After more than 20 years as a college president, Jim Mullen was happily retired in Asheville, North Carolina, when he received a call from the Hartwick College Board of Trustees, asking if he would serve 18 months as interim president. I met with Mullen in his office overlooking the city of Oneonta to ask why he said yes, and what he saw in Hartwick’s future. “I came out of retirement knowing that this is a challenging time for every small liberal arts college in the country,” he said, “and the only way to address that is to be distinctive.
” Mullen clearly feels that “Hartwick has been using innovation to become distinctive,” and said it is now ready to claim its unique place. When asked to tell me more on how Hartwick sets itself apart, Mullen cited seven new programs from cyber security to data analytics; abundant internship opportunities and “international study second to none for a school our size.” He emphasized the importance of preparing young people to live a balanced life, which he said Hartwick does with an “emphasis on health and wellness — physical and mental.
” He gets excited talking about the Pine Lake Environmental Center, three miles of hiking trails on campus and being within walking distance of downtown. “We have a healthy diversity,” he added, “with more than 60 international students this year. We do that better than anybody else.
” Mullen was also eager to discuss his focus on graduates choosing to stay, live and work in thi.