New masters appointed for Forbes, Mathey

Flower, who just completed a three-year term as the departmental representative for the classics department, explained that she enjoyed working with undergraduates in her position and looks forward to interacting with students in a broader context as master of Mathey.

“As [departmental representative], one works mainly with juniors and seniors, whereas I think the master’s role is often with freshmen and sophomores,” Flower said. “It’s a big change of pace. You see other sides of academic life and student life beyond academics, particularly the learning that goes on outside the classroom.”

College masters “work closely with their staffs to build supportive communities and to devise programs and activities to extend education beyond the classroom,” according to a University statement.

Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel explained that the process of naming a college master involves lengthy discussions with various members of the University community that consider how the position fits with a faculty member’s scholarly and teaching portfolio, as well as family life.

“We need to find the right fit in terms not only of talent and temperament but also of timing,” she said in an e-mail.

Flower, a faculty member since 2003, is also in her third year as an elected member of the Committee on the Course of Study. She has been a faculty fellow in Mathey since 2006, along with her husband Michael Flower, a senior research scholar in the classics department.

Flower explained that she does not yet have any definitive goals for Mathey.

“There are a lot of things I still need to learn about how the college works,” she said. “I’m really excited about working with the great staff that is there.”

Hecht, a faculty member since 1990, has been a faculty adviser at Forbes for almost 20 years. He served as the chemistry department’s associate chair from 2004 to 2007 and as the departmental representative from 2001 to 2008. In recent years, he has also been a member of the Council of the Princeton University Community, the Faculty Advisory Committee on Policy, the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee and the Council on Science and Technology.

Hecht was traveling and could not be reached for comment.

In an e-mail to The Daily Princetonian, Wildberg advised future masters that the position requires service in addition to leadership, noting, “There is no part of a college that does not deserve your undivided attention.”

Wildberg added that he feels a four-year term is perfect for developing and realizing ideas about a college community.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

“I depart with a kaleidoscope of good memories,” Wildberg said. “It will be hard no longer to share the excitement of the first two years of college with Forbes undergraduates.”