Wow!!! It’s almost over. Tomorrow is our last day and we are celebrating like any institution of higher education would…GRADUATION day is tomorrow! I feel like I have had a crash course in leadership and deserved or not, I am looking forward to getting my certificate of COMPLETION! I can’t tell you how bless I feel to have had this opportunity and will be sharing as much as I can with my OSU colleagues and friends to “pass the gift on” to others who are interested. I have a lot of “lessons learned” that will stay with me forever. Let me also say, how grateful I am to have received 63 letters and cards during the last 3 weeks. My dorm room wall is covered with your words of encouragement, support and humorous messages. You have enabled me to feel connected to all of you which has made all the difference in the world. As you all know, being and staying connected is so important to me. THANK YOU AGAIN!
I had another wonderful weekend in Philly. One of my dearest friends, Wendy, came to visit for the weekend and she experienced it all…the Bryn Mawr college, dorm life, the summer leadership institute and downtown Philadelphia all within 48 hours! Wendy was feeling adventurous and wanted to relive her college days so we embraced the opportunity to “sneak” her into my dorm room overnight on Friday. Ironically, I think she slept better than I did. We “borrowed” the couch cushions from the community living room and made a bed for her on my dorm room floor. Her reaction the next day was classic…”I can’t believe you’ve done this for 3 weeks!” I have validation! Wendy completely validated my initial reaction that the dorms aren’t as exciting as they may seem. I had class on Saturday until noon so Wendy actually joined me for part of the morning session. We watched a documentary called the “Women of Summer” that details how Bryn Mawr welcomed women workers from industry offering summer school from 1921 to 1938. After class, we headed downtown to Philly to see the sights and walk and eat our way through South street and Penn’s Landing. It was wonderful!
Last Thursday ( July 9th), we traveled to Washington D.C. to visit the American Council on Education (ACE). This was probably the most impactful day of the entire summer institute. I had heard a little about ACE but didn’t really understand the scale and scope of this organization for higher education. ACE membership represents 80% of the colleges/institutions in the US ranging from private to public, doctorate degree institutions to community colleges and nonprofit to profit sectors. ACE advocates for higher institutions in Washington D.C. on public policy issues and provides a forum for collaboration and training on critical issues such as diversity, internationalization and leadership. It was completing eye-opening for me to hear the national perspective about the challenges that higher education faces now and in the future. Challenges or should I say “opportunities for improvement” such as student aid legislation, access and innovation. President Obama has made the declaration that he wants to have the highest percentage of college educated citizens by the year 2010. Currently, 39% of Americans under the age of 25 have a college degree (30% have a bachelors and 9% have an associate degree). Canada has the highest percentage (55%), followed by Japan (54%) and Korea. If you are interested in hearing more, ask me. J I also heard about the impact of the new GI Bill (effective August 2009), more data on the changing workforce and initiatives to increase women and underrepresented minorities in leadership roles. Things are changing and it is so important that we monitor the national perspective as well as the state’s agenda as Ohio State moves from excellence to eminence. REALLY GREAT INFORMATION!!!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Wendy and I at the Market St. train station
Wendy and I were having so much fun that we kept forgetting to take pictures. We took this one just as she was catching the train for the airport to go home.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The OSU FIVE... From left to right, front to back row, Carla Curtis (Assoc. Professor, College of Social Work), Georgina Dodge (Asst. Vice Provost for Minority Affairs), Lisa Hinkleman (Director, The Interprofessional Commission of Ohio, College of Education and Human Ecology), Me and Mindy Wright (Director of Community Partnerships, Colleges of Arts and Sciences).
My Career Triad... Navenna Ponnusamy (Asst Dean for College of Business, University of Southern California), Me and Krista Hoffmann-Longtin (Associate Dtr for Outreach and Engagement at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis)
Third week...
I’ll be home a week from TODAY! Wow, time does really fly by. It’s interesting how one adjusts and what really bothered me the first week doesn’t even matter anymore. A twin bed, bare walls, the unknown of this experience is no longer relevant. The first week seemed to last forever and now I only have 6 more days with these incredible women. I am doing my best to soak up the wisdom and experience around me. I am so thankful for this experience!!! 20/20 hindsight makes me wonder if the organizers of the HERS program “over-saturated” us with information and sessions in the beginning to “break us in”? Remember how hard freshman year was? Now things seem a bit easier and more relaxed, probably because I am no longer wasting energy on the little stuff.
So far, this week has been all about budgets, finance and mapping out our career paths. Oh… the terminology of the finance world! It has been so helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the common language…financial statements (income, balance, statement of cash flows), operating budget identifying revenue sources vs. expenses, unrestricted vs. permanently restricted net assets, incremental budgeting vs. responsibility centered budgeting. ARGH! Don’t ask me for an explanation unless I am in front of my notes. J They stressed the value of endowments for private colleges vs. public institutions. We heard from John Griffith (Treasurer for Bryn Mawr) who came from a state public system (University of New Jersey). He was able to compare and contrast between the public and private sectors. Endowment revenue is a vital component of the operating budget for most private institutions whereas endowments represent a very small portion of the budget for public institutions For example, Bryn Mawr ‘s endowment represents 40% of their operating budget compared to 2% for OSU. Of course, OSU has a lot more revenue generating departments (medical center, research grants, athletics etc.) that most private institutions don’t have.
