Special Commemorative Inauguration Issue_The SpringHillian_Spring23

Spring Hill Welcomes New Historic President

Fae Fox Editor

President Dr. Van Brunt made history on March 17, 2023 after being inaugurated as the first woman president of Spring Hill College.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center. President Van Brunt’s Renovaréthemed ceremony began with the academic procession which included flag bearers, selected delegates from other colleges and universities, faculty, staff, administration of Spring Hill College and the Board of Trustees. The national anthem was sung by Quentin Brackenridge, who received a standing ovation.

“The theme that Mary chose for her inauguration— Renovaré—is so perfect. It means renewal, and that is what she is bringing to our campus. Our next 200 years will be stronger because of her leadership,” said Spring Hill’s provost, Rebecca Cantor, Ph.D.

Special guests who spoke during the inauguration included the Honorable Bradley Byrne, CEO and president of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Fred Pestello, president of St. Louis University, which is part of the 28 Jesuit institutions of higher learning, Jack McKinney ‘68, chair of the Board of Trustees and Dr. Jeff Gingerich, president of St. Bonaventure University and a former colleague of Dr. Van Brunt at Cabrini University.

“I cannot think of a better mission fit between a president and college than you have with Mary and Spring Hill College. The mission of Spring Hill to awaken mind and spirit to the pursuit of truth and your commitment to the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis is in great hands with President Van Brunt,” said Dr. Jeff Gingerich.

Several representatives of Spring Hill and delegates delivered a greeting speech to President Van Brunt and gave her a book they chose to commemorate the beginning of her presidency. Tyloria Crenshaw ‘85, Director of Marketing and Communications for Spring Hill,

gave President Van Brunt The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews.

“Through this unique blend of fiction, allegory and inspiration, the message of the book is simple. Life is about choices. While we have little control over the events that occur in our lives, success is determined by the choices we make daily,” said Crenshaw. Crenshaw expressed she posseses a grateful spirit and is glad that Dr. Van Brunt chose Spring Hill.

Student Government

Association President Luly Tuñón ‘23 and Student Government

Association Vice President Ashley Burroughs ‘23 gave President Van Brunt Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis. “The student body has consistently expressed a priority for all campus environments. By partaking in this Laudato Si’ mission not only connects Spring Hill to other Jesuit institutions, but contributes to the greater vocation that Pope Francis, which is a unified family, respects the earth by honoring God,” said Burroughs.

“We hope in receiving this gift it inspires you to serve our community not only as a member of our Spring Hill family but as a Jesuit mission oriented leader,” said Tuñón.

President Van Brunt’s inaugural speech expressed gratitude for the books she received, the people who supported her throughout her journey and her family.

President Van Brunt emphasized the importance of increasing enrollment, establishing financial growth and creating partnerships within the Jesuit communities.

“We are committed to working together to strengthen the pipeline to make Catholic education accessible to more students. We see this as a time of renewal, a time for success that aligns with our Jesuit values of faith, justice, learning and service. The world needs Spring Hill College and the world needs Spring Hill College graduates,” said Dr. Van Brunt.

There were events hosted throughout the week leading up to the inauguration. On March 13, students celebrated Dr. Van Brunt by hosting lunch with some of her favorite foods in the Barter Student Center. The following night, a volleyball tournament was hosted on the sand volleyball courts.

“I think that, as a freshman, having this volleyball event has really brought the community together. And I have gotten to know Dr. Van Brunt and have been able to see her around campus,” said freshman Tabitha Martin.

A kickball game and tailgate was hosted on Murray Field on March 14. The game was played between faculty and students. In the end, the faculty took the victory.

On March 15, a service project was hosted to help clean

up the trails around campus. Additionally, an inauguration golf tournament was held after the commissioning mass on Spring Hill”s golf course.

The commissioning mass was held in the St. Joseph Chapel on March 16. The mass was led by Provincial Fr. Thomas Greene, S.J. “I have every confidence that under Dr. Van Brunt’s leadership the college will maintain and strengthen its commitment to academic excellence and its Catholic and Jesuit identity,” he said.

“The mass is really important because, as president, it is my job to make sure we are following the mission, and making sure it is part of our decision making in everything we do,” Dr. Van Brunt said.

According to the Spring Hill College Marketing Department, President Van Brunt’s primary strengths are strategic planning, new program development and assessment, fundraising and team building.

According to President Dr. Van Brunt, she plans on giving it 200 percent and feels very grateful that she was selected. She is excited to lead Spring Hill and wants to be in service to the college in any way she can.

“I do think it shows that we are ready for change and poised for this renewal and the idea that we can’t keep doing everything the same way,” said President Van Brunt. “I’m proud of being the first. It’s always great to be a first and set the stage.”

President Van Brunt having a laugh during the presidential dinner on March 17, 2023

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt gives her inauguration speech

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

Dr. Mary Van Brunt’s Journey to Spring Hill

Victoria Ellis Editor

Mary Van Brunt, Ph.D., endured unexpected turns on her journey to become Spring Hill College’s 39th president.

