Monday, August 27, 2012

Orientation completed and classes begin

Yesterday morning we completed this year's Orientation for new students.  The picture below is a picture I took of all of the Orientation Leaders and in the front is Grace Kelly, Director of Student Activities and the driving force behind making what could be a difficult transition into a much more successful one. Grace is ably assisted by a wonderful group of Orientation Leaders who comprise the O-Board - they work for almost an entire year to ensure a successful Orientation - the picture above is of Grace and most of the members of the O-Board. From new students and Orientation Leader alike, the consensus is that this year's Orientation was one of the best EVER.  With construction disrupting the usual flow of families and students into our Residence Halls and making their way to the variety of activities sponsored by Academics and Student Life, it COULD have been a disaster.  Great planning and collaboration between all aspects of the College resulted instead in a very successful Orientation - Well done everyone.
Classes began this morning and I meet with my Practicum class this afternoon.  These are all senior Psychology majors who will be spending this entire academic year together in this class.  They will be out in our community for 8 - 10 hours a week and back in class with me for two and a half hours each week.  This course provides them with supervision on-site and a chance to process all they are doing with their peers in this class.  Tomorrow I meet with Sports Psychology and Theories of Counseling.  Even after 46 years of teaching - YUP, 46 years - I still am excited for classes :)

Take care, be well, and please keep all of the members of our military in your thoughts and prayers -

Dave


Sunday, August 19, 2012

They're BACK............

I am in the office on this great Sunday afternoon getting ready for a couple of workshops this coming week for members of the Residence Life staff (Diversity and Inclusion) and then the Orientation Leaders (your role is crucial in helping our new students transition to SMC).  We also have a Cruise on Tuesday night and I get to take a LOT of pictures AND then the ONE thing that Orientation Leaders love more than anything else - RELAXATION exercise.  This is a fun and exciting time as new students arrive on Thursday, RA's returned yesterday and O-Leaders arrive today and tomorrow.

I am excited about classes this semester as I don't know very many of the students who are enrolled BUT it has also been fun communicating via email over the past couple of weeks.  We have secured some new placements for Practicum and since these students are with me all year and not just one semester, we will get to know each other well.  Sports Psych will be fascinating as we talk about the psychological implications of the Olympics and yes, continue discussions about the scandal of Penn State.  Theories of Counseling class will utilize our Developmental Laboratory again as students get to watch themselves "counsel" through the wonders of technology.  All in all, an exciting time of year.

Off to do some kayaking - went yesterday and am going again today as it IS a beautiful Vermont afternoon.  As always, please take good care, be well and please keep all of the members of our military and our veterans AND their families in your thoughts and prayers.  The number of deaths recently in Afghanistan is staggering -

Dave

Friday, August 10, 2012

TC was in the HOUSE :)

Those of you who are fans of the Boston Red Sox know who TC (Tom Caron) is - TC is on NESN for each broadcasted Sox game and is also an alum of SMC.  I was over in Alliot yesterday waiting to meet someone when there was TC standing with Buff Lindau, our Director of Marketing.  I have met Tom on a number of occasions as he has been a loyal fan of Saint Michael's College since his graduation.  I went over and re-introduced myself and as we were standing there talking a tour from Admissions walked past - as the group went down the hall stopping in front ot the MOVE Office and their guide was explaining things, one father, who had noticed Tom kept watching us - Tom and Buff left and headed over the the President's Office (Tom and his family were in Vermont at Smuggs for a family vacation) this one father walked back to me and before he could ask, I simply said "yes, that is Tom Caron" - the father was quite excited as he "thought" that he had recognized TC but wasn't sure - this was just one of those fun moments around here.

We are all getting ready for the new students to arrive and for our upper-class students to return.  With the construction well under way, they are making sure that there will be access to all of the buildings in the Quad for MOVE IN DAY on the 23rd.  We have been working with the Orientation Leaders and the members of the Residence Life Staff for months getting ready for this and I get to do workshops with these students the week of the 20th.  Diversity and Inclusion are strong and important parts of our community and providing these students who VOLUNTEER to be Orientation Leaders or who are employed by the College as members of the Residence Life Staff with a chance to better understand ALL of the issues surrounding acceptance and diversity is both challenging AND rewarding - they are good people.

Speaking of good people, today Allison Sherman and Rich Gardener are getting married - Allison is an alum and works in our Office of Alumni Relations and Rich is an amazing young man who volunteers his time and energies to Camp Ta Kum Ta which is a Camp for kids with cancer.  Rick is also a realtor and builder and as wonderful a person as Allison is.  Everyone here is so excited for both of them - we ALL wish them the very BEST.

Take care, be well and please keep all of the members of our military and all of our veterans and their families in your thoughts and prayers - with the sad news of several deaths in Afghanistan today they all need our prayers AND gratitude for their service to our country,.

Dave