New student activities director hopes parents will share ideas on programs
by Mark Tarnacki
Staff Writer

“We always love to hear from parents with suggestions they have,” says Grace Kelly ‘81, the College’s new director of student activities. Kelly, who took the reins from her popular long-serving predecessor and friend Jennie Cernosia this summer, said she is excited to be leading an office and programming that already were running like “a well-oiled machine.”

As an example of feedback that she values, Kelly recounted a recent call from a parent who expressed a preference for Family Weekends in the spring rather than fall – something that’s been tried in past years with positive response, though this year’s fall event had its advantages and supporters too, she said.

Kelly has a good handle on Saint Michael’s students and their issues from nearly two decades in other Student Life Office positions. She would enjoy hearing what parents and students think about recent initiatives like providing food for students late on Friday and Saturday nights, or trying to “juice up” student life in Eddie’s Lounge on Alliot Student Center’s second floor.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is her approach to programs that began and thrived under Cernosia but she’s not afraid to experiment with ideas that might be popular with students and serve them well. “There are some areas that I want to tweak and add some life to,” she said.

For instance, Kelly has been working on a project with the college’s marketing and web site directors to create a sort of campus classified-ad site akin to the popular Internet “Craig’s List.” It would be a place to post activities and gather feedback in order to reduce reliance on the frequent and cumbersome campus-wide emails now used to get word out.

“We’ve also been working really hard trying to pack the weekends with fun stuff, working very closely with residential life staff,” Kelly said. This year she and her office’s student workers decided to make food available on Fridays and Saturdays between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Students think it’s great. “Consistently doing it each weekend just sort of developed for us,” she said. “We might, say, bring 10 pizzas to the 300s townhouses, or one time we did those five-foot subs over by the tennis courts. The weekend of a big Red Sox-Yankee series we had hotdogs available outside on the quad.”

When cold sets in, Kelly said, an appealing indoor location to continue such food opportunities might be Eddie’s Lounge – a large inviting room with air hockey and pool tables, big-screen TVs and comfy lounging furniture. The name/honors the college’s founding Edmundite priests. Kelly said she would like to drum up more student interest in the location, maybe by introducing more live music, poetry readings, lectures, game nights or open mike sessions on a regular basis. “It’s a little gem that needs to be polished up,” she said of Eddie’s. “Not so many people are aware it’s there.”

Kelly said she personally prefers a Spring Family Weekend, but is open to persuasion on keeping it during fall. “We don’t have a big old football team and it’s hard to find a hotel room in Vermont with the leaves changing. Having it in the spring allows students to showcase leadership and activities – there’s time to put together a jazz group and practice, or do a Main Stage show,” she said But Kelly acknowledged that scheduling Family Weekend so close to summer vacation and Easter creates issues of travel and logistics for many families too.

Kelly has worked at Saint Michael's since 1988 as director of new student programs, and, since 1995, as assistant dean of students as well. She began her new duties July 1. Grace earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Saint Michael’s in 1981 and a master’s in educational administration from McGill in 1987. She lives in South Hero. Her new title is director of student activities/assistant dean of students. Megan (Powers) Ohler has been promoted from assistant director of residence life to Kelly’s old position.

Long a popular figure with students in her old jobs, Kelly received a Class Appreciation Award from the graduating seniors of the class of 2007 last spring. The honor goes to members of the Saint Michael's faculty and staff “who have made a significant impact within the class.” Kelly specifically was cited for organizing POW, (Pre-orientation weekend), for 17 years and helping all students transition into college life, and for her “positive attitude and dedication.”

“It’s been so much fun working with these students, can’t get over how lucky I’ve been to take over such a beautifully run, well put-together office. It’s been great,” Kelly said.

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