Carmen Twillie Ambar
Carmen Twillie Ambar, the 15th president of Oberlin College and Conservatory, stepped into her current position in 2017. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ambar has held top administrative roles at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania, Rutgers University and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
Determined to continue Oberlin’s reputation as a strong, forward-thinking school, Ambar has initiated and guided a number of positive changes that impact current and future students. Those changes, in turn, have lit paths for other similar thinking schools and also strengthened opportunities for Lorain County and its residents. Among those accomplishments: expanded scholarship programs, a carbon neutral campus, overseen the launch of an unprecedented number of majors and minors in the college and conservatory, enhanced student tracks for study abroad and community-based learning.
How do you see your role as the school’s leader?
“I am reading The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek. It makes you think of your organization as something that will outlast you. That makes you believe in values differently. When you are leading an institution that has this kind of history and accomplishments, you feel obligated. You know that people who will be here after you will benefit from things you do well and also be affected by things you don’t do well. I take that seriously. It's an albatross, all right. But some albatrosses are right. The weight is not constricting.”
What has helped form your moral compass?
“Faith is important to me. I am so glad my parents gave me that gift. I don’t necessary wear it on my sleeve. But having faith gives me the ability to think about what is important to me.”
You are the mother of 18-year-old triplets, all in their first year at Oberlin. How has that responsibility shaped your life?
“First of all you have to realize that having three will be fun, even if you have to live with a certain level of chaos and uncertainty. There were days when they were young, when I’d walk out the door and I didn’t have peas in my hair. That was good. That taught me a kind of humbleness. I made it. Everything will be fine. Having triplets helps you understand what is important. We all have jobs that are consuming, but my children taught me what all people need to do. When I came home, the triplets were relentless. But you can’t be split between your children and your job. I learned to give all of me to them and give them what they needed. Then I could go back to my job.”
FAVORITES
Book: “I’m reading Atomic Habits by James Clear that encourages you to make small changes. I tell my students that what they read in the next five years and the people they associate with will help determine what kind of person they will become.”
Movie: “Classics including The Godfather or The Lord of the Rings. I like those three-hour epics.”
Play: “My mom was chair of a college theater and arts department. I saw lots of plays. But I like musicals best — I want to leave the theater singing. Oberlin has a new music theater major and always, when these students visit my home, someone ends up playing the piano.”
Sport: “I grew up swimming but gave up a lot of actual participation in sports for a while. But since I’ve come to Oberlin, I am back in the gym four to six days a week. I’ve done body building and U-clips. And tractor tire throwing. The hottest shirt on campus is only given to students who participate. It says, ‘My president is stronger than your president.’”
