Swarthmore College Hires New VP of HR

The new vice president for human resources at Swarthmore is Pamela Prescod-Caesar. Her position begins on February 15, 2012. She is taking over the role previously held by Melanie Young. While serving as the vice president for human resources, Prescod-Caesar will be responsible for establishing and communicating human resources policies to staff and faculty at the school along with the Board of Managers.

“I very much look forward to working in partnership with faculty and staff members to advance the strategic initiatives of Swarthmore and I’m very excited at the prospect of becoming an integral part of the College community,” says Prescod-Caesar.

President Rebecca Chopp explained that she is pleased with the decision by the college to hire Prescod-Caesar as the new vice president of human resources. The search committee reviewed hundreds of applicants from across the country, bringing them to campus for interviews with staff, faculty, and students.

“The members of the search committee and I believe she will bring significant leadership to HR and that she will join all of us in sustaining and improving our community,” Chopp said. “Pamela is skilled at developing collaborative partnerships. In her previous positions, she has had great success in finding solutions for complex problems that yield beneficial community outcomes. Among such successes is her rich history of creating and implementing diversity programs that foster and support building inclusive communities. Pamela also has experience in helping an institution achieve its organizational goals through the implementation of its strategic plan.”

Right now, Prescod-Caesar is the associate vice president for human resources with Colgate University. President Chopp also served at Colgate prior to moving to Swarthmore. Her Colgate colleagues held her in high regards.

“Pamela is a charismatic, creative leader who has a great sense of humor,” says Lori Chlad, the director of human resources at Colgate University. “Pamela has strengthened Colgate’s Human Resources department and helped the staff achieve their full potential. We wish Pamela and her new staff at Swarthmore the best of luck as they embark on this new journey.”

The experience list for Prescod-Caesar is lengthy and very impressive. It includes beinga member of the Society for Human Resources Management, which is an international association that is devoted to human resource management. She is also a member of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, which is a national association for higher education human resources. Prescod-Caesar previously served as a member on the board of Roxbury Comprehensive Health Center and the Greater Boston YMCA Black Achievers Alumni Association. Prescod-Caesar was also a fellow in Harvard University’s Administrative Fellows Program.

Prescod-Caesar and her husband Henry have two children. Those two children are completing their education at the moment. Nichole, who is 23, is studying at Boston College and Toren, who is 21, is studying at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.