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Haverford is fortunate to have an endowed program to assist the faculty in bringing distinguished visitors to the campus. Established by a generous bequest from William Pyle Phillips (Class of 1902) and augmented by gifts from other alumni and Friends of the College, this program supports 60-70 visits to the campus each year by distinguished statesmen and scholars in the arts, sciences and humanities. Each guest is invited by a member of the faculty, who then acts as the host during that individual's time on campus. The program is overseen by the Distinguished Visitors Committee, comprised of three faculty, each representing one of the three major academic divisions of the College, and two student members.
A major goal of the Distinguished Visitors Program is to provide close contact in a variety of settings between faculty, students and visitors. A typical visit lasts several days and includes both public presentations as well as in-class visits. Occasionally a visitor's time on campus is extended to include a weekend workshop, master classes, or a short lecture series. Several guests may be invited to develop a common theme, perhaps together in a symposium or separately as part of a sequence. An important aspect of each visit is the informal time that students spend with distinguished guests over meals or in an evening gathering at a faculty home. These events present opportunities for students to "rub shoulders" with Nobel Laureates, Members of Cabinet, foreign dignitaries, award-winning writers and others, to hear and be heard as part of a small gathering. The close, informal contacts with Distinguished Visitors offered to our students by this program are special and unique.
As we move into the 21st Century, Haverford's Distinguished Visitors Program seeks to build upon this rich tradition of informal student-visitor contact by encouraging longer visits that include more student-related activities, build upon class-related themes and explore the boundaries between the disciplines. The support of short-term "scholars in residence" is being investigated to enhance workshop opportunities, as is the funding of thematic symposia, particularly along those subject lines that bring together departments and divisions. It is with a sense of promise and excitement that we look forward to seeing the program continue to evolve, standing upon the firm foundations of the past as we look into the future.
(the above two links open new windows showing events listings maintained by the College's Office of Public Relations)
Proposal form for Haverford Faculty wishing to host a Distinguished Visitor
Evaluation form to be submitted by a Faculty Host following a Distinguished Visit
Questions regarding the Distinguished Visitors Program may be directed to Judy Young (jyoung@haverford.edu) in the Distinguished Visitors Office.
This page was authored by Karl Johnson and was last updated on 7/7/00.