Christine Mangino, Ed.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
I sent this article out a couple of weeks ago, asking if anyone had a word for the year and if they wanted to share it with us. Below is the link to the article and below that is our colleague’s responses. My word for the year is community. With everything going on politically, it is too easy to categorize people into an “us versus them” mentality. Now more than ever we need to be role models for tolerance and respecting differences- even differences in ideas and beliefs. We cannot let this divide us, rather we must remember the principles embedded in the writings of our founders. We are one community who welcomes and accepts everyone.
Choices
~Julie Bencosme, Allied Health Sciences-Dental Hygiene
Community (explanation above)
~ Christine Mangino
Courage
~Mary Manning, Allied Health Sciences-Dental Hygiene
~Rowland Ramdass, Allied Health Sciences-Nursing
Iteration My word for 2017 is without question iteration – this probably is a lead word for me every year, but working on myself, helping others work on themselves and their ideas will be the focus. I hope to be re-evaluating, reworking, and redesigning from here out. Lots to do, lots to be, iterating me.
~Rees Shad, Humanities-Visual and Performing Arts/Media Design
Love My word for 2017 is love. Because love is what our world needs now more than ever. In the face of our dangerous political climate, we need love. Love is what our terrified students need. Love is what we all need to support one another. The ultimate happiness in life is to love and be loved. And we need to put that love into action. In activism, in kindness, in compassion, in our daily interactions. And most importantly, we need to love ourselves. Suffering is a part of life, but love can make the journey worthwhile. And love gives us the energy to fight the battle ahead.
~Natasha Yannacañedo, Humanities-Visual and Performing Arts
Recreate
~Elys Vasquez-Iscan, Education-Community Health
Resist My word for 2017 has to be Resist. The shifting sands that promise to envelop us in the coming months and years have to be resisted, especially the attempt to normalize the actions of the new presidential administration. As evidenced by the planned demonstrations on January 21, 2017, especially the Women’s March, many Americans are planning to also resist these efforts at normalization. We must also resist the efforts towards disinformation, (or what the Russians call ‘kompromat’!) which serve to confuse the public and encourage apathy and/or complacency.
~Linda Ridley, Business-Business Management
Savor My one word is savor. It seems as though life, whether it be at work or personal, goes faster and faster. We do not get a chance to just breathe and appreciate where we are or what we have accomplished before it seems the next deadline, task, phone call, etc. looms ahead. It is the same with people. We can get caught up in answering someone’s question or getting information from them (even our kids) that we don’t allow a little pause for a sentence or two that could really set the stage for collegiality or cordiality. So, savor.
~Jacqueline DiSanto, Education-Early Childhood
Tenacious This year my two words –which go together – are “tenacious” and “resolute.” I am going to be tenacious, never letting go of what I do every day to continue fighting for our students and everyone else, no matter how discouraged I may get. I’m going to “hold on” and I’m going to be resolute, to not allow myself to succumb to fear or exhaustion or feelings of hopelessness. I’m going remain resolute in fighting for what’s right.
~Miriam Laskin, Library-Head of Instructional Services
