From the President

‘Hartford is our home’
The liberal arts with an urban pulse

Mark Twain, once a proud resident of Hartford, described Connecticut’s capital city by saying, “Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see, this is the chief.” His admiration for Hartford resonates with my own appreciation of the city’s role in shaping the Trinity experience. His words echo the sentiments of my own journey over the last 10 years as a private resident and neighbor.

I often am asked what makes our institution unique, what makes it special. The Trinity community, of course, comes to mind first. But then I acknowledge our beautiful place in a capital city and how we are a proud liberal arts college with an urban pulse. In 2014, when I took office as Trinity’s 22nd president, I made a goal not only to reestablish our bond with Hartford but also to celebrate it. And as a community, we have done so.

Hartford is more than just a backdrop to our beautiful and historic campus. It is an integral part of our identity and our mission and has been for two centuries. This was manifest at the Bicentennial Gala when we raised more than $625,000 for financial aid to support talented Hartford students to attend Trinity, aligning with our goal of providing a transformative liberal arts education to deserving students, starting at home.

As our relationship with the city has grown over the last decade, so has the city itself. Our alumni hold important positions in local and state government. The ongoing revitalization of downtown Hartford includes the establishment of Trinity’s Innovation Hub and the Liberal Arts Action Lab. Trinity infuses more than $300 million annually into the regional economy. We strongly invest in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance, and the neighborhood’s Trinity College Community Child Center. These are in addition to supporting Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy and the many programs of the Center for Hartford Engagement and Research. Our partnership with Hartford HealthCare provides high-quality health care, counseling, wellness, sports medicine, and athletic training services to our students.

Our innovative Trinity Plus curriculum has taken advantage of our unique location with community learning and engagement. The vibrancy, diversity, and cultural richness of Hartford infuse our academic environment with energy, creativity, and opportunity. Our faculty and students benefit from the dynamic interplay between campus life and the broader, urban environment, gaining invaluable experiences that prepare them to thrive in complex, dynamic, and diverse cities around the world. We’re able to foster urban-based research and to benefit from collaborations with global businesses. We also leverage local partnerships to gain practical, real-world experiences, such as our long-standing Legislative Internship Program at the State Capitol.

Hartford is our home. As such, it’s in our best interest to be deeply committed to honoring and nurturing our relationship with the city and its residents. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration between educational institutions and their neighbors, and I view the city not only as a place of residence but also as an essential partner in our educational mission.

As I reflect on my presidency, my story cannot be written without a chapter dedicated to Harford’s influence on my life and our distinguished institution. This is where my children became adults, and the memories I’ve made here ’neath the elms have filled my heart with joy and with friendships to last a lifetime. This also is where I experienced the most rewarding years of my professional career, as well as the most challenging ones. I’ve witnessed Trinity’s impressive “spiral up” through our strategic plan, Summit, and I’ve grown fond of this city’s spirit and grit and how it’s reflected in our own resolve as a community determined to change the world for the better.

I’ll always be rooting for Hartford’s success, and, of course, Trinity’s. The success of one is essential for the success of the other. We are inextricably linked in partnership. The future for Trinity in its third century is remarkably bright, and I’m excited to see the possibilities that lie ahead as the College, America’s preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, continues to deepen its ties with this remarkable capital city.