By Jonathan Zelinger || Contributing Writer
On Friday Jan 27, 2017, students belonging to Ware College House recieved an email from the House’s longtime Dean, Amy Moreno. The message within came as a surprise. It read,
“Dear Warians,
I’m writing to share the news that I will be leaving F&M at the end of February after 13 years. I am leaving to be home with my family. I decided I want to devote more time to the people who matter most to me.
I have served as the Dean of Ware College House since 2008, and before that, I taught in the English Department for 4 years. I have taught, advised, advocated for, supported and listened to hundreds of you and your families. This work has been inspiring and gratifying, and at times difficult. But mostly, I’ve really enjoyed watching you grow and develop into wonderful human beings during your college years.
I will miss you all, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have mentored you during your time at F&M. I wish you all the very best of luck in whatever path you choose. You will be successful if you work hard and know yourself, and I know you can all do it!
There will be someone to replace me, so you will not be left adrift–don’t worry. And until then, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to say goodbye in person. Stop “over” or “down” if you want to chat. Those are the moments I’ll miss the most …
Best wishes for the remainder of the semester.
Take good care,
Dean Moreno”
The College Reporter reached out to Dean Moreno for an interview following the news of her upcoming departure, but she politely declined comment. However, many students and faculty were more than excited to share their memories of Moreno and feelings regarding her departure.
One student, who requested to be anonymous, recounted her time in Dean Moreno’s classroom. “I can’t believe she is leaving. She was sort of a staple part of my freshmen experience. She is very laid back and fun when it came to class discussions.” The junior added that she “can’t believe [Moreno] is leaving… I’m still bummed that I never had her again as a professor. I wish I could take [her] class again! She’s a tough woman and definitely has an edge, but she keeps class so interesting.”
Dean Moreno will be remembered for her direct, honest, and straightforward approach. One member of the English department said that “Amy will be missed. She is taking a brave step, a step many of us with families often consider but never have the courage to make.”
Now a question lingers of Ware College House: the question over who will replace Dean Moreno. The school has not announced any potential replacements for Moreno, but Dean Hazlett and Dean Flores Mills typically conduct a national search for this type of replacement before looking into an internal replacement.
Franklin & Marshall will miss Dean Moreno, but will welcome her replacement with open arms.
Junior Jonathan Zelinger is a contributing writer. His email is jzelinge@fandm.edu.