Yesterday was the first day of orientation, and they had us running from 8am through 8pm with activities - opening worship; faculty introductions; info sessions on field ed, the computer system, spiritual life, and financial aid; we met with our program advisers, our faculty advisers, had a tour of the campus and the library, met with our spiritual formation groups, which we'll continue to meet with during the year, had an all-school picnic, and finished up the night with an impromptu campfire sing-a-long complete with guitar & banjo, s'mores, and a rousing rendition of Kumbaya. The campus is beautiful. It's on a wooded hill-top with lots of great, old buildings, and as I sat last night watching the flames popping in the fire pit and listening to the crickets alongside the strumming guitar, I was so glad that I chose to come here rather than NYC. I've already made a ton of new friends, gotten lots of advice on what classes to take, and been invited to join study groups.
The whole day was energizing. The faculty is amazing. As they spoke it was obvious that every single one of them is extremely passionate about teaching; they were all so down-to-earth and funny, yet brilliant and inspiring. Despite their revered reputations in the academic world they all seem so approachable and are truly invested in their students lives. The problem is, now I want to take ALL of their classes! ;-)
But the crowning moment came when the President of the seminary spoke about the history of the school (as the oldest graduate seminary in the country) and it's reputation for innovation, social justice, and counter-culture thought. "We welcome those of you who are counter-culture and encourage you to be true to yourselves," he said. "We've had some pretty freaky people come here, and we wouldn't have it any other way."
Anytime the president of a seminary uses the word "freaky" - in a postive way - you know you're in a special place.
I have never been more certain that I am were I need to be.
5 comments:
Nice to see that you are settled in at school and happy. Hope the classes and all live up to your expectations.
Thanks Maryann! I'm sure the 'newness' luster will wear off in a few weeks once I'm drowning in reading and papers, but I'm enjoying it while I can! :-)
YAY!!! I had a moment just like that when the faculty introduced themselves. Ahhhhh, I thought. Working with these people is why I came here.
Glad to hear things are off to a good start.
When I graduated from ANTS in '91 things were just beginning to change. It was a great school to begin with, but it was on its way to becoming something deeper, richer. The four or so years I was there were rough ones for everyone: five wonderful leaders died--members of the faculty, trustees, and staff, a dean and the president of the school. But out of the ashes it came and those of us who graduated around the same time missed out on the emerging focus on art, spiritual formation, and healing that give ministry its depth.
I am wistfully envious as I read of marshmallow roasts--I almost feel like a Sneetch on the beach, with your star upon thars. :-)
Thanks Cynthia, I heard that ANTS had some rough years but I'm sorry to hear that you were there to experience them!
There's a real energy and excitement on the campus right now as the school is about to revamp it's already innovative curriculum to allow the students to explore even more the 'real-world' applications for what is learned in the classroom.
You could always come back for a doctorate. ;-)
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