Dear Members of the Scripps Community:
Congratulations on the completion of a successful academic year!
I have been honored to serve as the College’s interim president for the past academic year and to engage with so many of you as we have pursued the mission of Scripps College together. There is nothing that compares to the Scripps community, and I am very fortunate to be a part of it. I look forward to returning to my role as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty on July 1. On behalf of the College, I would like to take this opportunity to provide my deepest gratitude to Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert for serving as the acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty and Adriana di Bartolo-Beckman for serving as interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students during this time.
As summer begins, I am pleased to share the following news and updates, which offer many opportunities for reflection, innovation, and celebration.
Academic News
Commencement
On behalf of Scripps Trustees, faculty, and staff, I’d like to congratulate the Class of 2022! We are immensely proud of all that you have achieved during your time at Scripps, and we were thrilled to celebrate your accomplishments together in person. We were also delighted to host celebrations on campus for the Classes of 2020 and 2021, whose Commencements were delayed or held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I applaud the compassion and resiliency of all our recent graduates as they embark on their next endeavors.
Faculty Promotions
A number of faculty have received promotions and re-appointments commencing July 1, 2022. Please join me in congratulating them for these major achievements:
- Ted Bartholomew was promoted to associate professor of psychology with tenure
- Nayana Bose was promoted to associate professor of economics with tenure
- Lahnna Catalino was promoted to associate professor of psychology with tenure
- Jih-Fei Cheng was promoted to associate professor of feminist, gender, and sexuality studies with tenure
- Julin Everett was promoted to associate professor of French with tenure
- Marino Forlino was promoted to associate professor of Italian with tenure
- Jenna Monroy was promoted to associate professor of biology with tenure
- Tessie Prakas was promoted to associate professor of English with tenure
- Kevin Vennemann was promoted to associate professor of German with tenure
- Branwen Williams was promoted to professor of environmental science
- Piya Chatterjee, professor of feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, was reappointed to the Dorothy Cruickshank Backstrand Chair in Gender and Women’s Studies
- Hao Huang, professor of music, was reappointed to the Bessie Bartlett Frankel and Cecil Frankel Chair in Music
- Aaron Matz, professor of English, was appointed to the Frederick Hard Endowed Chair in English Literature
- Roberto Pedace, professor of economics, was appointed to the Dr. Taro Yamane Chair in Economics
- Kim-Trang Tran, professor of art, was appointed to the Suzanne Ely Muchnic ’62 and Paul D. Muchnic Endowed Professorship in Art
Awards and Honors
Scripps students and alumnae received several prestigious awards and fellowships to pursue research and community engagement projects across the globe. Scripps was once again named a top producer of Fulbright students for the 2021–2022 academic year.
Several Scripps faculty members recently received prominent fellowships to further their research in the sciences and social sciences. Assistant Professor of Physics Janet Sheung received a three-year National Science Foundation grant to study cell transport. Professor of Politics Nancy Neiman received a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship to continue her research into food sovereignty movements in Gujarat, India. Katie Purvis-Roberts, professor of chemistry and environmental science, received her third Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grant to study renewable energy. Congratulations, Janet, Nancy, and Katie!
Capstone Day
This year’s Capstone Day was held both virtually and in our outdoor classrooms. Seniors across 40 academic disciplines presented their thesis scholarship to the Scripps and Claremont Colleges communities as well as across the globe virtually to friends and family. The depth and breadth of these scholars’ academic accomplishments was truly impressive.
Campus News
Welcoming Scripps College’s 10th President
Please join me in welcoming Suzanne Keen as the 10th President of Scripps College, effective July 1. Dr. Keen is a distinguished scholar and professor of English literature who comes to Scripps from her position as the vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty at Hamilton College in New York. Dr. Keen looks forward to meeting members of the community at upcoming campus events planned for later summer and early fall.
Vice President for Student Affairs Search Update
The search process is underway for the role of Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. The College expects that the position will be filled this summer and we are eager to welcome the selected candidate to the Scripps community.
Admitted Students Day
Scripps hosted its annual Admitted Students Day in person for the first time since 2019. The College received more than 3,146 applications for admission this year, and we are on target to meet our enrollment goal of 280 new students in the fall. We congratulate our Admission team for successfully enrolling another exceptional class and thank all of you who participated in the admissions process. I look forward to meeting the Class of 2026 and I can imagine you feel the same way!
New Student Programs and Orientation (NSPO)
Orientation for the Class of 2026 and fall 2022 transfers will begin on August 23, while pre-orientation programs for first-generation, international, and Summer Science Immersion Program students will begin in mid-August. Additional information about this fall’s programming is available on the NSPO website.
Racial Justice and Equity Update
Through the Racial Justice and Equity Fund, the College has established a new staff position and continued support for student fellowships to foster an antiracist environment at Scripps and beyond. This spring, Senior Assistant Director of Admission Lyanne Dominguez ’13, a former Scripps College Academy Scholar, was named the associate director of admission and diversity access initiatives. Lizbeth Valdivia-Jauregui ’22, Molly Yeselson ’23, and Mica Barrett ’23 have also been named the recipients of this year’s Student Racial Justice Fellowship Awards. Please join me in congratulating Lyanne, Lizbeth, Molly, and Mica!
Additional information about the College’s racial justice and equity initiatives is available in the latest issue of our IDEA Initiative newsletter.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Athenas
Several Athenas teams and Scripps scholar-athletes enjoyed a successful spring season. The Athenas tennis team won this year’s NCAA Division III National Championship, the second-ever title for the program, and CMS women’s lacrosse and women’s golf both earned spots in their respective NCAA Division III Championships. In track and field, Emily Clarke ’22 won the 5,000 meters race at the SCIAC Championships and earned the Jennifer Stary Character Award from SCIAC head coaches.
Alumnae, Family, and Friends
The College celebrated a return to other in-person signature events this spring, hosting our first on-campus Reunion Weekend since 2019, as well as several in-person Scripps Presents events throughout the semester. I appreciated the opportunity to connect with alums, students, and families at various virtual and on-campus events.
Navigating the ongoing pandemic, prioritizing our community’s health and safety, and readjusting to in-person experiences has made this year challenging as well as exciting. I hope that you and your loved ones find opportunities to rest, recharge, and spend time together this summer. Additional information about the fall semester will be shared with the community in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Amy Marcus-Newhall
Interim President