DEC 12, 2024 | FEATURES | By Madeleine Johnson ‘27
While scrolling through Instagram this past summer I didn’t necessarily expect to see my new college president wearing a tiger onesie and slick, black heels on the Ed Robson ice, but honestly, I loved it. Since then, I’ve wanted to really fall in love with a CC president, but it’s seemed pointless. Since 2021, Colorado College has had four presidents, and my class, the class of 2027, can expect to have three different presidents throughout their time at Colorado College. Despite her two-year time limit though, I want to fall in love with Manya. This past Monday, I took our president to the best first date spot there is (Rastall Dining Hall) and asked her the New York Times “36 Questions That Lead to Love.” Now, I think I’ve found my new Block crush.
I was first struck by how approachable Manya is. I came up to her feeling nervous about our meeting, but her confidence was palpable and actually put me at ease. I learned that there’s lots about her that could seem intimidating, including her education at Dartmouth and Vanderbilt and her accomplishments in moving up the ranks at CC through the nine different jobs she’s held here, but she also has a calming presence. While I know these questions were obviously meant to make me fall in love, it’s hard to dislike a woman who calls her mom every day and whose perfect day would include a good workout, brunch and some light reading (I agree).
She seemed relatable to me, and we shared commonalities through her answers to the questions. I found out (shockingly) that she is a real person who does real person things. For example, she always rehearses what she’s going to say on the phone before talking to someone and she enjoys singing in the car (but never in front of others). I appreciated this demystification of the president, and I liked that she talked to me openly even when I asked her awkward questions including asking for “an embarrassing moment in her life” (your secret is safe with me Manya). Truthfully, I don’t think I want to fall in love with a president who feels distant, but she even responded to my initial email asking her to meet with me faster than some of my professors do. Additionally, she seems like a hard worker and her greatest accomplishment was buying a house at 28 (2 years after starting work at CC). Before that though, she lived on campus. Even though I already liked her, I’m glad she’s also had to experience the CC housing department.
The thing I liked best about Manya was how well she seemed to know her students. Some of the New York Times questions centered on finding traits in common with her partner, which we decided should be Colorado College. She mentioned her commonalities with the CC culture to try new things (I learned she’s recently picked up horseback riding), its commitment to hands-on learning (she’s always led an active lifestyle, including dancing throughout her entire life), and the way that CC encourages students to get involved in a variety of interests (I was surprised to find out she drives a pickup truck), but really these are all things that I think generally ring true for the student body. Manya’s commitment to CC can be seen in her engagement with the students. I know I’ve personally seen her passing out cookies in the library during fourth week, and she told me her favorite thing about her position at CC is getting to talk to alumni and students. Most impressively, she mentioned she comes to Rastall at least once a week (a feat I’m not even sure I accomplish).
So, do Manya and I have a future together? I asked her what her plans were after her 2-year interim period, and while she told me she’s not exactly sure, she has no plans to leave CC. She told me that she’ll always be passionate about education and would even be happy to remain teaching. I do hope though that we get to see more of her passions and aspirations for Colorado College shine through. She seems to care deeply about the future of the Block Plan, the athletics, and the arts at CC, and I would like to see how she can help these keep growing and improving. I think Manya and I will live a long and happy life together (or at least a decent next 18 months).