We shifting topics yesterday back to our own professional development… we spent time with our "career triad". At the end of the first week, we formed groups of three to concentrate on our career paths and offer each other advice... aka a career triad. Yesterday, our career triad actually had a chance to talk in depth with a senior administrator, Joann Mitchell, Vice President for Institutional Affairs at the University of Penn. She was incredible and offered great suggestions for me to consider as I advance in the years to come. One of the most valuable aspects of this institute for me has been the ability to make connections with senior faculty, administrators, provosts and presidents from various colleges. My professional network has exploded but the key will be maintaining these relationships when the “real world” welcomes me back home.
I keep forgetting to share two tidbids of information completely unrelated to the events of the last few days. The Canyon Ranch has been catering all of our food! Yes, that’s right! Canyon Ranch is one of most famous spas in the country and they are hosting a kid’s camp at Bryn Mawr. So, we benefit from all of the meals being catered by the Canyon Ranch chefs which means the food has been delicious and healthy at the same time. I am getting so spoiled. The food definitely makes up for the dorm room and lack of other creature comforts. Secondly, there are 49 attendees at this summer institute which is dramatically smaller than previous years primarily due to the economy. But, almost 20% of the attendees are from the state of Ohio! As you know, 5 are from OSU but 5 other Ohio colleges are represented (Case Western Reserve, Cleveland State, University of Dayton, Ohio University and Wright State). “O-H” always receives an “I-O” in response regardless of the crowd. Very cool!
ANOTHER big thank you for the continuous incoming mail. I received 12 pieces of mail this week so far! You all have far surpassed my wishes and hopes for mail. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
So far, this week has been all about budgets, finance and mapping out our career paths. Oh… the terminology of the finance world! It has been so helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the common language…financial statements (income, balance, statement of cash flows), operating budget identifying revenue sources vs. expenses, unrestricted vs. permanently restricted net assets, incremental budgeting vs. responsibility centered budgeting. ARGH! Don’t ask me for an explanation unless I am in front of my notes. J They stressed the value of endowments for private colleges vs. public institutions. We heard from John Griffith (Treasurer for Bryn Mawr) who came from a state public system (University of New Jersey). He was able to compare and contrast between the public and private sectors. Endowment revenue is a vital component of the operating budget for most private institutions whereas endowments represent a very small portion of the budget for public institutions For example, Bryn Mawr ‘s endowment represents 40% of their operating budget compared to 2% for OSU. Of course, OSU has a lot more revenue generating departments (medical center, research grants, athletics etc.) that most private institutions don’t have.
We shifting topics yesterday back to our own professional development… we spent time with our "career triad". At the end of the first week, we formed groups of three to concentrate on our career paths and offer each other advice... aka a career triad. Yesterday, our career triad actually had a chance to talk in depth with a senior administrator, Joann Mitchell, Vice President for Institutional Affairs at the University of Penn. She was incredible and offered great suggestions for me to consider as I advance in the years to come. One of the most valuable aspects of this institute for me has been the ability to make connections with senior faculty, administrators, provosts and presidents from various colleges. My professional network has exploded but the key will be maintaining these relationships when the “real world” welcomes me back home.
I keep forgetting to share two tidbids of information completely unrelated to the events of the last few days. The Canyon Ranch has been catering all of our food! Yes, that’s right! Canyon Ranch is one of most famous spas in the country and they are hosting a kid’s camp at Bryn Mawr. So, we benefit from all of the meals being catered by the Canyon Ranch chefs which means the food has been delicious and healthy at the same time. I am getting so spoiled. The food definitely makes up for the dorm room and lack of other creature comforts. Secondly, there are 49 attendees at this summer institute which is dramatically smaller than previous years primarily due to the economy. But, almost 20% of the attendees are from the state of Ohio! As you know, 5 are from OSU but 5 other Ohio colleges are represented (Case Western Reserve, Cleveland State, University of Dayton, Ohio University and Wright State). “O-H” always receives an “I-O” in response regardless of the crowd. Very cool!
ANOTHER big thank you for the continuous incoming mail. I received 12 pieces of mail this week so far! You all have far surpassed my wishes and hopes for mail. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
INDEPENDENCE DAY in Philadelphia!
What a great city… expensive city…and truly American city rich with history and cultural significance! Derek arrived a few minutes EARLY on Friday night but I was there to greet him at the airport. Thanks to Cousin Anne, I felt like a native already taking charge of getting us to the hotel and finding a great restaurant for dinner. Only 2 blocks from the Sheraton on Society Hill, we ate at a Spanish tapas restaurant and as Derek always says…”we ordered the menu.” We had a sampling of the chef’s favorite dishes sitting on the patio and people watching the entire time.
