Wonderfully small and inexplicably connected. These are the words most Colgate students, faculty, and alumni would use when talking about the campus and the people that occupy it. The community feel that is exemplified through thoughts and actions allows people to turn Colgate into something more than the university they attend; it allows people to call Colgate their home. This would not be possible however without the faculty, staff, and administrators who are behind it all—whether that be in regards to the things we see and most often, the things we do not. This year, Colgate was fortunate enough to add a new member to its campus and community.
Brian Casey, who was just inaugurated on September 30th, became the 17th president of the university. Graduating from Notre Dame summa cum laude, Casey went on to Stanford Law School where he graduated with honors. He then continued his education at Harvard University, where he earned his PhD in the history of American civilization. Upon finishing this regal schooling, he went on to Brown University and then returned to Harvard where he held higher administrative positions. In 2008, Casey became the 19th president of DePauw University where he remained until 2016. At that time, he was contacted by Colgate to lead the school, the people, and the Colgate community.
I had the privilege of sitting down with President Casey, and got the opportunity to learn and understand his background as both a scholar and a person, which provided me with a wealth of excitement and comfort about the future with him as our leader. When Casey was contacted by Colgate about the position, he was already familiar with the school, seeing as two of his best friends from high school had attended. The decision was easy. A true believer in a liberal arts education and the benefits that come from it, Casey fit into this new role easily. Revealing that DePauw is similar to Colgate, Casey declared Colgate’s resources are far greater with deeper foundations to work from.
As he continues to maneuver his way through the beginnings of this Colgate career, Casey made a point to emphasize that this is not a one-man job. He says, “The biggest mistake presidents make is thinking that they can do it alone.” There is a necessity to understanding the institution as a microcosm of society. You must understand the ins and the outs of the school and its members first in order to then adjust the dialogue that will ignite change to benefit the future of the school.
Colgate is a community first and a school second. It values the people and their individual goals and beliefs. President Casey recognizes the necessity of connecting with students on a personal level and blurring the hierarchy that exists between him and us students. Casey has been seen all over campus forging vital relationships with the students. Spotted in the pool with the varsity swim team during early morning practices, offering students rides up the unruly hills of the campus, and cheering the hockey teams on in the student section during their opening games in the new arena, President Casey is the catch-all leader for a school like ours. We are certainly all looking forward to what lies ahead.