Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson has served as Westminster College’s 15th president since July 1, 2016. Her tenure began with leading faculty and staff through the collaborative development of a student-focused strategic plan, which has grounded many of Westminster’s achievements during the past nine years. The College has completed more than $50 million in campus improvements, including the renovation and expansion of the Hoyt Science Center; the addition of three new athletic fields; renovations in the Memorial Field House and Wallace Memorial Chapel; renovations in the McKelvey Campus Center; significant upgrades throughout several residence halls; and replacement of the campus wifi network. A master of business administration program was added, as was the bachelor of science in nursing degree. Westminster’s accreditation was reaffirmed under Dr. Richardson’s leadership, and the nursing program also gained accreditation.
The theme of Dr. Richardson’s presidency has focused on the “We in Westminster,” emphasizing collaborative networks and the collective responsibility that arises out of a college education. To this end, Dr. Richardson has been an important partner across the Pittsburgh region and Commonwealth. She was presented with the inaugural Civic Leader of the Year Impact Award from the Forward Lawrence Chamber and Economic Alliance in 2024. She has served on boards of directors for the Lawrence County Regional Chamber, the Economic Development Corporation of New Wilmington, the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. She currently is secretary of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation. She was recognized in City and State Pennsylvania magazine’s 2022 and 2023 Higher Education Power 100.
Before coming to Westminster College, Richardson was provost and professor of communication at Berry College, Mt. Berry. A highly regarded scholar, Richardson co-authored Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning, which is now in its 12th edition, and Applied Public Relations: Cases in Stakeholder Management, in its 3rd edition. Richardson served as editor of Journalism and Communication Monographs and was co-editor of the National Forensic Journal. In 2014, she was recognized as the Alumna Scholar of the Year by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication of the University of Georgia. In 2012, she received the Professor of the Year award from the Small Programs Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Dr. Richardson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Religion/Philosophy, summa cum laude, from Shorter College, a master’s degree in journalism and a doctorate in mass communication from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. She has completed additional graduate coursework in communication at the University of Oklahoma and at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
She is married to Dr. Randy Richardson and has two adult stepchildren.
Dear Friends of Westminster College,
Blest be the tie that binds…” This quotation from the old hymn describes one of the great strengths of Westminster College where students, faculty, staff and alumni connect in important ways as they live the “We in Westminster.”
And perhaps nothing better demonstrates the power of Titan connections than our annual Homecoming celebration. If you were among the hundreds of alumni who returned to campus in October, I trust you enjoyed cheering the Titans to victories in football and volleyball on campus, but I suspect the real joy was found in reconnecting with Mother Fair and the company of your fellow Titans.
As they gathered in beautiful sunshine for reunions, tours, meals and memories, alumni recalled all the elements of friendship and support that made their years so special with laughter and even some tears. Some described connections begun by chance, through a roommate assignment or the desks selected in a classroom. But many told stories of relationships that were the direct result of purposeful outreach from another student, a coach or a faculty member. For these alumni, the “tie that binds” didn’t form through accident, it formed through an invitation.
This August, student Orientation leaders invited our newest Titans to connect through four days of activities designed to foster friendships among students and form familiarity with staff and faculty. Some arrive at Orientation with Westminster friendships new but deep, the outcome of an early arrival on campus to participate in marching band or a fall sport. Others find their first Westminster friends in their Orientation groups, with whom they will also take Westminster 101, a course that provides information about being a successful Titan and connects them with both an instructor and an upperclass mentor.
Now that the semester is in session, our new students are getting to know their faculty through lectures, labs and office hours—the first steps of connection with the academic mentors who will guide them to successful undergraduate research projects, field experiences, class projects, and later, provide recommendations for graduate school, internships and jobs. At the same time, new Titans are joining campus organizations and participating in student events such as CPC’s weekly bingo games and trivia nights. Many are active athletes or musicians, forming bonds with the students with whom they practice and play.
In September, the Class of 2029 had their first opportunity to connect with employers and alumni at the annual Professional Networking Symposium (PNS). This year’s PNS career fair was crowded with potential employers, graduate recruiters and students with resumes in hand, and the seminars on career-related topics that followed provided compelling evidence of our communal commitment to their professional goals. It was also our new students’ first opportunity to see the willingness of so many alumni to return to campus to share their expertise and experience, a meaningful demonstration of their desire to support current Titans and of their lasting connection to Mother Fair.
If you didn’t make it to Homecoming this year, don’t wait until next year to reach out to your Westminster connections. Attend an alumni gathering in your region. Donate to the Wherever Needed Most or Westminster funds. Call a roommate, sorority sister, fraternity brother or a teammate. Reach out to the Office of Professional Development and Community Engagement to volunteer for next year’s PNS. Watch a livestream of an athletic competition or musical performance. Write a thank-you note to one of your former faculty members. Nominate a student for the Jerb Miller Scholarship or Young Presbyterian Scholar program. Plan to come home to Mother Fair for a visit or event. So many opportunities to show your Titan pride—keep your connections strong!
Blessed are the ties that bind Titans together, year after year, decade after decade.
It’s a great time to be a Titan!
Dr. Kathy B. Richardson
President of Westminster College
