by KYW’s David Madden
After 17 years at the helm, the President of Swarthmore College this week announced plans to step down in August of next year.
Alfred Bloom started as a psychology and linguistics professor more than three decades ago and, except for a five year stint at a California college, spent his entire professional life at Swarthmore.
Barbara Mather, chair of the school’s Board of Trustees, lists Bloom’s top three accomplishments as President:
“Diversifying both the faculty and the student body, making it even better; adding to the endowment and the most recent one is changing our policy of aid to include only scholarships, no loans.”
Bloom was on a fundraising trip out west when his decision was announced. The search for his replacement begins shortly. One Mather believes will take about a year to complete.