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From Town Halls to Design Sessions: Bryn Mawr Builds Its Future Together

September 18, 2025

Since its founding in 1885, Âé¶čAV has adapted to meet the needs of its students and the wider world. This fall, the College is taking a bold step forward with two parallel initiatives: the development of a new strategic plan and the launch of a . Together, these efforts are building the next chapter of Bryn Mawr’s future — ensuring that the College’s mission, values, and physical spaces remain aligned with the aspirations of the community it serves.

At a Town Hall on Thursday, Sept. 11, President Wendy Cadge presented the first draft of the College’s strategic plan, Building the Next Chapter. The draft was created after a , consultation, surveys, and is bolstered by valuable prior studies and focus group work done at the College.

 

Wendy Cadge at 9-11-25 Town Hall 2

“We are envisioning what Bryn Mawr can and should be for decades to come. This is our opportunity to dream boldly and to build a future worthy of the next generation of Mawrters.”

President Wendy Cadge

The plan identifies priority areas for the College in the years ahead, centering on:

  • Redoubling our commitment to academic excellence and distinction 
  • Providing holistic support for students and alumnae/i  
  • Advancing a community approach to access and inclusion 
  • Enhancing visibility, reputation, and impact 

“As the College looks to its sesquicentennial in 2035, this is the moment to build the next bold chapter,” said Cadge at the Town Hall. “That chapter will connect the best of Bryn Mawr’s history with the needs and dreams of students and faculty, preparing the next generation of Mawrters who will change the world.”

Town hall poster 3
Artwork by Haley McDevitt, of Illustrating Progress, capturing the discussion at the Town Hall.

Up to $100,000 in  will be awarded this academic year to community members to design and pilot innovative ideas in support of the four focus areas and the question of what makes Bryn Mawr distinct. More events for community input on the strategic plan will occur in the months ahead.

Complementing the strategic plan, Bryn Mawr has also embarked on a Comprehensive Campus Plan in partnership with the design firm DLR Group. From Sept. 16–18, representatives from DLR held a series of workshops, focus groups, and listening sessions on campus, gathering ideas from students, faculty, and staff about how physical spaces can better support Bryn Mawr’s mission.

The scope of the Comprehensive Campus Plan is wide-ranging, addressing every aspect of Bryn Mawr’s built environment. The plan will consider how classrooms and laboratories can be made more flexible for collaborative research and teaching, how residence halls, the campus center, and dining facilities can foster stronger community, how campus access and navigation can be improved for all members of the community, what Bryn Mawr’s “Library of the Future” may look like, and more.

Committees that include faculty, staff, and students are guiding the Comprehensive Campus Plan process. An executive committee of senior leadership meets every two weeks, while a larger steering committee meets monthly. Three working groups — focused on the student experience, academic affairs, and institutional spaces — are engaging community members in conversations about what Bryn Mawr needs most.

During this week’s engagement, DLR group tabled across campus (in dining halls, Park Science, Campus Center, Schwartz Gym, and Old Library), gathering feedback from students, faculty, and staff about the strengths, opportunities, and weaknesses that currently exist on campus. These sessions produced a multitude of color-coded maps and corresponding sticky notes that will be analyzed to inform the Comprehensive Campus Plan vision. Working Groups also began meeting to have more targeted conversations around student experience, academics, and institutional space and grounds.

Comprehensive Campus Plan tabling

DLR will return to campus two more times this semester to continue gathering the community's thoughts and opinions.

“DLR Group brings deep expertise, but what makes this process exciting is how much it’s being shaped by our own community,” said Vice President for Finance and Administration Samir Datta. “The best campus plans grow out of the voices of the people who live, learn, and work here every day.”

The strategic plan and Comprehensive Campus Plan are both scheduled to unfold over the next year, with a final strategic plan and comprehensive plan expected in 2026. Together, they will provide a roadmap for Bryn Mawr to remain a place where students thrive, faculty innovate, and the community continues to grow in purpose and spirit.

“We are envisioning what Bryn Mawr can and should be for decades to come,” says Cadge. “This is our opportunity to dream boldly and to build a future worthy of the next generation of Mawrters.”

Building the Next Chapter