Four admissions staffers quit

Three members resigned to attend grad school

The Department of Admissions experienced an unexpected staff shake-up over the summer when four members of the admissions staff resigned.

Former associate director of admissions Jonathon Williams and assistant directors of admissions Vincena Allen and Grace Hong left to attend graduate school. Former Associate Director of Admissions Martha Allen accepted a new job at Bryn Mawr as associate director and director of recruitment.

Though Director of Admissions Debra Chermonte said the resignations came as a surprise, she also said that staff turnovers in admissions are common. But, Chermonte said, "It's not common to have four [resignations at once]."

"We always expect turnovers in admissions," President Nancy Dye said.

The decisions to resign were all made independently of each other and came as a surprise to those involved, according to Chermonte. "I think what had occurred was that everybody involved assumed they were the only one thinking about grad school," Chermonte said.

What has been lost with the resignations was part of a very experienced group of colleagues. "It was a very strong group with very strong personal alliances with one another," Chermonte said.

But Chermonte said she is also excited about the new people and the opportunities for restructuring staff changes bring. She said that losing this many staff members has helped her think about how to redistribute duties amongst the admissions staff. One upcoming change is that more energy will be devoted to recruitment.

Chermonte said, of the new employees, "I'm really really pleased with the results."

Williams has been replaced by Tammy Dowley-Blackman, OC `90. Blackman has just completed her masters at Harvard and brings experience in admissions and financial aid with her from past employment in private and secondary schools. Chermonte said that Dowley-Blackmun will be the "prime visionary" in charge of multicultural recruitment.

Malachi Rogers, who hails from the admissions department of the College of William and Mary will replace Allen. Rogers will assist Dowley-Blackman with multicultural recruitment efforts and serve as an assistant director. Allen's duties have been reassigned to experienced admissions staffers. Roger's job duties are new and part of the increased focus on recruitment.

Pam Stawasz comes from Trinity College and will cover for Hong as the administrator in charge of campus visits.

A fourth replacement for Vincena Allen will be hired soon in an assistant director position focused on alumni recruitment.

In addition to the new admissions crew, Harry Dawe, formerly the Director of Residential Services, has moved to admissions and will occupy a new, part-time, one year position: international recruitment specialist. Dawe will focus on recruiting international students and will travel to Asia in November.