From the President

A letter from President Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Connecticut College as a private, undergraduate residential liberal arts college is our stunning campus. As I traverse campus, it is a joy to see students laughing together as they walk to class, immersed in study at the Charles E. Shain Library, rehearsing on Palmer Auditorium’s stage, practicing on Freeman Field, playing chess at Coffee Grounds or enjoying a stroll in the Arboretum. In conversations with alumni, I am struck by the profound connections forged over the years through beloved spots and cherished places, each with its own distinct character and features. One alumna fondly described Freeman House as a warm hug—a quiet retreat on the edge of campus, yet steps from everything. Another reminisced about jumping into snow banks during a blizzard and working late into the night on art projects in the Plex hallway with Steely Dan playing in the background. These stories illustrate how places and people intertwine, shaping our students’ future selves and grounding their most treasured memories of Conn.

Our campus is not just a backdrop for learning; it is integral to the academic experience: a place of profound personal growth, experiential education and immersive discovery. The classrooms where ideas come to life, the residence halls where lifelong friendships form, the common spaces where we gather to socialize and celebrate. Faculty, staff and students carefully steward our ecosystem of land, water, air, outdoor spaces and buildings, honoring those to whom this land once belonged and the generosity of the New London community that enabled Conn to exist in this place. 

Yet, as Nathaniel Hawthorne so eloquently put it, “Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” That shadow now rests on many of our well-loved buildings, underscoring the pressing need to reinvest in the very spaces that have sustained and enriched our mission for more than a century.

We have already taken important steps to revitalize our campus, from transforming Palmer Auditorium into the Athey Center for Performance and Research at Palmer Auditorium to reimagining our waterfront and renovating the College Center at Crozier-Williams. 

Over the past year, the Board of Trustees and administration have undertaken a comprehensive assessment to better understand the state of our campus infrastructure. The findings reveal an immediate need to establish a more robust annual capital budget, while charting a path to restoring several residence halls and academic facilities in a way that both preserves their historic beauty and ensures that Conn remains a place where students will continue to learn, play, live and thrive for generations to come.

It is a moment that calls us to collective action and I invite each of you into this conversation. How do we more fully use our campus assets to provide the best learning experience and environment for our students? What are the educational, co-curricular and experiential synergies not yet realized? Your voices are vital in shaping this vision and ensuring Conn’s vibrant legacy continues.

As I pass the midway mark of my first year at Conn, I am incredibly grateful to be part of this remarkable community. Your support—whether through advocacy, engagement or philanthropy—has been and will remain instrumental in preserving and enhancing our beloved College for today’s and tomorrow’s students. Thank you for being a steward of Conn’s past, present and future.

With gratitude,

Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.