Swarthmore College Appoints Two Women Scholars to Endowed Chairs

Jane Gillham has been named the Eugene M. Lang Research Professor in the department of psychology. She first joined the Swarthmore College faculty in 1998 as a visiting lecturer. She has since risen to the rank of full professor and had two stints as chair of the psychology department. As a scholar and clinical psychologist, her work focuses on promoting well-being in people, especially adolescents and young adults.

Dr. Gillham is a summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sunka Simon has been named the Henry C. and Charlotte Turner Professor in the German studies program and the department of film and media studies. A Swarthmore College faculty member for over two decades, she has served in various leadership roles throughout her tenure, including four years as associate provost for faculty development, diversity, and excellence. She has authored several books, most recently, German Crime Dramas From Network TV to Netflix (Bloomsbury Academic, 2023).

Dr. Simon holds a master’s degree in German and American literature from Universität Hamburg in Germany and a Ph.D. in German literature from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.