4 Formative Faculty Members Retire

Sue Davis
Professor of physical education and athletics and swim coach
Year she came to Swarthmore: 1974

Sue Davis was hired as an instructor in tennis, fencing, track and field, springboard diving, synchronized swimming, gymnastics, aquatics, archery, volleyball, and badminton as well as coaching women’s varsity swimming and gymnastics. Since 1980, she has directed two annual national-level clinics for coaches and swimmers. In 1981, Davis began coaching the men’s swim team as well. 

During the last 32 years, the women’s team had only three losing seasons, the men’s team only five. Davis sent 98 swimmers to the NCAA Championships and trained 48 All-Americans. 

Interim President Constance Cain Hungerford says of Davis, “You cultivate and push members of your teams to see and expect more of themselves—true growth. You create the top athletes we’re so proud of.”

Charles Grinstead
Professor of mathematics
Year he came to Swarthmore: 1981 

Grinstead taught 27 courses, including eight in honors, in varied areas including calculus, linear algebra, and programming and served on advisory councils to admissions and to the dean. Co-author of many articles and three books, he is working on another book Erdos for Undergraduates.

Interim President Constance Cain Hungerford says, “There are glowing reports of your teaching philosophy and the clarity and precision you apply in explaining any topic to your students. You recognized early on that serious learning is founded upon trusted relationships and the willingness to engage, discuss, and ask questions.”

Rob Hollister Jr.
Joseph Wharton Professor of Economics
Year he came to Swarthmore: 1971

A graduate of Amherst and Stanford, Joseph Wharton Professor of Economics Hollister was departmental chair from 1985 to 1988, a member of many boards of directors and advisory boards, and a consultant to many national and international agencies and organizations. He wrote seven books and numerous articles. 

Professor of Economics and Department Chair Ellen Magenheim comments, “Rob has been a leader in the field of public-policy-program evaluation. He inspired many students to become leaders in economics, public-policy analysis, and program evaluation.” 

Jon Sherman
Associate in dance performance
Year he came to Swarthmore: 1988

Sherman, who trained professionally with the Pennsylvania Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the School of American Ballet, and the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, “grew” Swarthmore’s ballet program from a single technique offering to include three levels of ballet technique, a pointe class, and yearly ballet repertory classes. 

Sharon Friedler, professor of dance, says, “From 2000 through 2015, Jon led the Swarthmore Project in Dance, a summer residency program where new dance works are created. Students, faculty, and the surrounding community have all been enriched by the opportunities to attend workshops and informal performances when these artists return to campus during the following academic year.”