Lesli Marchese, Campus Carrier News Editor
There was a mixture of sadness and joy across Berry’s campus on Jan. 22, when Westminster College in Pennsylvania announced an end to their national search for a new president – a search that concluded at Berry College.
Provost Kathy Richardson, named president-elect of Westminster, will be the college’s 15th president and first female in the role. She will commence duties as the president of Westminster on July 1, following the retirement of Richard H. Dorman, the current president, who has served since 2008.
“To be selected to serve as the president of a great institution is a very high honor and a very high responsibility, which I do not take lightly,” Richardson said. “It’s exciting to be their first female president. It’s a very awesome thing to open that door for women.”
Kathy Richardson has served as Berry College’s provost since February 2013, and before that she served nine years as associate provost, a year as the interim provost and more than 15 years as a professor in the communication department.
“She has been an accomplished teacher, won a number of teaching awards, written books, and is a great scholar,” college President Stephen R. Briggs said. “She has been involved with almost every aspect of campus.”
Randy Richardson, senior lecturer of communication, will also be making the move to Westminster with his wife.
“She has worked so hard and been so good at what she does, and what she has done over that time, her being given this opportunity – I couldn’t be more happy,” he said.
He has served Berry as a lecturer of communication for 26 years, and in more recent years, he has been the director of the forensics team.
“In terms of his legacy, the number of students he has coached individually and mentored through the forensics program is pretty impressive,” Briggs said. “You constantly hear about students who graduated 10 years ago and 15 years ago who speak about his influence on them.”
Students, faculty, staff and alumni are still feeling the impact of the news.
Senior Rebeka Garcia, a visual communication major and Bonner Scholar, spoke about the impression that Kathy Richardson has made on her. The first class Garcia had with her, gender and media, influenced her to change her minor to women’s studies. The communications senior seminar class also had a big impact.
“If I hadn’t had that class with her, I don’t think I would be prepared to try and go out into the real world at all,” Garcia said.
Dean of students Debbie Heida knows that Kathy Richardson will be missed.
“I vacillate between being so excited for her and for Westminster College and it hurts my heart for Berry College,” Heida said. “She’s one of the best colleagues and friends I’ve ever known and she’s had an enormous role here for faculty and students.”
As provost, Kathy Richardson serves as the chief academic officer and currently oversees management of Berry’s four academic schools, along with Berry’s Elementary and Middle School, the nursing program and the child development center. She manages about 250 faculty and staff members who work for various parts of the college. She also oversees the Bonner Scholars program.
She said that Berry’s mission of furthering “students’ intellectual, moral and spiritual growth” along with challenging them to “devote their learning to community and civic betterment” is what has kept her focused for the past 30 years.
“When I came to Berry 30 years ago, I felt like our greatest strength was our commitment to our mission, and we’ve gone through tremendous growth,” Kathy Richardson said. “My hope for Berry for the future is that we stay true to that mission while responding to changes in the environment around us.”
She said Berry’s dedication to students is what distinguishes it from other institutions.
“Reinterpreting what head, heart and hands means for every new generation of students is critical,” Kathy Richardson said. “Providing opportunities and experiences that speak to them and prepare them for what they will find true after college – it’s always our responsibility.”
Kathy Richardson is positive that Berry will continue to grow after she has left, and her husband, Randy Richardson, is similarly optimistic about the communication department and forensics team.
“This department is larger than any individual, and we’ve got such good leadership and such good new faculty here that I think the department will do nothing but thrive,” Randy Richardson said. “When you get so close to people in the department, that’s one of the things that makes leaving so difficult, but what makes it easy is knowing how good these people are.”
Kathy Richardson is honored for the opportunity to serve as Westminster’s president, but will miss Berry and the relationships she has made here.
“I’m so grateful for the faculty I’ve gotten to work with, the staff that’s so supportive, and our great students and alumni, and our board who has the college’s best interest at heart,” Kathy Richardson said. “I’m tremendously grateful for that but also excited about what comes next.”