Good evening, Monks,
The first of our Class of 2024 has arrived on campus! Welcome, welcome, welcome.
It was a beautiful day today, and while it looked a little different, (masks, food delivery, lots of waves instead of handshakes and hugs) it felt, to me, like every other new student move-in day. And the best part about this year is that we get to do it twice - tomorrow is Move-In Day 2.0 - and the weather continues to look promising.
While it is great that the newest students are here, and we appreciate everything they, and their families, have done to get them to this moment, there's another group of students that I'd like to crow and peacock about.....the roughly 100 student leaders this year that have stepped up and decided to serve the College.
I was able to stumble through some comments I made yesterday, and today, to them in person. I appreciated their willingness to cut their own summers a bit short, to hang out with us during Peer Mentor, RA, and Orientation Leader training.
I can't imagine that was easy. With a summer that was largely curtailed due to pandemic restrictions, families weren't really able to do much in the way of time-away with our students. Perhaps a week-long trip turned into a weekend trip. That sort of thing.
Regardless, I am so proud of our student leaders.
So here's my request to you, Monks. Whether your thing is volunteering, joining a club, attending an event, working on campus (or off), trying something new (a new food? skydiving? Looking at you, Ricky!) being a member of an athletic team, or challenging yourself academically - let's identify something that you can commit to this year. For many of you, I know it's not just one thing. I hung out with three students today that do many of the things listed above. If that's you, go you!
And if, after moving back to campus, that RA thing, or Peer Mentor thing, or Orientation Leader thing sounded interesting, let us know. Yes, we want the best and brightest for these positions, and it's likely you'll have to apply. But you've got this. This campus is full of students who are deserving of these roles.
We know, from last semester, how uncertain our future can be sometimes. Why wait? Put yourself out there, try something new, find your thing, explore your world, and whatever it is, let's make this year a memorable one - and not just for those reasons. Let's rewrite the narrative.
I'm reminded, as our new students get settled in, that it starts today.
Cheers, everyone. Three more days until the first day of class.
Matt
Matt Goodwin is the Dean of Students at Saint Joseph’s College.
Along with a team of let's go! Campus Life professionals in the areas of Student Engagement & Residential Living, Counseling Center, Health & Wellness Center, Campus Safety, and the Mercy Center, Campus Life supports students’ holistic personal development, learning, and empowerment in service to a global community.
