Year in Review, 2017-18
A look back at 2017–18, including faculty, student, and staff highlights; the adoption of Summit, Trinity’s new strategic plan; and so much more.
See some of the work of our students, staff, and faculty that make us proud!
Summer/Fall 2017 Highlights
The Watkinson Library received a donated collection of comic books and graphic novels.
Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney Writing in The New York Times about Hartford (June 22, 2017)The creativity and intellectual capital are here; now we’re galvanizing the collaborative leadership to write an exciting new story for Hartford.
Welcoming the Class of 2022

Six New Tenure-Track Faculty Members Join Trinity
In 2017 we welcomed Susan M. Bush, assistant professor of biology; Lindsey A. Hanson, assistant professor of chemistry; Kevin Huang ’12, assistant professor of engineering; David Souto Alcalde, assistant professor of language and culture studies; Alyson K. Spurgas, assistant professor of sociology; and Hilary E. Wyss, Allan K. Smith and Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor of English.
Summit: A Strategic Plan for the Future of Trinity College
After 18 months and with the help of the entire community (including 80 who served on various committees), Trinity College adopted a new strategic plan, Summit, setting us on a bold path toward our bicentennial and beyond.
More about Summit:
English Professor David Rosen in The Washington Post’s Grade Point blog (October 23, 2017)The first-year seminar I have been teaching this fall is probably the most impressive, student for student, that I have taught in 15 years at Trinity. And when I talk with colleagues around campus, I hear the same story over and over—that their first-years and sophomores are intellectually engaged, creative, open-minded, motivated, and respectful of their peers in numbers that those colleagues haven’t seen in years, if ever. Trinity feels like a place where the campus culture is transforming itself quickly, and in exciting ways... .
The Bantams’ win over Wesleyan capped the football team's season at 8–1 and clinched a second consecutive NESCAC title.
Former Philadelphia Inquirer editor Bill Marimow ’69 H’16 and Phi Beta Kappa President Fred Lawrence, From a co-authored op-ed in The Inquirer (October 9, 2017)At a recent forum on "Bridging Divides," the two of us participated in a campus conversation about the essential value of unfettered inquiry and debate as the heart of a liberal arts education... . It exemplified the kind of open and free-flowing community discussion that can enable colleges and universities to find ways to come together to develop core principles governing free expression before a crisis ever envelops a campus.

Trinity Helping Lead the Way in Creating an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Hartford
Trinity is a key partner in the Hartford/East Hartford Innovation Places Planning Team that has been selected to receive a share of $30 million in state funding to spark economic development and investment in innovation.
Winter/Spring 2018 Highlights
The Mellon Foundation awards Trinity a three-year grant for arts and humanities, digital scholarship, and inclusive pedagogy.
Jump-Starting J-Start
Trinity welcomed its first cohort of students in the new “January Start” program, beginning with an intensive two-week personalized orientation to the college and to Hartford.
More about J-Start:
- Reflections on a J-Start’s first semester, from Laiba Bahrawar ’21

‘INK: Recent Paintings by Deborah Buck’ at the Widener
Deborah Buck ’78 brought to the Widener Gallery an exhibition of works on paper that combine Japanese sumi ink with densely layered compositions of acrylic, pastel, and chalk—work described by art critic Gregory Volk as “protean paintings that seem like eccentric, ever-metamorphosing mini-worlds or vibrant environments.”
Accreditation
A comprehensive evaluation that began with a campus visit in March 2017 culminated in a decision by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education that Trinity be continued in acceditation.
In preparation for the visit of the Evaluation Team, members of the Trinity community conducted a two-year process of self-study that culminated in a final report. You may view the Evaluation Team’s report and Trinity’s response.
Trinity’s next comprehensive evaluation is scheduled for the spring of 2027.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin in Hartford Magazine’s “Strengthening Ties: Trinity College And The City: New Action Lab Downtown” (March 2018)I think that the current leadership at Trinity seems very committed to building a stronger partnership between the college and the city, and we look forward to continuing to work with President Berger-Sweeney to accomplish that.

Grant Support for Abigail Fisher Williamson’s Research on Health Equity
Williamson, associate professor of political science and public policy and law, is a co-investigator on the AmeRicans’ Conceptions of Health Equity Study (ARCHES), which was awarded a $699,960 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

NIH Grant for Virus Research
Anthropology Professor James A. Trostle is a co-principal investigator on a research study that recently received a four-year grant award of $2,666,768 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant supports research examining the development and spread of two infectious diseases—Zika and dengue, both transmitted by the same mosquito species.
Men's squash beat Harvard 6–3 to capture the Potter Cup and claim the team's 17th national championship.
Jemele Hill, sports journalist, from remarks delivered at Trinity kicking off Women’s History MonthMake your shoulders strong—I guarantee you’re going to pave the way for somebody else to stand on them.
Student Honors
Giving Day
In 2018, Trinity had one of its most successful Giving Days ever, raising more than $2.3 million from 2,290 donors and unlocking the Chair’s Circle Challenge that contributed an additional $500,000 to the college.
More from Giving Day
In conjunction with Giving Day, the Board of Trustees, including Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer ’80, P’20, hosted a senior send-off party at the Koeppel Community Sports Center, complete with Shack fare, ice skating, music, and games.
Commencement 2018
Remember that wherever you go from here, Trinity will always be here for you; it will be your home.
Trinity President Joanne Berger-Sweeney to the 580 graduating students at Trinity’s 192nd Commencement.
A special ceremony was held on May 21 for the nine graduating members of the Trinity women’s lacrosse team who missed Commencement while playing in the NCAA Division III tournament. The team made it as far as the national quarterfinals before falling to Salisbury University. It was the seventh consecutive year the team had made it to the Elite Eight.
Reunion 2018
More than 1,000 alumni and family members returned to campus to celebrate Reunion in June.
During Reunion Weekend, alumni enjoyed more than 80 events and activities, including Friday night’s traditional New England-style clambake, campus tours, story time with the Bantam, tours of the Trinity Chapel and carillon, and an alumni football challenge on the newly renovated Jessee/Miller Field, and more.
More than 300 alumni and friends gathered on the Main Quad for the Parade of Classes that led into Convocation, where several alumni were honored with prizes and where former University of Hartford president Walter Harrison ’68 received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree.
See a collection of Reunion photos.