2015-2016 begins!

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President Stone delivered a state-of-the-College address on Monday, Aug. 24. Photo by Meridith De Avila Khan.

What an amazing week! Move-in days went as expected, and were beautiful days to arrive at Sweet Briar. Did you notice how beautifully manicured the campus looked? Always beautiful, but especially now after all of the hard work by volunteers and Sweet Briar staff. As always, there were lots of boxes and bags carried in, furniture moved around, and mountains of discarded boxes outside every dorm.

Smiles were contagious; parents and daughters looked happy to be here. Unfortunately, on Sunday I could not be on campus, but I so enjoyed being there on Monday. Since my daughter was already moved in (as an equestrian, she moved in the previous weekend), I was blessed that I could just enjoy the day and help people feel welcome. In the morning, our dachshund Biscuit and I sat at the guard’s gate welcoming everyone back to campus. It was so heartwarming to see all those smiles coming through the gate!

I then got to sit in on President Stone’s “State-of-the-College” address. I’ve said it before, and I have to say it again: What an inspirational leader! He talked about how every single person on campus is important to Sweet Briar’s success; that he expects everyone to have positive attitudes and treat each other with kindness and respect (when’s the last time you heard any other college president say that in a speech?); that yes, there are some challenges ahead, but he is working on a four-year plan to bring the school back to financial viability including a balanced budget; that failure is not an option (right skills + right attitude + motivation = success!); and that honesty, transparency and listening to what the students, faculty, staff and parents have to say is his way of doing business.

There were bursts of raucous cheers of applause from the entire room multiple times during his speech. As I mingled afterward, I saw newfound joy and animation in faculty faces that had been demoralized in previous years; I felt the excitement in the room as small groups gathered to reconnect and discuss plans; I heard the motivation in everyone’s voices that they were going to do their part in making this year one of growth.

I watched as a shy student (must be new to Sweet Briar 🙂 waited to talk to President Stone, and although I could not hear the exchange, I could tell that she said something to President Stone, and his response was to ask her to sit down with him at a table, and they talked for at least 10 minutes. The student did more of the talking; President Stone did more listening.

President Stone greets students after his state-of-the-College address. Photo by Meridith De Avila Khan.
President Stone greets students after his state-of-the-College address. Photo by Meridith De Avila Khan.

And I heard the same from faculty — they feel like once again they have a voice that will be heard by their president, and that they truly can make a difference in Sweet Briar’s success. This man is the real deal, and his positive motivation has infected everyone I saw on Monday.

As my husband says, “Nobody wants to be on a losing team, and nobody wants to be a loser on a winning team.”

And with the new administration, you’re either on board, or you’re off the team — hallelujah. Sweet Briar’s success is not an “if,” but a “when.” I feel so very blessed to have my own (very tiny) part in helping.

The rest of Monday I walked around to meet parents and daughters, talked to reporters (one of whom was from WDBJ7; the Sweet Briar community grieves with the WDBJ7 community over the senseless killing of two of its reporters), and soaked in the beauty of Sweet Briar. As for the rest of the week, in true Sweet Briar spirit, there were ice cream socials, pizza parties, Opening Convocation, and even a carnival hosted by President Stone. The days before classes started provided lots of opportunities for new and returning students to meet and mingle, fun ways to reconnect with friends and meet more of their sisters.

Did you watch the Opening Convocation? If not, you can watch the recording here. I highly recommend viewing it; it will make your heart so happy, and if you didn’t have a good feel for what people mean by “the soul of Sweet Briar,” you will know after watching the convocation. What a glorious celebration, and such fabulous timing that it occurred the day after the previous regime had scheduled the school to close! I had happy tears.

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Marcia Thom-Kaley’s Opening Convocation speech was especially poignant — and animated. Photo by Meridith De Avila Khan.

As you know, the students all started their classes Thursday, Aug. 27. Always a day full of both excitement and trepidation, but after several days of getting settled into their dorms, catching up with friends and starting new friendships, everyone was as ready as they can be to start a new school year, meet their professors and their classmates, and establish a rhythm for the semester. Don’t worry, many students take a week or two before they settle in, but in a few weeks, even new students will feel like they are home.

For those of you that I didn’t get to meet, I hope that your welcome to Sweet Briar felt warm and wonderful! I hope to meet you another time. If you’re like me, I’m thrilled that my daughter is at Sweet Briar, but I still miss her just a little. Hang in there, it will feel like normal soon, and your daughter is probably doing much better than you think. 🙂

What are YOUR concerns? Send them to me at SBCParentToParent@gmail.com, and I’ll address them in upcoming posts, or sooner if needed. Until then, talk to you soon!