The College will lose a key community member this year in Burgwell "Burgie" Howard, Director of Smith Union and Student Activities, and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
After eight years at Bowdoin, Howard will be taking a job at Northwestern University in Chicago as Special Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs beginning this summer. Howard is going to Northwestern to be with his fiancée, Jennifer Richeson, who recently accepted a tenured professor position at Northwestern.
"It's a chance for us to start a life together," Howard said.
Although Howard's new position at Northwestern University is still being formulated, his responsibilities will include alumni relations and tending to the large off-campus population.
"It's sort of a catch-all, troubleshooting position," Howard said.
Howard's position at Bowdoin has included a broad variety of responsibilities. In addition to managing Smith Union, he oversees the hundreds of student organizations and clubs on campus.
The College is currently in the process of searching for Howard's replacement.
"I expect we'll be interviewing candidates on campus later in April," said Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley, "and I aim to name Burgie's successor by Commencement."
"What brought me to Bowdoin was a chance to change and improve an already great school," Howard said. "My understanding of Bowdoin before I arrived was that it was a quiet liberal arts institution, mostly dominated by frats...my job was to improve and enhance the out-of-class experience."
When asked by the Orient to name his favorite accomplishments, Howard said that "there are lots of little things" that he is proud of, including the Performing Arts Series presented by the Campus Activities Board.
"This provides for great programming and diversity," Howard said. "You can just look up at all the stuff on the walls to see who has been here."
He also mentioned JAX night at the Pub, which provides students with a place to dance, and the Delta/Sig Art Show, which in addition to being an opportunity for student artists to present their work, "has helped bring [Smith Union] alive."
Howard is also proud of Smith Union itself.
"It's a very unique campus center. Half a dozen schools each year come to look at it and take ideas back to their schools, even though it's ten years old."
When asked by the Orient if there was anything he wished he could have accomplished during his time at Bowdoin, Howard said that he would have liked to develop a structured leadership program.
"It would be great to have a program that more formally prepares people for their roles after Bowdoin," he said.
"I have very mixed feelings about leaving," Howard said. "Bowdoin is very special to me. I have a very strong connection to the place and the people...the really exciting part [of my experience here] has been helping students realize their goals and objectives."
In 2002, Howard ended The Bowdoin Orient's financial independence by spearheading the effort to close its checking account. The account was the final remnant of the Bowdoin Publishing Company, the legally-incorporated, non-profit organization that published the Orient since 1912.