Greetings!
Today is the tail end of the fourth week of school; one of those weeks that marks the turning of the semester from “the start” to “the long middle.” My thoughts this week turn to the transition students are currently undergoing as they dig into their classwork and search for a rhythm that will produce academic and personal success. In biology, turning points and rhythms are abundant. We see them in the physiological processes of organisms, the starts and stops of enzymatic reactions, the movement of ions across a cell membrane and more. Academic rhythms are equally pervasive from the timing of mid-terms, to the tick tock of the class schedule, and the rising and falling of students’ study habits.
During this time of transitions it’s important to keep in mind the bigger picture at work; the education of the whole person. Each of you has come to the University of Portland with your own mix of expectations, ideals, hopes, and dreams, and each of you will forge your own unique path while on the bluff. In essence, you will find your own rhythm, your own turning points and chart a pathway of personal growth. We ebb and flow together as individuals, a community, a campus, a culture, finding moments of harmony that resonate beyond us. Please find time during the “long middle” of the semester to reach out to friends, professors, and roommates on the bluff, as you never know when you’ll make a connection that will positively influence the rhythm of your life.
Happy Fall,
Jacquie Van Hoomissen