Dr. Van Brunt began her college career as an undergraduate at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, with the aspiration of becoming a high school math teacher but changed her major to economics. After graduation, she began her banking career as one of the youngest woman branch managers in Pennsylvania. Her branch was one of the topperforming in the company.

“It made me realize that people are most important in meeting professional goals,” Van Brunt said.

Following these victories, she earned her MBA in accounting from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She spent the next eight years holding senior officer positions at Meridian Securities, Inc. and Meridian Bank. After her years as a banking officer, she was the staff accountant for Rhone-Poulenc Rorer in the pharmaceutical industry, but said she didn’t feel passionate about her work anymore.

Dr. Van Brunt’s original passion for teaching resurfaced.

“I taught a class in advanced accounting as an adjunct and just fell in love with teaching,” she said. “I made the decision to get my Ph.D. [at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania], which

took five years while I was still working at the bank and raising my young family.”

She became an award-winning economics professor at Cabrini University, a private Catholic school in Radnor, Pennsylvania. She received education awards including the NCES/AEFA New Scholar Dissertation Award, Warren York Fellowship, and the Charles R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for excellence in teaching. “Winning those awards confirmed for me that the career change that I had made in my mid-30’s was the right choice to pursue my passion for teaching,” she said.

Dr. Van Brunt also became the founding dean of the School of Business, Arts, and Media at Cabrini as the institution transitioned from a college to a university. “I had a great

SPECIAL EDITION MEDIA TEAM:

The SpringHillian Editors: Fae Fox & Victoria Ellis

Art Directors: Nate Polk & Peri Carr

team of department chairs and faculty and we developed more new programs, partnerships and enrollment than any other school during my two years in that role,” she said. “This role taught me the importance of building partnerships and relationships to further the goals of the school, and how important it is to empower your faculty and staff.”

While at Cabrini, Dr. Van Brunt connected with Catholicism. She was part of a leadership team that led three faculty mission academies over seven years focusing on the Catholic intellectual tradition, social teaching, and the social justice mission. On one of their trips, Van Brunt rebuilt lost homes in New Orleans’ decimated Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina. “These

academies and retreats brought me closer to faculty and also to a deepening of my own faith,” she said. “They were some of the most transformational experiences for me, personally and professionally.”

Most recently, Van Brunt served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Gwynedd Mercy University, another Catholic university in Pennsylvania, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much like Spring Hill, Gwynedd Mercy’s largest programs focus on preparing students for careers in nursing and healthcare. There, Dr. Van Brunt gained experience with program accreditations and graduate program development in the healthcare division.

On January 2, 2023, Dr. Van Brunt began serving as president of Spring Hill College.

Advertising Manager: Samantha Gonzalez Advisors: Stuart Babington & Gary Wolverton

President Van Brunt attending the presidential dinner

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

The Blow House Brass Band plays during the post inauguration celebration

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt and students attending the kickball game on Murray Field

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt laughs during inauguration celebration

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

Students and President Van Brunt share a meal during the cookout

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt gets pied in the face

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

INAUGURATION

Provincial Fr. Thomas Greene, S.J. poses with President Van Brunt

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

The Jesuits of Spring Hill College during the Commissioning Mass

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

Jack McKinney, chair of the Board of Trustees presenting President Van Brunt with the Presidential Medallion

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt with her family during the presidential dinner in Byrne Hall

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt, colleagues and students applaud as Quentin Brackenridge sings the national anthem

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

Impact of Women Leaders in Higher Education

Victoria Ellis Editor

Women leaders in higher education often create positive changes in their institutions and student bodies, evident in the campus’ support of Dr. Mary Van Brunt’s presidency.

While women presidents in higher education have increased since 1986, women held only 30% of presidency positions as of 2016, according to the American Council on Education. By 2022, career resource site Zippia reported that number increased to 47.6%, nearly evening out the gender disparity.

In 2022, institutions with women leaders saw more subsequent female representation in leadership roles at the institutions and an increase in equitable pay for women working there, according to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Higher Education Today reported that college presidency has become a more difficult position over the years due to pressure to create a stronger institution while pushing through barriers such as lack of time, money and a constantly changing culture. The diversification of student bodies also calls for more representation in leadership. After overcoming gender equality barriers in higher education, this gives a new wave of female presidents a daunting task.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Van Brunt expressed only optimism about her role as Spring Hill College’s 39th president. “I love being on the forefront of change. I really do. I think that’s something exciting to me and a lot of responsibility as well. I want to show how this was a great decision and how we are going to do great things at Spring Hill College,” she said.

EDITORIAL POLICY:

Dr. Van Brunt said she was most excited to work with her team to move the school forward for the students, faculty and staff.

Students have expressed admiration for Dr. Van Brunt and what this new representation means. Sophomore Hammy Hamilton said, “What excites me about the new president is her emphasis on change and renovation. I feel like this is truly what Spring Hill needs, a renewal. A refreshment of the campus and that is what Dr. Van Brunt is pushing. I’m super excited to see the change she is bringing. It is important to have a woman president due to representation. We need more representation and women bring excellent ideas to the table.”

