Mary Beth Cooper new president spring for college welcome
thanks for being here what initially attracted you to
Springfield College to this area well I heard about the job opening a little
before March
and I learned about spring for college through my connection to that YMCA
I was the Board Chair the Greater Rochester YMCA for
last two years and volunteer their for over 15
so I learned that spring for card had a unique relationship
with the YMCA and learn that there is an opening for presidency so that's what
was my initial connection
that will talk to a little bit more about that in a minute ago but
is is there a particular interest or attraction to you
to to break the barrier you're the first woman to head
this institution and especially when it's knitted
institutions can a world renowned for its athletic prowess E
its sports up are really a mecca that slick education
management training is it is it almost a two for their breaking two barriers at
once do you think
I think so I mean it it it certainly is on people's minds
there's very little I can do about my gender a kinda bring want to bring
and this is our fiftieth year celebrating he know athlete so it's
timely
but I do think more more even find that women are better leading institutions of
higher education and
certainly we have more women senate we have more women winning
are Olympic athletes and I last Olympic athletes are we had our women brought
him more medals than our man
so I think the times here on it is known for its physical education and athletics
exercise science but I do think the institution
is poised right now to be
a spotlight for health care and in what we do about
our generation how people that are over 50 deal with around care
arm so this is a it has great potential let me take I think a little bit more
in-depth on those very interesting comments
is there a particular challenge to take a place like Springfield College
known as as the International YMCA training school
initially again that sense nullification other a sports nominated institution
which
not not an accurate picture but I think for better or worse the picture a lot of
people have
when you say Springfield College and you know with all due respect to that
amazing heritage then getting the word out about the many fine academic
programs that you have
well you make a good point and it really is about marketing and I think that we
have not done ourselves a favor
by leading are history our legacy really drive who we are
the reality that is we have a lot of programs that
on speak to different areas education and certainly exercise science is one of
them said it is a
physical education expanded or biology more math or science
we have a long history in the arts some areas that we have not done
a terrific job for a spotlight on and I think we're ready to do that
the lease the team's rate to do that and so the
I think the community will see a great deal marketing and
comp ringers less for regional treasure more than national treasure so that is
my
kinda goal to our team to get our name out there
because we know that the demographics in this area are
quite a challenge to many schools here so we need to go out to
other regions and talk about his printer colleges and who would obey
which i think is even the more interesting story I talk about that as
well in a minute to but
at the same time you want to balance it all you don't want to in any way
diminish
that amazing heritage Springfield College has the birthplace a basketball
any
what a great race have attached to any institution
how do you balance it all here's who we are here's we want to be
yes we've got this tremendous foundation in history but try and get people to see
that bigger total picture well I think part of it is you wanna make sure you
stay with your core mission
you know we are all about educating the mind spirit and body
in service to others and if we didn't have that tagline we probably would pay
marketing firm a lot I might get
right and so we have a partnership with one of the greatest not-for-profit in
the country
if we didn't have that partnership we would be out looking for
so I think we had two great strengths to build on and so the question really
becomes how do you make it relevant
how do you make a ready for 2014 2015 and I think service is a commodity
that that the current administration has difficulty trying to identify what is it
worth
we want to make sure the people understand that we are we we've citizens
we r
we're educating people for commitment to a committee for life
not just during a college years and I think you'll find that are
our graduates go out in join communities and our great citizens where they left
and so we need to tell that story a little bit so the people now
the higher education degree isn't just about getting a job
it's about getting a life I know you've already you've been here but
to two and a half months yes and boy what a process it's going to be
to come in New to a community in New to institution that
your immediately expected to lead and inspire new students arriving just as
you are
but I know you participated in a college day of I'm not saying right but a Dave
community service
manic say I think it's called yet official you met with the mayor
you wanna foster you send an increase Springfield College is involvement
in the Greater Springfield community ideal on and I had an opportunity to
share with
are currently at the college some of my goals for this year
and next you know as I look at what we're doing and the City of Springfield
is high on my list I think for a number of reasons one we share their name
in terms have spring for collagen sitting right next to the city
but I think we have a responsibility to the city in terms that
not just the service our students and our faculty and staff provide but
the stronger Springfield community is the strike strong respect for college
will be
and and so we can turn our back to the city of Springfield
and so we are I'm very concerned about literacy rates graduation rates when we
gonna do about that
what is a neighborhood look like safety is a priority for us
answer priority for the families that live in Springfield so we share the same
goals
part of it is it is meeting with the mayor City Council trying to identify
what we both can do collaborative lay
that will make a difference for an impact let's talk a ban unem touch on
this really in just about every answer but
what it means to be today and tomorrow
a successful modern institution of higher learning
what is a place like Springfield College have to do need to offer in your
estimation
to give students those those multiple skills it
the really are going to be required in the global economy that they're gonna
graduate into an
in months or a couple years from now wine
in the way you put that question that's of a lot to provide anybody
global say a global economy right
I have a junior college she's a junior the original
okay they're young so I'm as parents were concerned about them getting a
career and
and not this time moving home although he could move how we'd just be another
college
on but I want him to have a skill set and said they want the same things for
the students in spring for college
to be able to articulate in an interview what their vision is in the reality that
is
many of them don't know exactly what they want to do right
and so today with students are looking for I think
is a little bit across discipline so it said Physical Education Group coupled
with business
it is arts coupled with physical education
they're looking for more dimensions then you and I might have been in college
and so party that is really opening their curriculum
and expanding academic portfolio so that students can dabble a little bit not
being so
rigid in terms of what a major is giving them a chance again to get a skill set
that will make them competitive out in the open market
who profiled in business Western ft got here and I know and then article it
there's a great phrase just stuck with me
he spoke to the faculty which and that such important thing for a president
to get in line with the the faculty a new institution that they're coming to
he said the future Springfield College really lies
in your hands were what an interesting thing the same degree charge to give
them
what it was and I think it was my second day now you mention I came in
probably Dame for newsday instance I hit the ground running and
came in from the faculty in did not help have a lotta comments prepared except
I know that the reality of a place like Springfield College ur
any these other fine institutions in the area it is what we offer
that will be the deciding factor on what a student chooses to do in terms of
choosing a career
in a pirate ten to twelve different schools and so they're looking at
what is this cool offer versus another and we can only
we are only what we offer in terms the faculty deciding again
Rev reveling careers and courses that make sense
they've got a brush-off their syllabi in a concurrent and so when you talk about
a global economy that have to understand what's happening
outside a not only Massachusetts but outside the country
and so I think our faculty oMG are up to it
he leaned in I saw a lot and nodding I
and I think they were surprised with the with my candor that I was so direct
and I'm gonna give them the resources that they want and need
within reason com but that's where we should be investing today
I think in our faculty it's been for collagen elsewhere
cuz that's what's going to be different I'm a bit Cooper presents major college
thanks much for spending some time with us
my pleasure thank you for having me