Hassan’s Tenure: Looking at the Past

At the end of the 2014-15 academic year, Phillips Exeter Academy will bid goodbye to Tom Hassan, the 14th principal of the school. During his 26 years at Exeter and six years as principal, Hassan worked to improve many aspects of the Academy, including academics, connections within the internal community and global outreach. Throughout his tenure, he emphasized the non-sibi ideology and the importance of coupling knowledge with goodness.

Prior to assuming the role of principal, Hassan had served as an academic instructor, as well as the director of college counseling, director of admissions and assistant principal.

During his time at the Academy, Hassan emphasized the importance of a connected community. Former Dean of Multicultural Affairs and religion instructor Russell Weatherspoon commented on the tendency of Exeter’s community to break itself down into groups and commended Hassan for working to unify different sects of the community.

“One of the things that [Hassan] worked very hard to do was to create a greater sense of cohesion among all people…he also spent a lot of energy trying to get both faculty and staff to relate much more consciously and organically,” Weatherspoon said.

In order to unite the Academy, Hassan formed  PEA’s Community Connections Group, which brings students and faculty together with events and activities around campus.

Hassan further enhanced cohesion within Exeter’s community by introducing Community Connection Day in August of 2013, a day when all of Exeter’s employees came together and participated in service projects within Exeter and its surrounding communities. Weatherspoon said that the day provided an “opportunity for people who don’t really have much contact with each other to spend time together doing something helpful…a number of relationships not only began, but continued.” 

“There’s a broad range of accomplishments, but at the end of the day I think what Mr. Hassan wanted to make sure of was that Exeter was available for students from around the globe, and that they understood their role in and their potential in a global context.”

Hassan’s passion for community stands out as one of his most prominent legacies from his time at the Academy. Gov. Maggie Hassan said that Hassan focused on ensuring that the Exeter community was just that: a community.

Hassan also felt that every department on campus should have both the facilities and the funding to do not only what they need to do, but also what they want to do.

Recently, Hassan headed the fundraising efforts to build new musical and performing arts centers. Senior and Student Council President Benj Cohen described Hassan’s success in raising money for the new music and theater as “an incredible feat.”

Hassan also succeeded in eliminating the majority of Saturday classes. History instructor and long time faculty member Bill Jordan said that Hassan took a major and revolutionary step toward abolishing the previous untouched but highly contended issue of Saturday classes. “[It] was something that the school had been talking about for years, but no other principal was willing to come out against it,” Jordan said.

Hassan also directed a large portion of his work toward ensuring that Exeter education was accessible for every student who was interested and qualified. By working on an initiative allowing families who earn $75,000 or less to send their student to Exeter for free, Hassan pushed Exeter to be more affordable for middle income families around the globe. Hassan concentrated on not only creating an economically diverse campus, but also providing racial, ethnic and gender diversity.

Hassan also emphasized the International Student Program and strove to recruit students from every corner of the globe. “There’s a broad range of accomplishments, but at the end of the day I think what Mr. Hassan wanted to make sure of was that Exeter was available for students from around the globe, and that they understood their role in and their potential in a global context,” Gov. Hassan said.

On the subject of global outreach, Hassan said that future international leaders must venture outside of the community in which they live in order to gather a more comprehensive understanding of the world. Consequently, he directed a large amount of energy toward expanding Exeter’s abroad programs and served as a driving force behind the Global Initiatives program. “We have in recent years pioneered new programs and continued existing ones on other continents,” Hassan said. “Today we have 17 off-campus study programs on five continents, resulting in life-changing experiences for our students.”

Hassan also focused on providing specific and diverse experiences to cater to the many unique interests of students. For example, the new partnership with Stanford University gives Exonians “the chance to conduct high-level research with graduate students,” Hassan said. The summer school students will be able “to explore the process of creativity at the same level being done at Stanford.”

Another example is this years addition of a new history course, where students can write publishable papers that Hassan described as “well beyond the length and scope of the History 333 term paper.” In addition to academic pursuit, Hassan has raised funds for interests outside of the classroom with the future establishment of the new performing arts center. Throughout his time at Exeter, Hassan has endeavored to provide opportunities for Exonians to further explore their interests in advanced settings.

“Exeter now offers students many more options and many more opportunities so that they can understand the world beyond Exeter, as well as grow academically and personally here at Exeter,” Gov. Hassan said.

During his time at the Academy, Hassan channeled the spirit of non-sibi into initiatives that he implemented on campus. He organized several workshops and forums for the purpose of “channeling goodness,” efforts he hoped would inspire the Exeter community to do more good, in both their hometown and local communities.

“The results of these conversations, as well as many others at the strategic level, are beginning to emerge and take shape,” Hassan said. “We’re also creating more opportunities today than ever before for adults and students to work and celebrate together.”

Hassan was intent on forming a school that was not only abundant with knowledge, but also applied goodness and humanity into every endeavor.

Gov. Hassan described her husband’s work as striving to “make sure that the campus was a place where people not only engaged in the Harkness experience, but also did so in a way that valued each person on the campus for the human beings that they are.”

“I think there will be people who remember the spirit of sacrifice that he and his wife made to the school by taking on the role of principal, which is a very time consuming role,” Weatherspoon said. “Generations of Exonians will look back on that with considerable gratitude that he and his wife were willing to extend themselves so far for the sake of the school.” 

Dean of Faculty Ronald Kim expressed his gratitude about how Hassan, on a personal level and beyond, gave his all to the community and served as an admirable role model. “He has given me tremendous opportunities to learn and to grow and for that I am grateful,” Kim said. “When you work for a leader, you want to know that he or she is working really hard and that he or she is someone whose values are clear and unassailable.”

Gov. Hassan hoped that people will remember Hassan by his unfaltering devotion to Exeter. She said, “I hope that people recognize his dedication to the students here, and his dedication to the faculty and staff, and his commitment. to making sure that this campus works for everybody.”

Although many believe Hassan has made a lasting impact on Exeter, Gov. Hassan believes Exeter has had a lasting impact on him. Gov. Hassan said, “He has learned from the students here every single day… [Exeter] has impacted him in understanding the value of each and every person and the great potential that Exeter students, faculty and staff have to change the world.”