Q&A with Jeffrey Stein, Mary Baldwin University's 10th president

STAUNTON — The News Leader's Patrick Hite had a chance to sit down with Dr. Jeffrey Stein, the new president of Mary Baldwin University, Friday morning. The interview was at the Blackburn Inn prior to Stein leaving for campus where he was formally introduced to the school community at noon in James D. Francis Auditorium.

Stein is the 10th president in school history, succeeding the retiring Dr. Pamela Fox on July 1. Stein was previously the vice president for strategic initiatives and partnerships, as well as an assistant professor of English, at Elon University in North Carolina.

The interview is transcribed below, but lightly edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.

News Leader: What was it about Mary Baldwin that attracted you to the school?

Stein: I'd say at every stage of the interview process getting to know the people of Mary Baldwin was really the reason that I was drawn to the institution. Obviously, I'm drawn to Mary Baldwin's history, to its mission of always empowering students' social mobility, and always innovating. But it was the people I met and, honestly, it was the students who really, I guess, sold the deal, who really convinced me. Because when I met students on campus, I was blown away. And I think both my wife Chrissy and I realized that this is the place where we want to be.

News Leader: How does Elon compare to Mary Baldwin?

Stein: They're similar and they're different. They both have a liberal arts core. They both have professional schools and graduate programs. And both have a spirit that drives them, have a heart to always improve, to always progress to always innovate.

I've spent almost 21 years at Elon, and Elon is considered one of the greatest success stories in higher education, a place that turned itself around and used strategic planning to grow and to better serve students. Sounds like Mary Baldwin to me, right? That mission focused on students, that drive to get better at preparing students for great lives and great careers. That's what similar.

News Leader: Higher education has seen a transition in recent years. We're seeing fewer high school students going straight from from high school to college, or else maybe they take a community college path just so they don't incur the debt. What challenges does that present, especially at a small private college in in Staunton, Virginia?

Stein: This is a really important question for higher education and for the country. I believe and I think we know that higher education has been this launchpad, this engine that fuels young people and allows them to earn more, be more engaged civically, be healthier, and be happier in their lives. But higher education, like any industry, has to change over time. So we can't be the same institutions that we were 181 years ago.

You've mentioned one particular challenge, the demographic cliff that there are fewer high school students to go to college because of the recession in 2009. There are other, what I would call, existential challenges facing higher education: cost, public skepticism, changing industry. And so that's what keeps us on our toes, right?

I mean, we can't be for students, we can't empower students, unless we're always changing and evolving and there's nothing wrong with a little criticism. A mentor of mine says you have to love us enough to tell us when we're wrong. And so we need to pay attention to the concerns and the criticisms and continue to evolve and continue to meet students where they are, and really be a springboard for them for the future.

So it is a challenge, but not one that we can't rise to, that Mary Baldwin hasn't risen to over the years. One of the reasons that I'm so excited about Mary Baldwin is because it is always innovating. It's always rising. It's always taking on the challenges of the moment and become better.

The News Leader: You mentioned not being afraid to find out what's been done wrong. So, at Elon, what did you see Elon do right? And what were some of the things that maybe you found out you were doing wrong or that you had to change along the way?

Stein: Elon is an institution that has used strategic plans that are developed by the entire community to get better. So what I mean by that is setting out really challenging goals, even ones that we didn't know how we would accomplish and putting them across 10 years.

In the process you learn, well, this isn't working the way we thought, we need to pivot. I think there are lots of ways big and small that any successful institution has to change. Today, paying attention to technology, data, industries and needs out in the workforce, those are things we have to pay attention to.

But I think having a community that is deeply involved in setting the plan means the community is going to be there to tell you that we're missing a beat here. We have a challenge here that we need to take care of. And that's an important relationship you want to create. So that inherently suggests you will find the problems. There will be problems and you'll have to pivot and that's OK.

The News Leader: You mentioned community. How important is it to be part of this the greater Staunton community for Mary Baldwin because I think they've done a good job in some aspects, but sometimes I feel like there's maybe a disconnect between people that live in the community and the students. So how important is it to have that connection between the two?