Saturday was filled with traditional 4th of July fun. We watched the parade as it marched through Independence Mall, walked the streets of downtown Philly and had an early dinner at a yummy Cuban restaurant. Then we embraced public transit (yes, the subway) as we made our way to the Museum of Art along with a few hundred thousand of our closest friends to watch Sheryl Crow and see the fireworks! It was very fun, incredibly crowded but worth it all!
Today, we took it much easier. We walked down to Reading Market to enjoy some of the local food fare and then back to Benjamin Franklin Parkway where all the museums are located. Off my right, I saw a flag waving from the science museum that read “Star Trek Adventure”. Luckily for Derek, it was a Star Trek exhibition so we spent a few hours milling around the museum enjoying the sights. We spend the rest of the day hanging out at the pool and walking around the historic district and Penn’s landing only blocks from the hotel.
It felt so great to just relax and be with Derek. I am definitely home sick and missed celebrating the 4th with my friends and family. I was secretly hoping that Derek would sneak “the girls/Pixel and Paxil’ on the plane.
Tomorrow, it is back to the routine of class all day but the coursework this week looks very interesting. Sessions about budget and finance, planning our careers for the future, getting advice from senior female administrators and a road trip to Washington D.C. to visit the America Council on Education. Good stuff!
Saturday was filled with traditional 4th of July fun. We watched the parade as it marched through Independence Mall, walked the streets of downtown Philly and had an early dinner at a yummy Cuban restaurant. Then we embraced public transit (yes, the subway) as we made our way to the Museum of Art along with a few hundred thousand of our closest friends to watch Sheryl Crow and see the fireworks! It was very fun, incredibly crowded but worth it all!
Today, we took it much easier. We walked down to Reading Market to enjoy some of the local food fare and then back to Benjamin Franklin Parkway where all the museums are located. Off my right, I saw a flag waving from the science museum that read “Star Trek Adventure”. Luckily for Derek, it was a Star Trek exhibition so we spent a few hours milling around the museum enjoying the sights. We spend the rest of the day hanging out at the pool and walking around the historic district and Penn’s landing only blocks from the hotel.
It felt so great to just relax and be with Derek. I am definitely home sick and missed celebrating the 4th with my friends and family. I was secretly hoping that Derek would sneak “the girls/Pixel and Paxil’ on the plane.
Tomorrow, it is back to the routine of class all day but the coursework this week looks very interesting. Sessions about budget and finance, planning our careers for the future, getting advice from senior female administrators and a road trip to Washington D.C. to visit the America Council on Education. Good stuff!
4th of July Parade, fireworks/Sheryl Crow and the museum area.
Star Trek stimulator at the Science museum. Looks cooler than it was.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Ask and you shall receive… the universe has responded with MAIL! I can’t even believe it! I have received 17 pieces of mail this week so far. My wall is getting decorated with all of your incredible words of encouragement and colorful advice (June-Bugg). Keep it coming… I love it! You are the best friends and colleagues ever! I feel so blessed and grateful for your support. I miss everyone so much!!
I have definitely gained a new perspective this week. I am MUCH more comfortable and letting go of some of the “stuff” that was overwhelming me last week. I am also learning how to best “balance” the demanding schedule and my need for sleep and introspection! Yes, even strong extroverts need some down time with no people.
I am finding that I am getting the most value from the panel discussions. On Monday, we heard from three female leaders about state planning and budgets. Selma Botman is the new President for the University of Southern Maine which is a public institution with 3 campuses and approximately 10,000 students. Theo Kalikow is a long standing President (15 years) from the University of Maine at Farmington which is a public liberal arts college of about 2,000 students. Lastly, we heard from Peggy Rotundo who served on the legislative committee for the state of Maine. Most of the conversation was centered on the challenges and opportunities that exist for state institutions to develop a strong academic plan and operational budget without knowing the state appropriations. It was really interesting to learn more about how important it is for the state legislator and the campus leadership to have a strong and trusting relationship. We kept hearing how vital it is to align the university’s mission with the public agenda for state budgets to continue sufficient appropriations. I think we are very fortunate at OSU to have leadership who understands this and operates from this value system. Oh... the politics are so important. Each woman offered clear and direct advice from the heart. I could have listened to them for hours!
We had a field trip on Tuesday and traveled to Temple University located in northern Philadelphia (about a 30 minute bus ride). The campus is located in an “urban setting” with great diversity all around. Temple is the 26th largest institution in the country with student enrollment approximately 37,000 and 12,000 faculty & staff. Lisa Staiano-Coico, Provost of Temple, talked about how she led the strategic planning agenda for Temple upon her arrival in 2007. She used typical methods such as making decisions based on their core values while gathering input via focus groups and committee recommendations. She was very engaging but I didn’t hear any new ideas.
Yesterday was all about strategic planning and working with groups on case studies and understanding the value of development (fund-raising) in the academic environment. We have a few VP’s of Development as participants of the institute so it was great to hear multiple perspectives on how to support the development office and when to involve campus leadership in “closing the deal”.
