My second stop in Hartford was at Trinity College, a school I knew well by reputation but had never visited in person. One of my nieces attended Trinity years ago and loved the school, and I was also aware that Trinity is perennially found on the list of America’s most beautiful campuses, so I was eager to see the place for myself.
First impression: that honor is well deserved!
Trinity was founded as a men’s college in 1823 as Washington College but changed its name two decades later because its trustees felt there were too many schools already using George’s name. Today, of course, multiple institutions bear the same Trinity moniker, but Hartford’s Trinity College has clearly distinguished itself.
Although a men’s college for a century and a half, women were first admitted to Trinity in 1969 and today comprise more than half the college’s 2,100 students. Return on investment is a phrase increasingly heard today regarding the question: Is college worth it? Clearly, that’s not an issue for Trinity grads: 96% are employed, accepted into graduate school, serving in the military, or participating in non-profit service within six months of graduation. According to a recent study by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, Trinity ranks in the Top 10 of all liberal arts colleges in long- term financial return on investment.
I met with Trinity’s president, Dr. Joanne Berger-Sweeney, who will be leaving office this summer after an 11-year run. We had a delightful conversation over lunch at the president’s home about life as a college president… and life after. Joanne’s appointment at Trinity marked many firsts: she was the first woman, first African American, and first neuroscientist to become president of the college.
Recently, Dr. Berger-Sweeney was interviewed for Trinity’s Fall 2024 alumni magazine, reflecting on her decade as president. She began that conversation by discussing Trinity’s place and role in the city of Hartford, citing the Trinity Plus curriculum focused on experiential learning and engagement with the community; the establishment of the college’s Innovation Hub and Action Lab off-campus that has helped revitalize the city center; and the Bicentennial Hartford Scholarship enabling Hartford public school students to attend Trinity.
I found it unusual that a highly selective liberal arts college would attach itself so prominently to a city that has struggled in recent years, but President Berger-Sweeney proudly repeated a phrase that has a long history at Trinity: Hartford goes as Trinity goes, and Trinity goes as Hartford goes. How inspiring to see a college be so transparent about the reality of interconnectedness and responsibility in its sense of place!
Best of luck in the future, Dr. Berger-Sweeney!