When did you know that you wanted to be a college president?
I'm not a person who decided at an early age that I wanted or needed to be a president. As a student and then again as a faculty member, I admired a few presidents in their ability to influence and advocate for the colleges they were leading. They supported and championed the people, while forming strong and important partnerships in the community. It seemed to be a positive post. I think that's when I started thinking ‘that would be a wonderful spot to land before I'm done working.'
What's the most common question asked of you since being selected as the president?
Most people immediately ask "When do you start?" (laughs) I usually respond by saying that I started in April, immediately after receiving the offer to join Northland. I won't be on campus fulltime until July 1, but I've been working feverishly since I was selected to learn about Northland and connect with people, learn what I need to know.
What's the most exciting thing about Northland?
Without question the people -- the people who work here, the students who choose to come to Northland, and the loyal friends and alums of the college. Everyone's committed to learning, to the environment, to sustainability, and the future of our society. The passions and the ideas of the people I've been meeting are the most exciting thing.
Who's your favorite author?
That's a good question. I've been re-reading my Sigurd Olson books this spring, and have been ordering many books on the environment and sustainability. Another author that I have enjoyed is T.C Boyle. I just read The Torilla Curtain-a very engaging book.
What are your priorities for the first year of your presidency?
I think there are three things I want to accomplish. First, I want to move quickly to support the people here - supporting a healthy and vibrant culture. Northland certainly is that way, but there are also some things we need to work on to improve communication, planning, and the vision of being distinctive. Second, I think it's important that we bring more students to this great place and help them to realize their dreams here in this place. The third is to find additional ways to raise funds to support the good work and the good people, the innovation happening at Northland.
How has your work as a teacher, school psychologist, and faculty member prepared you for this new role?
My work as a school psychologist taught me to listen and seek to understand, to ask questions about what's going on, and then work with others to improve a situation for students and families and communities. That was great preparation for a whole lot of things that I've done. As a teacher and faculty member, I learned a lot about the importance of the liberal arts. The problems in our world are multifaceted and can't be approached from just one discipline, or one angle. I also learned about the power of the partnership between academics and student life, helping students grow holistically not just academically.
Favorite color?
Hmm (pause), I'm going to have to say orange. I'm also committed to green.
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