COTTEY COLLEGE
GETTING TO KNOW
Greetings from Cottey! I am so grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve as Cottey’s 13th president. It has been a whirlwind of activity since I began my tenure this summer. I have been tremendously energized by the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead for Cottey, and will be pleased to share the experiences and achievements of our students, faculty and staff in the months and years ahead. My first few months at Cottey have been filled with many activities, including Seminar and students’ arrival for the fall semester. Seminar provided a wonderful opportunity to meet with P.E.O. leaders dedicated to Cottey’s success, and to provide updates and information on the educational experience we offer students. It was also a terrific time to show off our beautiful campus! This year’s Seminar participants had the special opportunity to tour the new Jann Rudd Weitzel Educational Laboratory, which our students are already putting to good use. In the coming months, I am eager to meet with more P.E.O. sisters who have committed time, energy and resources to Cottey. I look forward to sharing the incredible things happening at Cottey to further encourage your referrals of prospective students to the college. Student referrals are one of the most impactful ways
that you can assist us in perpetuating our founder’s legacy—ensuring the continuity of the institution for many years to come through your referrals and recommendations. Last year, 41 percent of our applicants had a P.E.O. connection—a member of the Sisterhood whose advocacy of the Cottey experience encouraged them to consider calling Cottey their college home. Having previously worked at a women’s college, I witnessed that students with an alumnae connection were twice as likely to enroll as compared to those without that tie. Similarly, students at Cottey are much more likely to enroll when they hear of the many benefits and opportunities available to them from those who know Cottey best. To that end, I encourage you to continue to get to know Cottey! Come and visit us—take advantage of formal and informal opportunities to see Cottey for yourself, interact with
our talented faculty members and students and learn more about our programs. This will give you the insights you need to help us identify students for whom Cottey will be the best fit. I’ve been working hard these last few months to get to know Cottey myself, and what a joy it has been! I’ve had the opportunity to host a number of small groups of students, faculty and staff so that I could discern what makes the Cottey experience impactful to them. Cottey truly has the power to be transformative. I look forward to partnering with you to spread the good word about Cottey and the many benefits of this distinctive educational experience. In “We Who Are Sisters,” Ivy Fitzgerald ’06 was quoted as saying, “Cottey believes that everyone who comes there can do something amazing, but Cottey lets you define what amazing is.” Join us in helping young women experience “amazing” for themselves!
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
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