Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

A Legacy of Friendship

Since the university officially announced that he has been named the new president of Franklin & Marshall College, Senior Vice President for Strategic Development Dan Porterfield has received an outpouring of support from the campus community. Even more impressive than the sheer number of messages on his Facebook wall is the proportion of those messages that come from current and former students. The response to his appointment is a testament to his commitment to being an accessible, relatable figure for undergraduates.

Porterfield’s list of accomplishments is, frankly, a little intimidating. In the 1980s, he founded the D.C. Schools Project and the After School Kids Program. He was a major contributor to the 2000 Campus Plan, guided the sale of the Medical Center and served as the university’s interim athletic director last year. In 2007 he was integral to the founding of the LBGTQ Resource Center on campus.

He is also an active professor in the English and government departments. In fact, his course on education is so popular it requires an application.

While he is regarded as a superb professor, perhaps what truly immortalizes him is his dedication to building lasting and meaningful relationships with every student he encounters. He is a rarity in a university administration that often seems removed from student concerns. For everyone from freshmen athletes to senior Georgetown University Student Association senators, Porterfield is a source of advice, inspiration and friendship.

Of course Porterfield can lead large university projects, teach multiple classes and start community welfare initiatives – but among the student body, he will truly be remembered for the personal relationships he built and the endless words of wisdom he provided. As his Facebook wall attests, when Porterfield leaves the Hilltop for Franklin & Marshall this winter, he will be sorely missed.

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