Now that I've made it to the evening I kinda forgot today was all one day.
First, I got up and ready at a normal adult time so that I could have a nice thank you breakfast with the Provost for our work on the recent student recognition programs. (I will get up and adult for breakfast. Now you know the secret.) Kevin and a couple other faculty folk were there and we had a really nice, real-talk conversation about student programs, enrollment, Kansas issues, and all kinds of things. Plus, we got to poke fun at Kevin for his big professor words. This is pretty common. It's out of love. It's rare, however, to get so much nearly one-on-one time with the Provost, so that was a treat. She's ultra busy and overloaded but she really cares about what is going on.
Then we had a couple student visits that went a bit longer than admissions probably would have liked. Sorrynotsorry.
Then we hosted a group of Foundation board members and staff in Tiger Village, where my nuggets live. For those who don't know, Foundation = People Who Direct the Donor Money. So, it's important. This was our first opportunity since I've been here to talk to them directly about why the HC is awesome and what we'd like to see in our future. (Scholarship funds and more positions/salary, pleeeeeease.) We had 5 amazing students attend to give their thoughts. They're so good at speaking about their experience and what they want for themselves and others, they're so excited and passionate about what they're doing and what we're doing, they're grateful and generously complimentary of our support, and they're really proud to be part of our campus. It's a joy to hear that what we're doing makes such a difference for them. They are why we're here though. They make this place what it is.
The fact that our brilliant students are willing and able to articulate the value of our school and our program, and us as faculty and staff, will do more than they know to help their fellow Tigers down the road. Their words were heard.
Kevin and I were given a lot of (well earned) credit for the current overwhelming* successes, by our Vice President of Student Affairs, Joey. He made it known to everyone there that we're doing the work that needs doing. He asked how many recognition programs we attended (I think it's all but one), because he knows we were at all of them. He said our efforts are recognized. We often have our doubts in the often icky climate that is higher ed, so it can be a little bit exceptional to get straight up recognition. One of Joey's laments, which I've heard a couple times since I've also taken a class with him, is that the further he advanced in his career the less student contact he has. He spent some time afterward talking to our students about the value they can bring in speaking to prospective students.
On the third or fourth time he said "one more thing, then I'm leaving..." he said "today filled my heart with joy" to hear from such committed students. The man LOVES his Tigers, and we love him for it. He genuinely is the cheerleader for everything FHSU. I'm so glad that he was able to experience what we get to see all the time.
After all of that, I went to a little social function with some of my HESA classmates. I got to meet some people I'd only seen in a signature line, so that was kind of nice.
Now I'm exhausted but I wanted to write this out because it was a really rewarding day, overall, in the midst of an otherwise really bleak week. I didn't get a lot done, but at the same time it was more productive than a day where my inbox looks nice. You need some of both.
*I mean literally overwhelming. Our incoming class for fall 2022 is....approximately GINORMOUS. I'm legitimately unsure how we're going to work out some of the usual things we do because there's still only two of us. We have to do the same job we've done with an average of 17 freshman students with over 40 freshman students, plus non-freshmen. Plus, you know, I'll be in two graduate classes at the same time. I think I'm even going to forego a reminder email for our application deadline. They've met the challenge. We have more than we can handle, but we're going to make it work. FHSU is a very "we'll make it work" sort of place. They need to get it together and pay people but...that's a different post. I am rich in nice feelings, if not in pay.
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