As incoming president Lawrence P. Ward prepares to assume leadership of University of Hartford on July 1, he is reflecting on his time as vice president and dean of campus life at Babson College.
In an exit interview with Babson’s “Thought and Action” newsletter, Ward says the relationships he has built with staff and students, particularly students of color, are what he is most proud of during his tenure at Babson.
“I think you measure a leader not by what I do, but the people that I’m responsible for,” he says. “And we’re a really strong team across many areas, so I’m really proud of the staff that we have built and developed, their evolution, and the real positive relationships that I have. And then there’s the quality of our students and the student experience. When our students look back at Babson and say, ‘I was really well educated and I had a great experience,’ I’m really proud of that.”
Ward received a standing ovation from undergraduates during Babson’s commencement last month.
Lawrence P. Ward, University of Hartford President-Elect"I don’t want to just be a college president. I fully intend to be a successful one ... It’s going to require all my skills and experience and capabilities, each one of my superpowers. It’s going to require me to stretch and grow in important ways. I’ll have to be at my best. And that’s what makes me the most excited."
Originally hailing from the Hartford area, Ward also looks ahead to the “daunting, but important” challenges of his new role. He says his time at Babson has left him well prepared to take the reins at UHart.
“I don’t want to just be a college president,” he says. “I fully intend to be a successful one … it’s going to require all my skills and experience and capabilities, each one of my superpowers. It’s going to require me to stretch and grow in important ways. I’ll have to be at my best. And that’s what makes me the most excited.”