Gavin Johnson, sophomore class president of SGA, added, “She really is focused on college and student issues. I am very excited to see her around campus. The importance of having a woman president, I believe, is to foster change

throughout Spring Hill College. Our first woman president is historic and I hope we have more historic presidents throughout Spring Hill’s history. I’m so excited for Dr. Van Brunt.”

Dr. Van Brunt’s colleagues have expressed similar optimism for Spring Hill’s future with her leadership. Provost Rebecca Cantor, Ph.D., said, “She’s not afraid of making tough decisions, which I really appreciate. And she’s a very supportive leader. But above all, she is student focused. Students are why we’re here, and she gets that.”

Dr. Van Brunt stresses her focus on impacting Spring Hill’s students. “It’s all about Spring Hill College. The reason we are here is for the students. I think it is really important. This is the future of the college. We are talking about how we can be innovative and improve and build on everything we do. That’s great. The students are the biggest part of that. They need to be part of it.”

The SpringHillian is published four times this semester from January to May. The views expressed herein do not represent the views of Spring Hill College and are not the views of the faculty, administration, staff or students. They are the views of the individual columnists.

SUBMISSIONS:

The SpringHillian publishes guest submissions at the discretion of the student-editor and section editors. Submissions should be less than 300 words, and editors reserve the right to edit the submissions for length and content. Original writings should be mailed or delivered to: Studenteditor, The SpringHillian, Communication Arts, Spring Hill College, 4000 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36608. Submissions may also be sent as emailed attachments to: shcmedia@email.shc.edu.

President Van Brunt greets guests at the commissioning mass

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt addresses the crowd presidential dinner

Photo Courtesy of Corey Jenkins

President Van Brunt Discusses Future Goals

Fae Fox Editor

Dr. Mary Van Brunt expressed the initiatives she plans to put into action and what challenges she may face while serving as president of Spring Hill College.

President Van Brunt is working with the campus faculty and staff to determine how change can be made so Spring Hill is in a position to thrive and grow. In her first 60 days, she has been working to build relationships with Catholic leaders and other presidents of higher education institutions in the state of Alabama.

“One of my goals for the first 100 days is just to get out there and start building relationships and building partnerships,” said President Van Brunt. She has already spent time meeting with student groups and listening to their concerns. Additionally, she has been working with her cabinet to figure out what areas need focus.

One of the biggest ways to achieve greater success for the college, according to President Van Brunt, is to make sure Spring Hill is working towards enhancing the college’s environment. President Van Brunt

explained during her inaugural speech, “Building a strong living and learning community and relevant academic programs with innovative cutting edge technology for our classrooms and a committed faculty remains our steadfast goal.”

Dr. Van Brunt also expressed that another goal as the new president is to increase enrollment numbers and financial responsibility. “My goal is to reach more students and make sure students know that Spring Hill is affordable and worth the investment,” she said. According to President Van Brunt, increased enrollment not only brings in more revenue, but allows the college to provide a higher level of educational service to incoming students.

President Van Brunt said that the education model has significantly changed since COVID-19. There was a learning curve that Spring Hill College had to overcome navigating the pandemic and online teaching, but she assured that the college is providing what it promised to current students.

Students have expressed their excitement to see what President Van Brunt has in store for Spring Hill College.

Sophomore Taylor Bledsoe said, “You can really tell how personable she is and you can tell she cares about the

community and the students here on campus. I think it is so important to have a woman president because women need more representation in society. We need to amplify women’s voices and, it being Women’s History Month in March, I think it is great that we got to celebrate the inauguration of our

new first woman president at Spring Hill.”

President Van Brunt has expressed that even though she has always been in a maledominated field, she believes she is the best person for this job regardless of gender. She hopes to be a role model to show how women can be successful leaders.

“I feel the weight of this responsibility for everything for the students, the faculty and the staff. I think there are a lot of challenges, but I would say opportunities are endless to overcome those challenges,” said Dr. Van Brunt.

President Van Brunt discusses her agenda for Spring Hill College

Photo Courtesy of Spring Hill Marketing

President Van Brunt fellowships with SHC students during common hour

Photo Courtesy of Spring Hill Marketing

Message from Dr. Van Brunt

Iam delighted and excited to have been chosen to lead Spring Hill College. Spring Hill’s mission coupled with its award-winning liberal arts education resonates with me and aligns with my Catholic faith and personal values, and I am looking forward to helping Spring Hill reach new heights.

There is great privilege associated with this responsibility, and I treasure the opportunity to deeply connect with the Spring Hill community and carry out our centuries-old Jesuit tradition of caring for the intellectual, spiritual, and social growth of our future servant leaders.

Together, we can make Spring Hill College the leader in Jesuit Catholic education in the Southeast and capitalize on the strengths of our academic programs as we grow enrollment, expand programs and prepare the leaders of tomorrow. We will be part of the solution to workforce shortages in the labor force and build strong local and regional partnerships. We will provide the best living and learning experience for our students. We will be a destination for those who seek more.