To champion institutional excellence that empowers each Bryn Mawr girl—now and generations from now—to cultivate her uniqueness, explore her curiosity, express her creativity, act with integrity, own her voice, think inclusively, lead ethically, and grow to impact lives and communities beyond her own.
Welcome to the future of our school
Our new strategic plan builds on the values and practices that have made Bryn Mawr a transformative school for more than 135 years.
The plan calls on us to work (and play!) together, taking full advantage of the energy and ingenuity within our multigenerational community. It also calls on us to go beyond our campus, engage with our city and our world, form new partnerships and reach new audiences. At the center of the plan—at the center of everything we do—are the health and the growth of our students.
We’re proud to share this vision of tomorrow’s Bryn Mawr: balanced, buoyant, relevant, and rooted in a proud history.
A conversation with Sue Sadler, Head of School
Why does Bryn Mawr need a new strategic plan?
First, strong institutions plan for the future. Conducting a strategic planning process is a key marker of institutional health. Second, education doesn’t stand still. It’s always evolving, adapting and responding. A strategic plan allows us to think ahead, prepare for what’s next, and—this is very important—dream big. The last reason is that Bryn Mawr is flourishing. And that’s exactly when you want to make a plan: when you’ve got the essentials in place, and you’re operating at a high level. That’s when you know you’ve got what you need to get to the next level.
What’s the big picture here? What’s the one thing you want everyone to take away from the plan?
The plan is built on that idea. It considers the foundational elements of our school—curricula, professional development, facilities, and more—but it sets them in a wider context. It asks: How does well-being empower excellence? How can students get a Bryn Mawr education wherever they are—in the classroom, of course, but also far beyond the classroom? It challenges us to bring the world to Bryn Mawr and to take Bryn Mawr to the world.
What will Bryn Mawr look like when the plan is
brought to life? What will we see in five years?
First, strong institutions plan for the future. Conducting a strategic planning process is a key marker of institutional health. Second, education doesn’t stand still. It’s always evolving, adapting and responding. A strategic plan allows us to think ahead, prepare for what’s next, and—this is very important—dream big. The last reason is that Bryn Mawr is flourishing. And that’s exactly when you want to make a plan: when you’ve got the essentials in place, and you’re operating at a high level. That’s when you know you’ve got what you need to get to the next level.
We’ll see a more diverse faculty that finds joy and inspiration in working together. We’ll see students who feel free to be their full selves and who feel a genuine sense of belonging here.
We’ll see arts, academic and athletic facilities that match the ambition and capture the spirit of our students and faculty—spaces that are not only state of the art but also bright and uplifting.
Our faculty and staff are the heart of our academic experience. Accomplished and dedicated, they drive students to explore, experiment, debate and engage. We’ll expand our investment in the well-being of faculty and staff, drawing on the wisdom of their varied experience and strengthening a culture of continuous growth. We’ll give them more opportunities to collaborate, explore new ideas and practices, and develop innovative curricula and programs. Our leadership in girls’ education depends on our leadership in securing and supporting an outstanding faculty and staff.
— Georgia Summers ’01, Upper School English Department Chair
We stand for holistic excellence. With programs in creative and performing arts, athletics, civic engagement, and tri-school coordination, plus a range of clubs and activities, students have an expansive—and expanding—list of opportunities for exploration and enrichment. This robust programming is where students cultivate belonging, foster positive identity development, grow their confidence and resilience, and come together through tenacity and teamwork. Every experience helps each Bryn Mawr student reach her highest potential.
How does Bryn Mawr develop confident, curious changemakers? By helping them find their voices to advocate for themselves and for others. Our Voice& approach begins in Little School, focused on wonder. In Lower School, students explore leadership values like collaboration and communication. Middle Schoolers envision, create and share innovative solutions to campus and community issues, while Upper School students turn their learning into impact. With Voice&, we are preparing young women for considered and consequential lives.
Great spaces inspire great thinking. To continue to be a leader in girls’ education, we’ll re-imagine, renovate, and build spaces that catalyze curiosity, spark creativity, and encourage connection and collaboration. We’ll honor the integrity of our landmark buildings—and create smart, sustainable spaces. At every step, we’ll allow for flexibility in the myriad ways we gather to learn, grow, perform, and celebrate together.
— Cristina Jacobs Easton ’02, Co-Chair, Strategic Plan Task Force
Where do you live?
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
What do you like about teaching online?
I like the small school environment, the ambitious students BMOS attracts, and the
flexibility learning and teaching online affords students and faculty.
What do you like to do when you’re NOT in school?
Hike, travel, play frisbee, and spend time on the Jersey Shore.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Japan. My dad is half Japanese, and there is a rumor in our family that he and my aunt
relinquished property rights to a small portion of a mountain in Japan. I’d like to go see
that mountain.
Best way to spend a Saturday?
Reading outside.
What do you want students to remember about you?
I want them to remember that I did my best to make literature open up for them in
surprising, intriguing ways and that I cared about their ideas.
Personal catchphrase?
“Let’s reflect on this.”
Who inspires you?
Writers I love: James Baldwin, Marilynne Robinson, Louise Erdrich, to name a few.
What activity/class have you enjoyed the most through BMOS (and why)?
The poet Sarah Ali visited our English 9 and 10 classes to discuss her poem about
animal roadkill. The students asked great questions, and she gave thoughtful answers.
We broached a topic that often feels too intractable to talk about.