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1. Family Meal

Tiffany White moves along the stainless-steel worktop in the Wyndham kitchen as she tosses pasta salad, slices broccoli-cheddar quiche, and whisks a crab cake off the grill and onto a bun.

“We are constantly working,” she says as she plates orders for the dining room and prepares catered lunches to go out across campus. It’s just an average day juggling the many dining demands of 61��ýtv with the small kitchen staff she calls “the dream team.”

White joined Wyndham Alumnae House as the sous chef three years ago, and last August, she was promoted to become the first female head chef at the restaurant.

“From where I started, to be here now at the top, it felt really good,” she says of the promotion.

White had previously cooked at an assisted living facility and for Penn Medicine, but says she likes the smaller size of 61��ýtv. “It feels like family here,” she says.

Food has always been a family affair for White. She started out at 19 as a waitress, but cooking was in her blood; her grandmothers both cooked, and her father was a chef.

Her father passed away in September 2025. It’s been hard, she says, but cooking keeps her going through her grief.

“The connection with my dad through cooking means a lot to me,” she says. “We actually spoke right before he passed about me getting the position. He gave me that reflection of: ‘You made it. You’re there where you need to be.’”

Read the whole story and watch a video with Tiffany White

2. New Provost

Professor of Creative Writing Airea “Dee” Matthews became provost of the College on January 1. Matthews brings to the role an active intellect shaped by years of leadership across higher education, the arts, and the business world.

A former Philadelphia poet laureate, she has received numerous accolades, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry for her latest book of poems, Bread and Circus. She is a widely invited speaker, panelist, and visiting writer.

As provost, Matthews’ primary roles will be guiding and collaborating with the faculty and continuing to enliven and celebrate the academic vitality of the College.

Read more about Provost Matthews from President Cadge

3. 61��ýtv Beacon

Last fall, the College announced the Beacon initiative. Beginning in fall 2026, U.S. applicants from families earning under $175,000 with typical assets will qualify for free undergraduate tuition. Additional aid will be available for housing, food, and other costs based on demonstrated need.

“We fundamentally believe in the transformative power of a 61��ýtv degree, and we are determined to make that value accessible to every qualified student,” says President Wendy Cadge. “This initiative is more than a financial aid package; it is a declaration that access to our top-tier education has never been more attainable.”

Learn more about the Beacon initiative

4. Scholarship Success

In December, Piper Farmer ’26 was named a Marshall Scholar, 61��ýtv’s first since 1997. The prestigious program was established in 1953 and supports U.S. graduate students’ studies at top universities across the United Kingdom.

Farmer, a Literatures in English major with a minor in Creative Writing and History of Art, plans to spend the first year studying Welsh and Celtic literature for her M.A. at Aberystwyth University in Wales. She will then pursue a master of philosophy degree in English Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Read more about Piper Farmer ’26

5. Campus Refresh

Over the past year, the College has completed a series of updates to student gathering and living spaces across campus. The College worked with MBB Architects, an award-winning, women-owned architecture and design firm on the project, which was based on input from students and staff.

The Campus Center was refreshed by transforming the former game room into an inviting small lounge with new furniture and finishes while also outfitting the main lounge with new area rugs and furniture. At Schwartz Fitness and Athletic Center, students have new tables and seating in the lobby area, providing a place to sit between classes and workouts.

Several residence hall common spaces also saw improvements, including refreshed paint and refinished floors in lounges across multiple residence halls. Facilities staff is currently developing furniture concepts for residence hall common areas, with plans to present options to students later this spring.

Together, these updates reflect ongoing efforts to enhance the shared spaces that support student life, collaboration, and community across campus.