Today, we broke up into smaller work groups to strategize about various topics. Many of you know that I had to select a leadership project prior to arriving to the institute. My topic was to learn what female faculty need in terms of career flexibility. I was involved in a lengthy conversation about “work-life” balance that was generated by a woman who is the department chair. Faculty and staff seem to share the same stressors about how to best integrate work and life. I heard the same frustrations and self-imposed expectations for excellence in both areas of life. I prompted them a few times to ask “What do you need from your organization?” “What policies, programs, services would best support you in the quest to integrate work and life?” The conversation kept going back to what is within one’s control. What can I do? Not what can my institution/college do to help me. Perhaps, with a group of self-starters and over-achievers, they are trained to seek the answers they need internally. Of course, this is a good thing but it was interesting that no one really wanted to talk about something that was outside of their locus of control. I will keep probing to see what I can learn.
I am SUPER excited for the weekend. Derek arrives at 6:35pm tomorrow and we have the weekend free from the institute to do whatever we want! So, we plan to explore Philly, check out the Rocky statue, watch the July 4th parade and of course see the fireworks! Oh, yeah… Sheryl Crow is playing downtown too as part of the festivities… FREE!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and celebrates all that America has to offer each and every one of us! God Bless America!
I have definitely gained a new perspective this week. I am MUCH more comfortable and letting go of some of the “stuff” that was overwhelming me last week. I am also learning how to best “balance” the demanding schedule and my need for sleep and introspection! Yes, even strong extroverts need some down time with no people.
I am finding that I am getting the most value from the panel discussions. On Monday, we heard from three female leaders about state planning and budgets. Selma Botman is the new President for the University of Southern Maine which is a public institution with 3 campuses and approximately 10,000 students. Theo Kalikow is a long standing President (15 years) from the University of Maine at Farmington which is a public liberal arts college of about 2,000 students. Lastly, we heard from Peggy Rotundo who served on the legislative committee for the state of Maine. Most of the conversation was centered on the challenges and opportunities that exist for state institutions to develop a strong academic plan and operational budget without knowing the state appropriations. It was really interesting to learn more about how important it is for the state legislator and the campus leadership to have a strong and trusting relationship. We kept hearing how vital it is to align the university’s mission with the public agenda for state budgets to continue sufficient appropriations. I think we are very fortunate at OSU to have leadership who understands this and operates from this value system. Oh... the politics are so important. Each woman offered clear and direct advice from the heart. I could have listened to them for hours!
We had a field trip on Tuesday and traveled to Temple University located in northern Philadelphia (about a 30 minute bus ride). The campus is located in an “urban setting” with great diversity all around. Temple is the 26th largest institution in the country with student enrollment approximately 37,000 and 12,000 faculty & staff. Lisa Staiano-Coico, Provost of Temple, talked about how she led the strategic planning agenda for Temple upon her arrival in 2007. She used typical methods such as making decisions based on their core values while gathering input via focus groups and committee recommendations. She was very engaging but I didn’t hear any new ideas.
Yesterday was all about strategic planning and working with groups on case studies and understanding the value of development (fund-raising) in the academic environment. We have a few VP’s of Development as participants of the institute so it was great to hear multiple perspectives on how to support the development office and when to involve campus leadership in “closing the deal”.
Today, we broke up into smaller work groups to strategize about various topics. Many of you know that I had to select a leadership project prior to arriving to the institute. My topic was to learn what female faculty need in terms of career flexibility. I was involved in a lengthy conversation about “work-life” balance that was generated by a woman who is the department chair. Faculty and staff seem to share the same stressors about how to best integrate work and life. I heard the same frustrations and self-imposed expectations for excellence in both areas of life. I prompted them a few times to ask “What do you need from your organization?” “What policies, programs, services would best support you in the quest to integrate work and life?” The conversation kept going back to what is within one’s control. What can I do? Not what can my institution/college do to help me. Perhaps, with a group of self-starters and over-achievers, they are trained to seek the answers they need internally. Of course, this is a good thing but it was interesting that no one really wanted to talk about something that was outside of their locus of control. I will keep probing to see what I can learn.
I am SUPER excited for the weekend. Derek arrives at 6:35pm tomorrow and we have the weekend free from the institute to do whatever we want! So, we plan to explore Philly, check out the Rocky statue, watch the July 4th parade and of course see the fireworks! Oh, yeah… Sheryl Crow is playing downtown too as part of the festivities… FREE!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and celebrates all that America has to offer each and every one of us! God Bless America!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
It's all about the Philly cheesesteak sandwich!
I know you can't tell from this picture but we are standing right next to the liberty bell in the historic district of Philadelphia.
I asked several different people and they all said that you have to get a Philly cheesesteak sandwich from Jim's on South Street. Cousin Anne agreed and guided us straight there for lunch today.
Here it is...but we opted for provolone cheese instead of the traditional chez-whiz. I'll try it with chez-whiz and peppers next weekend with Derek. Do you see the "tasty-cakes" in the picture? The CEO of OSU's medical center, Dr. Gabbe, strongly recommended the butterscrotch ones but they only had chocolate. Apparently, tasty cakes are a local favoriate and hard to find outside of Philly. I will find a butterscrotch one before I cast my opinion on how "tasty" it really is.
