Mary Patterson McPherson explained

Mary Patterson McPherson
Nationality:	American
Known For:	Educator, sixth President of Bryn Mawr College
Organization:	Bryn Mawr College, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, American Philosophical Society

Mary Patterson McPherson (born c. 1935) has served as the president of Bryn Mawr College (1978–1997), the vice president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (1997–2007), and the executive officer of the American Philosophical Society (2007–2012). She is considered to be "a significant figure in American higher education and a leader in the education of women".^[1]

McPherson is widely credited with renewing and revitalizing Bryn Mawr and enhancing its stature during a time when the role of women's colleges was being challenged.

Education

McPherson attended school at Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont. She received her B.A. and L.L.D. from Smith College, an M.A. from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr.

Work

McPherson taught philosophy at the University of Delaware and served as professor and dean at Bryn Mawr before being elected president of Bryn Mawr College, from 1978 to 1997.^[2] Her inauguration at Bryn Mawr College marked the first time that all the presidents of the Seven Sisters colleges were women.^[3]

McPherson served as vice president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation from October 1997 to February 2007.^[4]

She was named the executive officer of the American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States in 2007.^[5] She has been a member of the society since her election to membership in 1983.

MacPherson has also served on the boards of many institutions, including several schools and colleges, JSTOR,^[6] the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Brookings Institution, the American Council on Education, and the National Humanities Center.^[7]

Awards

• Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Mount Holyoke College, May 2, 2000^[8]
• M. Carey Thomas Award, 2002^[9]
• Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from DePauw University, May 23,2004^[10]
• Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Delaware, January 10, 2009^[11]
• The McPherson Fund For Excellence was established at Bryn Mawr in 1997 to honor president emeritus McPherson, recognizing McPherson Fellows for "excellence and service to the community, either within or beyond the boundaries of [the] institution".^[12]

External links

• Web site: Commencement Address, Sunday, May 21, 2000 . McPherson . Mary Patterson. Mount Holyoke. April 25, 2000. 22 October 2014.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Longtime Bryn Mawr President to Speak at Mount Holyoke Commencement. Mount Holyoke. April 25, 2000. 22 October 2014.
2. President Emeritus Mary Patterson McPherson to Lead American Philosophical Society. Bryn Mawr Now. June 28, 2007. 22 October 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131020021131/http://www.brynmawr.edu/news/2007-06-28/aps.shtml. 20 October 2013.
3. Web site: Mary Patterson McPherson, sixth president of Bryn Mawr College (1978-1997). Leading Bryn Mawr: An Exhibition in Honor of Nancy J. Vickers. Bryn Mawr College. 23 October 2014.
4. Web site: Executive Profile: Mary Patterson McPherson. Bloomberg Businessweek. 22 October 2014.
5. Web site: Mary Patterson McPherson, Ph.D. Executive Officer Emeritus, The American Philosophical Society. Vision 2020 Equality in Sight. Drexel University. 22 October 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141109111403/http://www.drexel.edu/vision2020/who/national-advisors/McPherson-Mary-Patterson/. 9 November 2014.
6. Book: Schonfeld. Roger C.. JSTOR : a history. 2003. Princeton University Press. Princeton. 9780691115313. 23 October 2014.
7. News: Women's eNews Philadelphia Leadership Awards 2009. 23 October 2014. Women's eNews. August 10, 2009.
8. Web site: May 21, 2000 . Commencement Address . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010118012800/https://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/oped/commencement.shtml . 2001-01-18.
9. M. Carey Thomas Award presentation at the 105th Annual Meeting of the Alumnae Association June 3, 2002. Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin. Fall 2002. 22 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194852/http://www.brynmawr.edu/alumnae/bulletin/mctaward.htm. 23 September 2015. dead.
10. News: Four Distinguished Individuals to Receive Honorary Degrees at Commencement, May 18th. 23 October 2014. DePauw. DePauw University. April 11, 2003.
11. Web site: Honorary degree citation for Mary Patterson McPherson. UDaily. University of Delaware. 10 January 2009. 23 October 2014.
12. Web site: McPherson Award for Excellence. Bryn Mawr College. 23 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20181019101322/https://www.brynmawr.edu/president/mcpherson. 19 October 2018. dead.