Jonathan (Jono) Babbitt, Mitchell College assistant professor of performing arts, and his wife Allison Messier, Mitchell’s voice instructor, participated in a “car safari” this summer. It wasn’t in Africa but at Sunny Meadow Farm in Bridgewater, Connecticut. And there were no animals for visitors to watch but talented performers, including Jono and Allison!

The two joined the production BLOOM! with the renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre in 76 performances over a five-day run. Jono said the format for this year’s production grew out of last year’s COVID restrictions around live performance. Limited groups of cars traveled along a road at the farm and stopped at various sites to watch short performances by the Pilobolus dancers, accompanied by singers and instrumentalists, including two pianos, a violin and a viola.

“We were on stage 10 hours each day, on a site that is so spectacular we should be paying for the view!” Jono said.

Jono conducted a chorus of 20 voices, singing the world premiere of his choral arrangement of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ art song Whither Must I Wander on a text of Robert Louis Stevenson, and Alison sang a solo piece.

Asked about how this experience affected him personally, he said, “The opportunity for artistic expression with like-minded singers, instrumentalists, dancers, choreographers, and technical support staff ranging in age from 12 to 85 – all in the service of a public desperately in need of live, personal performance art – refueled me in ways that are beyond description.  As one attendee said to me as she stood in front of me weeping openly, ‘I had no idea how much I needed this experience.’ I am grateful beyond words.”

And watch for more with Pilobolus at Mitchell. The lead dancers and artistic directors are coming to work with Mitchell College Dance/Cheer to offer an example of their astounding and outstanding work. More to come…

NEW LONDON, CT –August 13, 2021– Mitchell College recently welcomed Dr. Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Beaulieu as vice president of academic affairs. She will oversee all academic areas of the college, including Thames at Mitchell, the Bentsen Learning Center and the Mystic Program. Beaulieu most recently served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Haven. Prior to that she was founding dean of the Core Division at Champlain College in Vermont, where she served for 11 years, and director of Women’s Studies at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She has consulted on many areas of higher education, including general education reform and integrative teaching, learning and collaboration. Her research focuses on contemporary African American women writers. She holds a doctorate in 20th-century British and American literature from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s degrees in literature from the University of York, England, and Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree from Providence College. Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, said, “We are so happy to welcome Dr. Beaulieu to Mitchell College. The breadth of her experience in interdisciplinary collaboration and new program development aligns perfectly with our innovative education model. Her leadership of Mitchell’s broad-reaching division of academic affairs will be invaluable as we build cross-disciplinary collaborations in our core curriculum and dynamic new concentrations of study.” Beaulieu said, “It is important to me to serve an institution committed to academic excellence, innovative pedagogy and robust student engagement. Mitchell College has a solid foundation in all three, and I look forward to finding ways to collaborate, innovate and inspire.”

Auditions for Fall Performing Arts at Mitchell College will be held September 2-17, 2021.

Registration for audition times is now open to all incoming and returning Mitchell College and Thames at Mitchell students! Register at mitchell.edu/audition now for:

• Select Chorus audition (new members)
•  Fall Theatre audition (new members)
•  Dance/Cheer audition (all must audition each semester)
•  Fall Instrumental Ensembles audition (all must audition each semester)

Interested in ensembles/music performance? Be sure to bring your instrument to campus!

Register at mitchell.edu/audition.

For more information about Mitchell College Performing Arts, visit mitchell.edu/performing-arts.

 

 

 

Mitchell College invites all incoming and returning Mitchell College and Thames at Mitchell students and parents to join us for a Fall 2021 Webinar during which Mitchell College faculty and staff will help students envision life on campus this semester! Together, we will guide students and families through the fall semester experience and answer questions you may have.

The Fall 2021 Webinar will take place on Monday, August 16, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (EDT); registrants will receive the webinar meeting link with their completed registration. Space is limited and registration closes August 10, 2021.

**Each student and family member planning to attend should complete their own registration**

The event will be recorded to be accessed later by anyone who can’t attend.

Within the registration, you will have an opportunity to ask questions you would like to have answered during the event.

 

 

 

NEW LONDON, CT – July 26, 2021– Mitchell College recently welcomed Dr. Hilton Kelly as ACE Fellow for the 2021-2022 academic year. The ACE (American Council on Education) Fellows Program pairs higher education emerging leaders with host institutions to enhance the knowledge and skills of the placed leaders and provide fresh perspectives and expertise to the host institutions. Kelly will be working directly with Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, during this full-year fellowship experience on various projects and initiatives. More than 2,000 higher education leaders have participated in the program since 1965, with 50 different institutions part of this year’s class.

Kelly is Professor of Educational Studies and Africana Studies and Chair of the Educational Studies Department at Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology and M.S. in labor studies from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a B.A. in history from University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Areas of expertise include sociology of education, the Age of Jim Crow, the lives, work, and careers of African-American educators, and social memory studies. He is the author of the book Race, Remembering, and Jim Crow’s Teachers.

Espy said, “We are honored to have Dr. Kelly here at Mitchell College for this fellowship, and look forward to collaborating on numerous projects, focusing on strategy, culture and policy, and to the amazing contributions he will make to the academic enterprise. The ACE Fellows Program is a wonderful opportunity to build community among higher education institutions, sharing best practices and helping further develop talented leaders.”

Kelly said, “It is so exciting for me to be at Mitchell College in New London. I am here at a peak time for learning about leadership as we are still grappling with a global pandemic. I am honored to work with and learn from Dr. Tracy Espy. She has a solid reputation as an innovative servant leader and a proven change agent in higher education. I look forward to meeting students, faculty, and staff throughout the summer and when everyone returns in late August.” 

 

 

 

 

NEW LONDON, CT – July 26, 2021– Mitchell College recently welcomed Nancy Cowser as Chief Advancement and Alumni Affairs Officer. In her new role, she joins the senior leadership team and will be responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive development strategies and programs that support the vision and mission of the College through fundraising and alumni engagement.

Prior to joining Mitchell, Cowser was the Executive Director since 2017 of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer), the region’s designated economic development organization.

Skilled in strategic planning, project management, fund development and community engagement, she also worked in several other arenas, including healthcare, social services and mortgage banking. She holds a master’s degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Boston College.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, said, “Nancy’s deep connections in the community and significant experience in fundraising and relationship building are a boon to the College and our strategic planning efforts. We are so excited for her to share her insights and broad knowledge as we look to future growth.”

Cowser said, “Mitchell College’s mission to celebrate and develop the power of unique minds is deeply personal to me. I am honored to have the opportunity to draw on my past experiences to help elevate the College and to connect with our incredible students, talented staff and faculty, our supportive alumni and parents, our community partners and many others, to grow our network of influence and support.”