One week is over already...
HEY everyone! Happy Sunday Evening. Let me start by saying that I am feeling great after spending an incredible 24 hours with Cousin Anne. She took the bus (a 2 hr ride from Manhattan) to spend the weekend with me in Philadelphia. It was such a relief to get off campus and see a friendly face that I could just be myself around. We had a GREAT time walking all around the historic district shopping, listening to music and watching fireworks on the pier. Cousin Anne lived in Philly for 2 years in her early 20’s so she was a great tour guide showing me her old “haunts” and favorite places. We learned that we shop well together pointing out things that the other should buy or just try on. We each indulged in a cheap bracelet and a not-so-cheap pair of shoes.
So, a few of us sneaked out on Friday night. By sneaking out, I mean that we skipped dinner and ventured out on our own in search of a good pizza and brewery pub in Philly. We had a wonderful time just being “real” and processing the past week. I know that I have buddies here now that were feeling the same way I was. I am so grateful that we had that time to just have fun with no pressure or expectations.
This past Thursday and Friday, we spent a lot of time talking about a reframing methodology that I am sure my organizational development colleagues are probably familiar with. A hilarious and brilliant woman named Brenda J. Allen (Associate Dean for Planning & Resources at the University of Colorado) presented the methodology by introducing the word “frame”. What does it mean to frame something? The word itself means so many different things depending on one’s background, experience and personal bias. So, she described 4 basic models to approach organizational change. They are structural (rules/policies/organizational charts), human resources (focus on people), political (coalitions formed to influence) and symbolic (culture/ritual/inspire). We spent hours applying these concepts to case studies and within small group work. It is clear to me that I lean much more to the structural and human resource frame to solve problems and then consider political and symbolic last. It was really neat to test each other’s thinking and then point out gaps in their framework. The goal of this was for us to practice using all 4 of the frameworks as they all have value and create a more complete and holistic solution. During the lecture, my mind wondered to when I interviewed President Gee in preparation for the summer institute. He described how he wished OSU was more like a ballerina (flexible, elegant & creative) and less like an elephant (slow moving and difficult to control). I would suspect from my limited understanding of his leadership style that he tends to operate from a symbolic and political framework. If I get the chance, I’ll ask him if I am right.
I think that some of my attendees are getting quite jealous! I am getting mail almost every day. Rick definitely gets the prize for the longest letter so far... 3 single spaced pages! THANK you for your words of encouragement and insight. Lisa and Sadie send me another card but this one was from Vinny and I got my first JT related mail from Kristen. You are all wonderful!!!
So, a few of us sneaked out on Friday night. By sneaking out, I mean that we skipped dinner and ventured out on our own in search of a good pizza and brewery pub in Philly. We had a wonderful time just being “real” and processing the past week. I know that I have buddies here now that were feeling the same way I was. I am so grateful that we had that time to just have fun with no pressure or expectations.
This past Thursday and Friday, we spent a lot of time talking about a reframing methodology that I am sure my organizational development colleagues are probably familiar with. A hilarious and brilliant woman named Brenda J. Allen (Associate Dean for Planning & Resources at the University of Colorado) presented the methodology by introducing the word “frame”. What does it mean to frame something? The word itself means so many different things depending on one’s background, experience and personal bias. So, she described 4 basic models to approach organizational change. They are structural (rules/policies/organizational charts), human resources (focus on people), political (coalitions formed to influence) and symbolic (culture/ritual/inspire). We spent hours applying these concepts to case studies and within small group work. It is clear to me that I lean much more to the structural and human resource frame to solve problems and then consider political and symbolic last. It was really neat to test each other’s thinking and then point out gaps in their framework. The goal of this was for us to practice using all 4 of the frameworks as they all have value and create a more complete and holistic solution. During the lecture, my mind wondered to when I interviewed President Gee in preparation for the summer institute. He described how he wished OSU was more like a ballerina (flexible, elegant & creative) and less like an elephant (slow moving and difficult to control). I would suspect from my limited understanding of his leadership style that he tends to operate from a symbolic and political framework. If I get the chance, I’ll ask him if I am right.
I think that some of my attendees are getting quite jealous! I am getting mail almost every day. Rick definitely gets the prize for the longest letter so far... 3 single spaced pages! THANK you for your words of encouragement and insight. Lisa and Sadie send me another card but this one was from Vinny and I got my first JT related mail from Kristen. You are all wonderful!!!
Girls night out...
Friday's beer and pizza night...aka...getting the "real" night. From left to right, Josie (Dean of Students @ California Maritime Academy), Krista (Assoc. Dtr of External Affairs, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), Lisa (Dtr of the Interprofessional Commission of Ohio @ OSU) and me.
Josie, Krista and Lisa in front of the Bread and Brewery in Philly.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Getting my "sea legs" a bit.
