Today is Paula Johnson's First Official Day as Wellesley's 14th President
A warm Wellesley welcome to President Paula Johnson! Today, July 1, 2016, marks the official first day of her presidency. Johnson is an internationally renowned and innovative leader, professor and faculty member at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and former chief of the Division of Women's Health at Harvard Medical School and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital (where she founded and was executive director of the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology).
Johnson's presidency was first announced in February. In the months since, members of the community have been coming together to offer words of welcome and to share some of their favorite Wellesley places, spaces and traditions.
Johnson, too, has found ways to connect with the community, through visits to campus, including a trip to the College bookstore to pick out some Wellesley swag and a surprise appearance at the Three Presidents Panel at this year’s reunion, and through conversations like a videotaped interview with search committee members Shivani Kuckreja '16 and Charlotte Harris '16. Johnson talked about everything from her vision for the college, to the importance of family time, to her love of the band Earth, Wind & Fire.
In a series of follow-up videos, entitled "Getting to know #WellesleyPrez," she discussed things like her favorite food to cook, how she spends her free time, and one thing she's always wanted to do. "One thing that I've always wanted to do...is really embodied in this tremendous opportunity to become the next president of Wellesley College," Johnson said in response to the last question. "Which is to bring all of my learning and resources to advancing women."
Welcome President Johnson!