Stein: It is immensely important. I'll just start by saying, Chrissy and I are brand new to this community and we are really excited to dive in, to get to know people, to learn. So I hope people will be open to inviting us to really learn about this area and to dig in.

Higher education is not an ivory tower, cannot be an island unto itself. We succeed if we are deeply enmeshed in local communities and in our states. And the reason that is is that we raise each other up. What's good for the university is often good for the community and vice versa.

So that's more than just a slogan, because if we are not deeply tied, if we don't have open communication, then we do things that harm each other, that don't help. Higher education is an economic driver. Mary Baldwin is employing folks from the local community. Mary Baldwin students are embedded in the local community. This has to be a partnership, and it has to be a partnership locally and across the region. I have worked on that quite a bit, locally, for Elon, particularly during and after COVID, as we realized we needed to rebuild relationships and start creating committees and opportunities to talk about how we're impacting each other and how we can actually benefit each other.

But this is a great question because I would say, wholeheartedly, institutions of higher learning and their local communities have to be able to tell each other what they need, what they want, how they're helping each other, how they're harming each other and create a path forward. It's better for everyone.

News Leader: Mary Baldwin is a very diverse institution. I read a little bit in the press release about the diversity and equity initiatives at Elon. You come in as a white male on a campus that has just been co-ed for five or six years. Does that present any particular challenges?

Stein: People always ask new presidents, "What are you going to do first? What are you going to change?" My first task is to listen and to learn. I'm open to learning from every member of the community. I need that.

So what I would do is tell you a little bit about what drives me. My grandparents were refugees. They escaped from Europe in the 20th century. One side of the family in earlier 20th century from the Russian pogroms. One side a little bit later, the 1940s, escaping the Holocaust. They were in search of freedom and democracy. It sticks with me every day that, in two generations, my family went from refugees to first generation college students to this opportunity to be a part of this community. And I have a debt to pay. I have a commitment because of what education did for my family, what this country did for my family.

I believe that all of us have that story, have stories of how we got here, and the sacrifices that people made for us. I think that we can do more to come together in this country, obviously, and to understand difference. But I'm thrilled to be at an institution that is focused on making sure that every student has a pathway forward, that every student has an opportunity to build an incredible life, an incredible career, and I can't wait to learn more from students. I can't wait to do everything I can to support and lift up students and their stories.

Much of my adult career has been in literature and creative writing. And that's all about people and their stories. And for me to function I have to honor other stories and work to lift them up and that's been a part of who I am forever. So I know this question will come and I will do my very best to honor our students and to honor the legacy of this amazing institution.

The News Leader: What advantages does a small institution like Mary Baldwin offer over a bigger college like the University of Virginia just over the mountain?

Stein: Chrissy and I went to college at Beloit College in Wisconsin. About 1,100 students. That's probably where I learned, maybe subconsciously, but where I learned about the power of relationships and mentoring in students' lives.

I think one of the engines that really drives higher education are those relationships — students, faculty, staff — the connections. The ability for a faculty member or a staff member to tap a student on the shoulder and say, here's an opportunity for you, here's something you're good at. Have you thought about this? And I think the advantages of the size of Mary Baldwin are to leverage those relationships and for faculty and staff and students to get to know each other and spend time together, which we know fuels education, fuels students. Relationships are at the heart of a strong education and I think Mary Baldwin has relationships all over it. And that's what students share has really made a difference in their lives.

News Leader: What would you like to learn, what do you need to learn between now and when you return as president July 1?

Stein: I think there's two questions that I want to make sure I ask as many people as possible and that's: What do you love and what are you proud of about this institution? And what do you think creates opportunity for growth?

There's a lot for me to learn. History, the people, challenges, all those things, but most important is creating those relationships and letting people share with me what's important to them about Mary Baldwin, that's what's going to drive this.

News Leader: Is there anything else you want to add?

Stein: I would just say I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. It's the honor of lifetime. And while I know there will be challenges ahead, I can't wait to to do this, work with Staunton, with Virginia and with the Mary Baldwin community.

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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Q&A with Jeffrey Stein, Mary Baldwin University's 10th president