Wow... Every day builds on the next and there is such wisdom and strength among the women here. I am getting my “sea legs” and starting to feel like I belong now. My thinking shifted today as I found commonalities among us and more genuine conversations. I am starting to feel more like myself and I can tell that I am opening up more and sharing more of who I am. Yesterday was amazing! We spent the entire morning listening to a panel discussion of 3 women leaders. The panel consisted of Roberta Gitenstein (President, The College of New Jersey), Joann Mitchell (Vice President for Institutional Affairs, University of Pennsylvania), and Karen Stout (President of Montgomery County Community College) It was incredible to hear their stories, their rise to leadership and complexities of their vastly different institutions. Much of the discussion was centered on the “possibilities for renewal” in a down economy. Or better stated , how can a college continue positive momentum while still making the hard financial decisions. I learned all about academic freedom and the purpose of tenure. If you don’t know…ask me. Later in the day, we heard from HERS alumnae who participated in the Bryn Mawr summer institute last year. They were filled with insight and stressed that we should be open to different points of view and to surrender our normal thought process and natural preferences. For example, one woman pointed out that she read all the assignments primarily to nurture her introverted self and wished that she would have been more social and pushed herself to interact more intentionally. Hmm…for the extrovert (me), that would mean read more and socialize less. I don’t know if I can do that. J But, this blog is certainly forcing me to be quiet and reflect more than I would normally. I actually turned down a walk to town tonight so I could write this and go to bed before 10pm. So, I guess I am embracing their advice.
Today was all about budget and finance. As non-interested as I am in numbers, it was absolutely fascinating to hear from two chief financial officers. Bronte Jones, CFO for St. John’s College, was giving us a teaser for a much richer conversation about budgets, investments and how to read our institution’s fiscal report later in the summer institute. Then we heard from Annette Parker, CFO for Dickinson College, who shared their strategic plan and how they have been able to realign their budget to the college’s mission. I had no idea that small private liberal arts institutions offered such significant “discount rates” to attract high quality diverse students. For example, Dickinson College, was offering close to 50% reduction in tuition to help students afford the $50,000/year tuition in the mid-1990’s but this also caused them financial strain. Bottom line, I am completely motivated to dig into OSU’s financial reports now and learn more about our budget model. I also realized how blessed OSU is in terms of our solid academic plan, incredible rainy day fund and profit making units like the medical center and athletics. Our conservative spending values have certainly enabled us to remain stable in these uncertain times unlike many of the smaller colleges. Being big has its advantages. J
I received 4 pieces of mail today. YEAH!!! I am so happy you all took me seriously and sending mail. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me. Truly!!! THANK YOU Renee, Katie H., Camille and Lisa! Keep it coming. I want to decorate my walls with all of the letters and mail that I receive so I need A LOT to make that happen. I will send pictures of the wall art once I get more.
Today was all about budget and finance. As non-interested as I am in numbers, it was absolutely fascinating to hear from two chief financial officers. Bronte Jones, CFO for St. John’s College, was giving us a teaser for a much richer conversation about budgets, investments and how to read our institution’s fiscal report later in the summer institute. Then we heard from Annette Parker, CFO for Dickinson College, who shared their strategic plan and how they have been able to realign their budget to the college’s mission. I had no idea that small private liberal arts institutions offered such significant “discount rates” to attract high quality diverse students. For example, Dickinson College, was offering close to 50% reduction in tuition to help students afford the $50,000/year tuition in the mid-1990’s but this also caused them financial strain. Bottom line, I am completely motivated to dig into OSU’s financial reports now and learn more about our budget model. I also realized how blessed OSU is in terms of our solid academic plan, incredible rainy day fund and profit making units like the medical center and athletics. Our conservative spending values have certainly enabled us to remain stable in these uncertain times unlike many of the smaller colleges. Being big has its advantages. J
I received 4 pieces of mail today. YEAH!!! I am so happy you all took me seriously and sending mail. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me. Truly!!! THANK YOU Renee, Katie H., Camille and Lisa! Keep it coming. I want to decorate my walls with all of the letters and mail that I receive so I need A LOT to make that happen. I will send pictures of the wall art once I get more.
My dorm room
Like all good dorm rooms, I had to start decorating a bit. Derek send me the Van Gogh poster in the mail today. It matches my blue comforter!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Construction must be a universal academic theme!
Several buildings are undergoing major renovation.
Derek went to middle and high school with this woman!
This is Tienfong Ho. She is a Bryn Mawr Ph.D student studying the Arts and is interested in moving back to Columbus and teaching at OSU. Is anyone hiring? One of her areas of expertise is in film history.
Happy Hour EVERYDAY!
So, every day between 5:15 -6:15 is "networking and informals" aka happy hour to most of us. We get one drink coupon per person. Pretty cool, huh? The courtyard is located right outside our dorm rooms with beautiful gardens surrounding us.
The journey begins...
The last 2 days has been filled with opportunities to meet each other and to deepen our understanding of ourselves. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon talking about career mapping and how to analyze your career accomplishments using the Problem + Action + Results (PAR) formula. This exercise helps determine which skill sets, traits, and knowledge you have used most frequently, have most enjoyed, and want to utilize more in the future. One of the significant realizations for me is that I really enjoy bridging people and concepts together. I can synthesize things well, cut across silos and make systemic change. Responsibilities that allow me to function in this way are both challenging and rewarding and have been evident in my recent projects.
