A New Chapter for Chapdelaine

On July 1, 2015, Andrea E. Chap- delaine, Ph.D., H’24, became the eleventh president of Hood College. Almost a decade later, Chapdelaine’s tenure at Hood has ended, but her legacy and impact will surely be felt for many years to follow.

“After nine years, we are not just moving to be with family. We are also leaving family behind,” said Chapdelaine. “I am excited to see the great things that will continue to happen. Hood’s future is bright.”

Chapdelaine, born in Chicopee, Massachusetts, is a first-generation college student. She earned a B.A. in psychology with a minor in justice studies from the University of New Hampshire. Chapdelaine then completed master’s and doctoral degrees in social psychology at the University of Connecticut.

Climbing the ranks from professor to dean to provost, Chapdelaine gained comprehensive experience with a varied and successful career in higher education. When she arrived at Hood, she set her sights on some initial key goals, which quickly established her as an ambitious leader. Her three focus areas were academic excellence, partnerships and enriching the Hood community.

“I focused on learning as much as I could,” said Chapdelaine. “I did a lot of outreach, both internally and externally. I also worked closely with Nancy Gillece ’81, vice president for institutional advancement, to rebuild a strong advancement team, as I got to know our donor and alumni base.”

One of Chapdelaine’s first major tasks was developing a strategic plan that would herald the College through the next five years. After collaborating with the senior leadership team, the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni, Chapdelaine implemented Moving Together Beyond Boundaries: 2017- 2022. The ambitious plan notably expanded academic offerings with innovative programs at the under- graduate and graduate levels, from sustainability studies and art therapy to cybersecurity and nutrition science. The College was also able to launch The George B. Delaplaine Jr. School of Business, which includes Frederick’s first doctoral program. The new School of Business was made possible by a gift from prominent Frederick entrepreneur George B. Delaplaine Jr., the College’s largest living donor.

Little did anyone know that a pandemic would strike in the middle of this tremendous effort. The challenges were many, and yet, Chapdelaine managed to navigate this era of uncertainty with resilience and poise. While many colleges and universities were forced to permanently close due to the financial strain wrought by the pandemic, Hood emerged stronger than ever.

This can partly be attributed to Forging the Future: The Campaign for Hood College, which ultimately became the most successful fundraising effort undertaken in the College’s 131-year history. With an initial goal of $50 million, donors rallied together to contribute a whop- ping $74.6 million. Chapdelaine took on a campaign leadership role and played an instrumental part in securing principal donors from across the country.

The campaign culminated in a transformation of the library into a dynamic learning commons, the establishment of The Ruth Whitaker Holmes School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, and more opportunities than ever for experiential learning, faculty research and financial aid, including $25 million for student scholarships alone.

Hot on the heels of Forging the Future, Chapdelaine helped facilitate yet another record-breaking gift from one of the College’s most longstanding supporters: The Hodson Trust. After nearly a century of philanthropy, the Trust announced its dissolution in 2023, when it made its final gift to Hood—$54 million in endowed funds, exclusively for undergraduate scholarships. Chap- delaine was proud to work alongside the Hodson trustees, who not only offered financial support for the College, but also provided advice and mentorship for her as president.

Chapdelaine made her mark on Hood’s campus with large-scale capital projects, including the renovation of Memorial Hall and the Beneficial-Hodson Library and Learning Commons; the creation of the Michael S., P’09 and Marlene B. Grossnickle Young ’76, H’14, P’09 Data Driven Frederick Center and the NeighborHood Counseling Training Center; and the construction of Blazer Hall. These new and improved spaces have ensured that Hood’s campus maintains its scenic beauty as it grows to meet modern standards.

“I’m certainly proud of these many achievements,” said Chapdelaine. “I will treasure them and the lasting impact they will have on the College, but it’s the people who make Hood special—and that is what I will miss the very most.”

Beyond campus, Chapdelaine extended Hood’s reach by reinforcing partnerships with local, regional and national industry leaders. Frederick Health, for instance, was invaluable to founding the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences. STEM programs benefited from the installation of the Kite Pharma Lab in the Hodson Science and Technology Center, while the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research provided exciting internship opportunities for students. These collaborative efforts have been mutually beneficial, as the NeighborHOOD Partners Program that Chapdelaine established offers tuition discounts to partner employees and their dependents.

Hood’s community spirit continues to blossom, thanks in part to several of Chapdelaine’s initiatives, particularly the addition of the Division of Community and Inclusivity to Hood’s administrative structure. This has amplified diversity, equity and inclusion efforts through training, dialogues and educational outreach. Support programs for students, faculty and staff have fostered a culture of wellness, with a holistic model that addresses emotional, physical, social and intellectual well-being. The consolidation of the Student Success Center has boosted accessibility to academic tutoring, career coaching, mental health counseling and much more.

The common denominator across Chapdelaine’s far-reaching accomplishments has been a student-centered approach. Chapdelaine took the time to get to know students, despite the rigorous demands of being president. She even occasionally traded places with them during the annual “Chap Swap.” The door to her office in Alumnae Hall was always open, and she never shied away from listening to the concerns of students and doing everything in her power to help them overcome challenges.

To celebrate and honor Chapdelaine’s transformative influence on Hood, the Board of Trustees has established the Andrea Chapdelaine Endowed Scholarship, which will be offered specifically to first-generation college students, just like Chapdelaine herself. “I appreciate this scholarship so deeply,” said Chapdelaine. “It will give future Blazers access to a Hood education and opportunity, which is what brought me to this place, and that is incredibly meaningful.” Chapdelaine also received an honorary doctorate at Commencement 2024.

As the search for Hood’s next president continues, one thing is certain—whoever assumes this role will have a solid foundation to build upon because of the visionary and forward-thinking leadership of Andrea Chapdelaine. Although she will be moving to Connecticut, Chapdelaine encourages members of the Hood community to stay in touch. As she begins this next chapter, Chapelaine leaves us with a bit of advice: “When facing hard choices, always choose love, whether love of self, others, country, the world. Decisions based in love, even when scary and hard, will always be the right ones. And that love you chose will be your source of strength.”