Colorado College’s connection to Colorado Springs is a long one. Springs’ founder Gen. William Jackson Palmer had a vision for his city when he began to lay it out in 1871. That vision included a coeducational college designed to be a liberal arts and science institution with an emphasis on quality and creativity. That vision remains to this day. And after meeting with CC’s 13th president, Jill Tiefenthaler, The Gazette’s editorial board has hopes the college will continue to nurture its connection to the community. It’s one that can only benefit both parties.

Tiefenthaler comes to the area from Wake Forest University, where she was the provost. Tiefenthaler previously was a professor of economics and consultant to the president at Colgate University. Tiefenthaler was a recognized leader in university/community engagement in her previous roles. She was founding director of Colgate’s Upstate Institute, a group designed to bring together the resources of Colgate and the region. She was also on the board of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

Tiefenthaler’s predecessor, Dick Celeste, was well connected to the Springs community and increased the college’s visibility. During his tenure, the college also developed several visibility initiatives, including an annual State of the Rockies Conference and Report Card and various symposia. Last year, a $6,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation funded a program to improve cooperation between the Air Force Academy and CC. The program also includes the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Although Tiefenthaler has characterized her first year at Colorado College as a “Year of Listening,” she already has garnered enough information to see several opportunities for connections to the community. Meeting with students, alumni and teaching a class herself, she has begun the process of defining a perspective on the college/community issue.

Tiefenthaler emphasized that CC’s location in central Colorado Springs makes the future of downtown integral to the college. Connecting CC, Monument Valley Park, The Fine Arts Center and Numismatic Museum — in a kind of “emerald necklace” — is another concept Tiefenthaler mentioned. For several decades, an elevated walkway on Cascade Avenue or a pedestrian underpass at the campus has been an issue that Tiefenthaler plans to revisit.

Tiefenthaler also commented on the many Springs residents who support CC’s hockey team and attend events at the college. The college hosts 600-plus cultural events and activities a year, which are open to the public. The vast majority of these are free of charge.

Citing that 84 percent of CC’s students participate in community service, CC’s president pointed out that a student-liaison has recently been attached to the Springs city council, another example of the student’s interest in the local community.

Tiefenthaler has a lot of creative and concrete ideas that will improve CC’s link to Colorado Springs. The Gazette’s editorial board looks forward to the new direction she will engender.  Pula Davis, for The Gazette editorial board