Friday, November 6, 2009

The semester so far...

Three weeks from today, millions of Americans will be crowding Best Buy, Toys 'R Us, Sears and hundreds of other stores on "Black Friday." Some in the hopes of scoring Christmas deals. Others, will be out people-watching and reveling in the fact that they do their shopping online. But the crowded mall offers many things that the convenience of Amazon.com cannot provide. Christmas tunes. Excited children running to see Santa. And more former classmates than I'll probably ever see at a high school reunion. A time for family, friends, food, fun, and faith, the holiday season is approaching, and I can't wait.

But before I can get into the holiday spirit, there's a lot of work to be done here at ND. With less than three weeks until Thanksgiving break, and after returning, only another two until finals start, the end of the semester is approaching quickly. It's crunch time.

Here's a quick look at a few of the things I've been working on for ND Today:
  • Last month, Notre Dame hosted the Excellence in Teaching conference, welcoming educators from across the country for a weekend of seminars and workshops. Teachers and administrators came away with tips on multiple intelligences and awakening the genius in every student. For me, this was a great weekend because I got to spend time with my dad, who flew in from NY to attend the conference.
  • Recently, ND welcomed Professor M. Brian Blake, to its faculty as an associate dean in the College of Engineering. Prior to coming to ND, Blake was an accomplished leader at Georgetown. At ND, Blake will develop faculty and graduate student recruitment and diversity strategies, and act as a liaison between the college and corporate and foundational partners. Professor Blake explained that he enjoyed his time at Georgetown, but here at ND, he has been especially appreciative of the community's welcoming support and incredible spirit. And the football weekends aren't half bad either.
  • In January, the ND Alumni Association will welcome alumni back to the University for the 2nd Annual Alumni Sports Weekend. The weekend will be highlighted by a pair of hockey games against Ferris State, as well as men's and women's basketball games against West Virginia and Villanova, respectively. For many fans, this may be the first opportunity to see the Irish in the recently renovated Purcell Pavilion. For more information on this upcoming weekend, be sure to check out the ND Alumni Association website over the next few weeks.
These are just a few of the many projects I've been working. I'm also writing a few stories for the Young Alumni eNewsletter, and several others for the December issue of ND Today. Classes have started heating up. Exams, projects and papers are looming on the horizon. It will be a busy and exciting few weeks until Thanksgiving, and in the end, the stress will be worth it. After all, we're about to enter into "the most wonderful time of the year." :)

2 comments:

  1. Josh
    I saw the link to your blog in the alumni publication Notre Dame Today and wanted to congratulate you on the Hannah Storm internship. I have enjoyed reading your description of student life 2009. I am a ND graduate from 1970 and while many things are different today, we all share the love for this special place. When I was a freshman in 1966, I lived at Farley Hall across the quad from Keenan which was an all Freshman dorm. Back then Farley had students from each class year. I think this was a new experiment back then--to mix upper classmen and freshman in the same dorm. Oh yeah, back then ND was all male...I dont think females arrived until 1972. I know ND is a better place now that it is coed. We had the Friday night pep rallies in the old fieldhouse which is now gone. Students would follw the marching band when it passed their dorm and made it's way to the rally. These were the days of Ara Parshegian and a national championship my freshman year! I hope to get back for my 40th Reunion next June. The time has flown by the my love of Notre Dame remains the same. I too feel very privleged to gone there. I look forward to reading more of your blog entries. Have a great Junior year.

    Jack Rowe
    Class 1970
    Arlington, MA

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  2. Mr. Rowe,
    Thanks for your note. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading my blog and my articles with ND Today. It's been a great experience. We had a students-only pep rally earlier this year in the Stepan Center, and although it probably paled in comparison to the ones that you witnessed, it was still great. Time has flown by for me as as student. It's hard to believe I only have a year and a half left. I can't imagine what it was like to witness a national championship. Since I'll be a senior, I'm really hoping for a solid season next year.

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