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Greetings Parents,
The Class of 2008 had a glorious day for Baccalaureate and although it
rained the morning of
Commencement, the sun shone by the time the graduates exited the
Ross Sports Center with their families.
In this issue of Parent Talk, you’ll read about our
campus emergency and communication
plan, a very important issue Saint Michael’s has proactively put
into place in response to the Virginia Tech tragedy. We feel this is
an important story for all parents to read.
In addition, you’ll learn about a
special
“living history” class that traveled to Selma, Alabama, to meet
those who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and worked on the front
lines of the Civil Rights Movement. You’ll also
meet Steve O’Neil ’09, the
incoming student government president for next year. We also have
links for various faculty and staff department e-newsletters.
And finally, I would like to thank
Dr. Steve and Patty Bookless P’09
for all the hard work that they have done during their three year
tenure as current parent co-chairs for the Saint Michael’s Fund. Their
leadership and enthusiasm will be missed, and we congratulate their
three daughters, Michelle, Megan and Kim, on their graduation.
Happy spring!
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Emergency Communication
by Mark Tarnacki
Staff Writer
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Good communication is central to preventing more tragedies like the
shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois Universities and would
be key to a proper response if such an unthinkable scenario ever
unfolded at Saint Michael’s. So say the security and student life
officials behind emergency protocols that have been evolving rapidly at
the college in recent months.
Peter Soons, director of safety and security, and Michael Samara, vice
president for student affairs/dean of students, shared details of the
Emergency Campus Communications Plan in February. They’ve helped develop
the plan with cooperation from local police, emergency responders and
alert-system experts.
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Read more >>
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Students
dive into Edmundite Civil Rights history
by Mark Tarnacki
Staff Writer
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Twelve students experienced living history
on a study trip to Selma, Alabama, this semester as part of an
upper-level seminar called “The Society of Saint Edmund in the Era of
Civil Rights” (HI 42), taught by archivist Liz Scott and history
professor Susan Ouellette.
Students met people who were involved in
events that the class had read about in books and seen in documentaries
-- people who had walked and talked with modern American heroes such as
Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. They visited sites “that only a
generation ago were battlegrounds in one of the most important struggles
in the history of our country,” Scott said.
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Read more >> |
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Spotlight on Steve O'Neil '09
by Mark Tarnacki
Staff Writer
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Maybe they just like his attitude.
Steve O’Neil ‘09 figures the main reason he’s been uncontested in races
for sophomore and junior class president and most recently for 2008-2009
Student Association president is that everybody believes in him and
likes what he’s doing.
After all, O’Neil says, the apathy label never could be fairly applied
to Saint Michael’s students based on his experiences in student
government, Campus Ministry retreats and as an orientation leader,
especially considering the college’s well-earned reputation for
service-work.
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Steve O'Neil '09 |
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Read more >>
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Saint Michael's News
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Important Dates/Events
Fall, 2008:
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August 28-31 –
New Student Orientation
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September 1 –
Classes begin
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September
19-20 –
Homecoming/First Year Family Day
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November 26-30
– Thanksgiving Recess
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December
20-January 11 – Winter Recess
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Parent Program Volunteer Opportunities
Who says the students should have all the fun? The Parent Program
offers volunteer opportunities for parents both on and off campus.
Parents who volunteer help further the mission of Saint Michael’s
College through their efforts. It is a great way to meet new
people, make new friends and foster bonds that may last a lifetime!
For more information on these programs,
visit our Parent Page
or contact Terri Selby, Institutional Advancement at 802.654.2462 or
tselby@smcvt.edu. |
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Saint Michael's Fund Update
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On Commencement, May 15, 2008, Kim, Megan
and Michelle Bookless all graduated from Saint Michael’s. The same day,
Dr. Steven and Patty Bookless P’08 graduated as well, going from current
parents to parents of alumni.
Steve and Patty have done so much in their
four years to support the College: They have been loyal annual donors;
as co-chairs for the Parents Fund, they have asked for your
participation to support the Saint Michael’s Fund; they have assisted in
registration during Family Weekends; and they have hosted New Student
Send-Offs at their home in Barrington, RI. Steve also hosted several
Saint Michael’s students interested in dental school who job-shadowed
him for a day as he performed his duties as an oral surgeon at Tufts
Medical Center in Boston.
More recently, Steve and Patty helped the
Class of 2008 with an additional gift that helped spur the students to
meet their participation goal. Their leadership will be missed. Thank
you Steve and Patty for all that you have done to make Saint Michael’s a
better place. |
Parent Giving to the Saint Michael's Fund
(As of April 2008)
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Current Parents |
Parents of Alumni |
Participation Rate: 36%
(FY08 Goal is 40%) |
Participation Rate: 47%
(FY08 Goal is 60%) |
We’re very excited to report that the Saint
Michael’s Department of Athletics received a very generous gift from Saint
Michael’s parents who wish to remain anonymous. This fall, with a
$50,000 stock gift, they created an endowment for Athletics. This
endowment will benefit all student-athletes and will ensure that future
generations of Purple Knights will have the support they need. If you
would like further information on this endowment or would like to make a
contribution toward it, please contact Terri Selby at 802.654.2462 or
tselby@smcvt.edu.
But don't forget, the best way to support Saint Michael's is by making
an unrestricted gift to the Saint Michael's Fund. The Fund helps the
College meet its greatest needs. The most convenient way in which to make a
gift is to go to
the College’s secure online Web site:
www.smcvt.edu/giveback or
call toll-free 888.448.7111. If you have any further questions on
how to make a gift, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please
consider making your gift by June 2008.
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Helpful
Links
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Parent Contacts
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