Haverford College President Announces THRIVE

A former partner at Goldman Sachs in New York, Christopher K. Norton spent 25 years on Wall Street before retiring. Dedicated to helping others, he has served on the boards of several academic institutions over the years. One of the boards Christopher K. Norton served on was at Haverford College, a leading liberal arts undergraduate college that he graduated from with a degree in history and economics.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Haverford College is making a big step towards becoming antiracist after implementing THRIVE. This initiative, which stands for truth, healing, resiliency, inclusion, and equity, was announced by the institution’s president, Wendy Raymond. It is a campus-wide initiative that builds upon the progress made during the last semester of 2020 by Dean Bylander and his work with fellow deans and students. A gift from Haverford’s Class of 1966 also went toward supporting the implementation of THRIVE.

Modeled on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Program, THRIVE is a multi-year project that adapts as the campus moves forward toward helping students and faculty better understand one another. Initially, the initiative includes such things as race-based education for staff, students, and faculty who are white, along with programs that teach people the issues of oppression and why color matters when creating an inclusive community. These elements are touched upon via webinars, workshops, and other educational events.