The Beginning, Again

Well the month of August disappeared into the past amazingly fast and we're already into the cool weather of September. This weekend is move-in day for new students and their parents.

In the past parents had been whisked away quickly and without much regard. Now we offer them seminars, counseling, dinner, and frequent tours of the campus. I had the obligation and, I discovered, the pleasure of giving tours of the new Liebling wing of the film/photo building, but I was astonished to find fifty parents in the first group and the same number in still yet another group. In retrospect I see how that many people changes what you can talk about and it's a compelling validation for small classes. However, I did have a good time and a few parents told me afterwards they were grateful for the information I gave them.

With that many people, most of whom were not really interested in media education, but more general information about Hampshire, I simply talked about what I think it takes to get through Hampshire. Engagement. Positive engagement. That, like most of life, means something different to different people, but without it you'll flounder and drop away. It means interacting with the day, with your classes, with your professors, with administrators, with other students – not just showing up. Just showing up only gets you in the door. The rest is up to you and it's not enough just to go to class. You can take all the classes we offer and not be able to graduate! Work here is project oriented and helped along by friends and associates. Friends are personal and might be content free. Associates are content oriented, but could also be friends. You need both and you need to know how to get them.

One of the most interesting byproducts of the lingering of parents is the feeling that they, too, bond with the school and become interested in not just their own sons and daughters, but the campus as a place and as an idea. I also found, surprisingly, that it worked the other way too. I felt an obligation to pay attention to their specific family member and take a responsibility to help them through Hampshire. The families did their job and I think they'll get more out of Hampshire for being here.

So I always feel the glow of optimism each September. So much is possible, so many good things will happen, it could all work out for everyone. We can hope so, but we all have to work at it and make it happen. There's no free ride here, but everyone wants the students to succeed.

gunther