“Disproportionate impact” was Davidson President Carol Quillen’s buzzword this week, during a speech to some prospective Davidson students. While she was talking about the impact Davidson has on the world, this phrase can also be applied to President Quillen’s impact on our campus. She came to Davidson in 2011 and has since established herself as a larger-than-life presence on campus (especially in heels–this woman is statuesque).
With the same willpower she uses to leave a slice of chocolate cake untouched, President Quillen has built an impressive list of accomplishments thus far: a B.A. in American History from UChicago (graduating Phi Beta Kappa with “special and general honors” no less), a Ph. D in European History from Princeton, two published books, countless articles for the Huffington Post, and, most recently, an appointment by President Obama himself on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans. I’m pretty sure I just used up my entire word limit…
Davidson is, quite literally, HerCampus.
On campus, she is continuing on this trajectory, trying to get everyone to see the “many facets that make Davidson special.” She emphasizes that our “commitment to the highest standards of integrity within a supportive culture of trust is felt throughout our campus and nurtures true moral courage,” but also recognizes that the best part of Davidson is the people. She says Davidson is “honestly a unique place because of the extraordinary people [it] attracts and nurtures.” Over her tenure here, President Quillen wants to foster these strengths and highlight these features of Davidson, with plans to encourage and support student-based research curricula, and to build the internships and international opportunities from the Dean Rusk program.
Being the president of a small school gives President Quillen more opportunity to interact closely with students, staff, and alumni than most of her presidential peers. It is in these interactions that she has her most memorable moments. “I have enjoyed many talented student performances, been fascinated by the research projects, viewed dedicated faculty engaging students in challenging courses, and have attended various competitive sporting events. I have had memorable moments interacting with staff on new initiatives as well as on the daily operations of the college. I have had great pleasure in visiting with loyal alumni around the country who care deeply about the college.”
Not only do the people surrounding President Quillen give her cherished memories, but they also keep her going. Most looking forward to welcoming new freshmen next semester (aren’t we all?!), she also wants to work towards “raising awareness of the impact we are making so as to strengthen our national visibility and influence [while] building an infrastructure and culture appropriate for our highest aspirations and commitment to excellence.”
A tweet from President to President: “Thanks to President Obama for investing in manufacturing innovation in NC–and thx for the ride to DC!”
While President Quillen is a hugely influential woman both on and off campus (she casually rode in Air Force One just last week), everyone has guilty pleasures. It may comfort all of you college students to know that our esteemed President is just as susceptible to Netflix as we are. She normally doesn’t watch TV (which is probably how she gets so much done), but she watched Season One of House of Cards in one sitting. Seriously, Netflix is universally addicting.