The Crisp Chair for Information Technology was established in 2005 by Emily Ridgway Crisp ’59 and Peter O. Crisp to endow teaching within the area of information technology. In a world where technology is constantly changing, independent schools must work diligently to stay ahead of the curve and provide a safe, engaging, and stable online environment for teaching and learning. The pace of change is breathtaking and requires vision, persistence and a great sense of humor. Fortunately for Miss Porter’s School, the recipient of this chair exemplifies these traits and many more. Her work is informed by her unique career path as an engaging educator, successful administrator and lifelong learner.

Grounded by her training and experience as an educator, she centers our students and faculty to ensure that technology can be harnessed to improve learning. A committed and connected professional, she is always learning from her peers and putting new ideas to work to create a more efficient and effective campus network.
She is a willing collaborator and partner and her impact on our campus is often not well known but essential – she led critical and timely work to expand our campus WiFi network, established and managed a gazillion Zoom licenses during COVID, contributed impactful ideas on campus renovations, and is always willing to brainstorm technology solutions with anyone.

The recipient of The Crisp Chair for Information Technology is Cheryl Costello.