Today was all about learning more about “ME”, my favorite subject. Hee. Hee. (That is how the faculty member introduced the conversation about the Myers Briggs Type Indicator.) Well, I am no longer an ENTJ which is what my personality profile was as a college student a few years ago. J I am an ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition Feeling, Judging). My E and J preferences are strong and very clear to me. The N and F are more in the mid-zone and I definitely use my sensing and thinking counterparts depending on the situation. Comparing this to the Senn Delaney behavioral style principle, I can see how my “J” comes our strong in the controlling style, my “N” in the promoting style and the “F” in the supporter style. (My OSU colleagues will know why I made that comparison.) ENFJ’s are often referred to as a catalyst/diplomat because we tend to see the big picture and can relate well with visionary leaders but at the same time pull together the right people/concepts to get the job done. This really resonated with me as I can see how my project management role has strengthen this ability for the last few years.
In general, the topics over the last few days have certainly been interesting but I still don’t feel like I “fit” yet among this group. Another insight about myself…: Normally social situations come very easy for me, right? I know how to engage in “small talk” and love to have more intimate conversations with people. But, I haven’t felt like myself since arriving to Bryn Mawr, probably because I haven’t really connected with any one particular person. I have been reaching out, chatting with people every chance I get and still nothing. Yes, I know it has only been 3 days but again, this normally comes very natural to me. Right? So, what’s the problem? I am not really sure yet but I did have a few minutes of joy and comfort connecting with someone today. The irony here is that she is not a part of the summer institute officially. She is a Bryn Mawr Ph.D student studying the Arts and she is working with the sponsoring organization (HERS) with logistics and organization. She introduced herself by saying that she is a 1988 graduate of Thomas Worthington High School and that her family still lives in Colonial Hills, a subdivision of Worthington. I eyes smiled instantly. She remembers Derek’s name and when I mentioned her name to Derek, he also recognized her name but can’t picture each other. He thinks that they may have gone to middle school together at Worthington Way too! This just made me smile from the inside out.
Last but certainly not least... I have received 4 pieces of mail already. I can't tell you how happy I am. Eunice sent me my first letter and it was here waiting for me when I arrived on Friday. Today, I received a wonderfully long letter from Tom. Keep it my friend. A lovely note from Katie and the best picture/note from dyan. THANK you all. Keep them coming. I miss everyone already.
Today was all about learning more about “ME”, my favorite subject. Hee. Hee. (That is how the faculty member introduced the conversation about the Myers Briggs Type Indicator.) Well, I am no longer an ENTJ which is what my personality profile was as a college student a few years ago. J I am an ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition Feeling, Judging). My E and J preferences are strong and very clear to me. The N and F are more in the mid-zone and I definitely use my sensing and thinking counterparts depending on the situation. Comparing this to the Senn Delaney behavioral style principle, I can see how my “J” comes our strong in the controlling style, my “N” in the promoting style and the “F” in the supporter style. (My OSU colleagues will know why I made that comparison.) ENFJ’s are often referred to as a catalyst/diplomat because we tend to see the big picture and can relate well with visionary leaders but at the same time pull together the right people/concepts to get the job done. This really resonated with me as I can see how my project management role has strengthen this ability for the last few years.
In general, the topics over the last few days have certainly been interesting but I still don’t feel like I “fit” yet among this group. Another insight about myself…: Normally social situations come very easy for me, right? I know how to engage in “small talk” and love to have more intimate conversations with people. But, I haven’t felt like myself since arriving to Bryn Mawr, probably because I haven’t really connected with any one particular person. I have been reaching out, chatting with people every chance I get and still nothing. Yes, I know it has only been 3 days but again, this normally comes very natural to me. Right? So, what’s the problem? I am not really sure yet but I did have a few minutes of joy and comfort connecting with someone today. The irony here is that she is not a part of the summer institute officially. She is a Bryn Mawr Ph.D student studying the Arts and she is working with the sponsoring organization (HERS) with logistics and organization. She introduced herself by saying that she is a 1988 graduate of Thomas Worthington High School and that her family still lives in Colonial Hills, a subdivision of Worthington. I eyes smiled instantly. She remembers Derek’s name and when I mentioned her name to Derek, he also recognized her name but can’t picture each other. He thinks that they may have gone to middle school together at Worthington Way too! This just made me smile from the inside out.
Last but certainly not least... I have received 4 pieces of mail already. I can't tell you how happy I am. Eunice sent me my first letter and it was here waiting for me when I arrived on Friday. Today, I received a wonderfully long letter from Tom. Keep it my friend. A lovely note from Katie and the best picture/note from dyan. THANK you all. Keep them coming. I miss everyone already.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
I'm here...
Derek and I are using skype to video chat. This is so cool! You can download skype for FREE and talk.
This is one of the beautiful grand old buildings on campus. Isn't it incredible?
