of future generations.
“We are doubling down on our unique blend of rigorous research in a liberal arts setting at a premier college for women,” Cadge said. “As we approach our 2035 sesquicentennial, we are committing to move forward with boldness and distinction."
The “Next Chapter” calls for investing in faculty to ensure they can remain highly research-active while deepening their mentorship of students; expanding access to a Bryn Mawr education by increasing financial aid and broadening our reach to attract a wider range of applicants; leveraging the College’s expertise through public convenings; and elevating its graduate programs.
The document also commits to moving deliberately toward carbon neutrality by 2035, the modernizing of residential life through living-and-learning communities, and creating more opportunities for current students and graduates to connect at critical inflection points throughout their lives.
Several of the direction’s programs are already underway, including the Beacon Initiative, which waives undergraduate tuition costs for U.S. families earning less than $175,000, and the awarding of competitive internal research grants.
“This vision is more than a strategy; it is a promise,” Cadge said. “While higher education faces a period of skepticism and uncertainty, we will remain a home for those traditionally excluded from the halls of power, committed to creating mobility across class, race, and geography. And by bridging the classroom with transformative experiential learning, we will ensure that the Bryn Mawr ‘spark’ illuminates every stage of our students' and graduates’ lives.”
The Next Chapter is featured prominently in this Philadelphia Inquirer story about the college and its future.