What an adventure Derek and I had driving in yesterday among the thunderstorms and lightening. We wanted to get a head start on the morning rush hour so we were packed and on the road by 7am. The storm was so bad that we made it to PICKERINGTON! We decided to pull over and have breakfast at Cracker Barrel in the hopes of letting the storm pass us by. Unfortunately, we ended up driving the same path as the storm. So, the first few hours were a bit nerve wrecking but it was clear sailing as soon as we hit Pennsylvania. Thankfully, Derek was willing to drive the vast majority of the trip. (Isn't he a saint and the best hubby ever!)About an hour from arriving on campus, we pass Georgina Dodge on the turnpike. She is one of the OSU "five" attending the institute. We have a strong cohort of 5 women leaders attending this year. The largest class ever from OSU.
Friday evening was spent unloading the car and briefly exploring the town of Bryn Mawr which is about the size of Clintonville! Very small but quite charming with cool independent stores. Derek was instantly drawn to the comic book store, camera shop and the sushi restaurants while I was distracted looking for the spa and mall. :)
I must admit that I didn't mentally prepare for the complete change in routine and LACK of everyday comforts that I experienced today. I became emotional several times today as I thought about missing Derek, home, my life etc. I keep telling myself..."get a grip, it's only for a month!" I have to shift my thinking and embrace this incredible opportunity to network with wonderful women and soak up their knowledge and wisdom. I am definitely one of the "younger" attendees. There are 7 out 47 attendees who are in their "30's". I know that I am very blessed to be here and that I will grow tremendously from this experience.
Tonight was the official start of the institute. We heard from an incredible African American female president as the keynote speaker. Her name is Marvalene Hughes and she is the President of Dillard University, a historically black university in New Orleans, that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Katrina hit only 2 months after she arrived on campus as the new president. She was faced with rebuilding the entire campus, literally! Her speech was truly inspirational and proves that anything is possible with the right leadership and clear vision.
We spend the rest of the evening getting to know each other over a few cocktails and dinner. I must admit that this is a truly unique experience for me. Here I am, "Miss Social Butterfly" in a room of 50 people and I don't know anyone. Sure, there are 5 of us from OSU but we just met last month so none of us know each other well. I feel "alone" for the first time in a long time but it is good for me. This is a stretch and I am embracing it.
One last thing...I know Eunice will be proud of me as I have a walking date tomorrow @ 7am.
TTYL...
Friday evening was spent unloading the car and briefly exploring the town of Bryn Mawr which is about the size of Clintonville! Very small but quite charming with cool independent stores. Derek was instantly drawn to the comic book store, camera shop and the sushi restaurants while I was distracted looking for the spa and mall. :)
I must admit that I didn't mentally prepare for the complete change in routine and LACK of everyday comforts that I experienced today. I became emotional several times today as I thought about missing Derek, home, my life etc. I keep telling myself..."get a grip, it's only for a month!" I have to shift my thinking and embrace this incredible opportunity to network with wonderful women and soak up their knowledge and wisdom. I am definitely one of the "younger" attendees. There are 7 out 47 attendees who are in their "30's". I know that I am very blessed to be here and that I will grow tremendously from this experience.
Tonight was the official start of the institute. We heard from an incredible African American female president as the keynote speaker. Her name is Marvalene Hughes and she is the President of Dillard University, a historically black university in New Orleans, that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Katrina hit only 2 months after she arrived on campus as the new president. She was faced with rebuilding the entire campus, literally! Her speech was truly inspirational and proves that anything is possible with the right leadership and clear vision.
We spend the rest of the evening getting to know each other over a few cocktails and dinner. I must admit that this is a truly unique experience for me. Here I am, "Miss Social Butterfly" in a room of 50 people and I don't know anyone. Sure, there are 5 of us from OSU but we just met last month so none of us know each other well. I feel "alone" for the first time in a long time but it is good for me. This is a stretch and I am embracing it.
One last thing...I know Eunice will be proud of me as I have a walking date tomorrow @ 7am.
TTYL...
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Welcome to Mona Makes it Happen!
My own personal blog! Those who know me well are probably surprised that I am embracing technology and social networking outlets like this blog. I must admit, I surprised myself! But, when you are married to a technology genuis like Derek, the real question is... What took me so long! The primary motivation for me to start this now is my upcoming trip to Bryn Mawr College for a women's summer leadership institute. This is going to be such an incredible opportunity that I wanted to capture every moment, every insight, and share pictures of the incredible new friends that I will be making over the next month. So, check out this site for continual updates about my Bryn Mawr journey from June 19th - July 15th. After Bryn Mawr, my intention is to use this blog to capture my thoughts and ideas that will create examples of "Mona Making It Happen" for myself and those around me.
As you all know, I am still old fashioned and need to reinforce my "need" to receive mail via the US Postal service! So, while I am away, PLEASE send me a quick note to the following address:
Mona Fitzer
Summer Institute, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion
Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.
As you all know, I am still old fashioned and need to reinforce my "need" to receive mail via the US Postal service! So, while I am away, PLEASE send me a quick note to the following address:
Mona Fitzer
Summer Institute, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion
Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.
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