This has been a busy week

This has been a busy, exciting, and tough couple of weeks at FSU PC and for me personally. On October 20, my little brother died after a brief, but hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.    While his death was expected, it was still painful to see him go.  However, the celebration of his life was joyful, and I was able to spend time with people that I had not seen in 30 years.  People came “home” to celebrate his life and tell some great stories.  These stories included many discussions about the impact he had on their work and their lives.

Purely by coincidence

Purely by coincidence, it was also Homecoming week at FSU.  On both campuses, our students led events for current and past students, truly providing something for everyone.   Celebrations included a barbecue on the grounds of FSU PC, a Tuesday night kick-off event, Pow Wow and a parade on the Tallahassee campus, and a great Seminole victory over the Syracuse Orange.  As they have for more than 30 years, our FSU PC Student Government Council members presented the Torch on the field at the Homecoming football game, showing the connection between the two campuses.

Our Impact 

Durning homecoming week I heard countless stories from students, faculty, staff, and alumni about not only their memories of being on campus, but especially about the friendships they made and the impact their professors, advisors, and fellow students have had on their professional and personal lives.  At the football game, I ran into a student I taught in law school.  Now, he is a successful partner in his firm and works throughout the country.  While many of the conversations I participated in included discussions about time on campus, most, if not all, had a thread about the impact FSU has had on their lives.

Mourning our Own

Toward the end of the week, we received some very sad news.  Both a dedicated staff member at FSU PC and one of our star students died in separate automobile accidents.  On a campus where you get to know many of the students, faculty and staff, the word of these deaths spread quickly through our FSU PC family.

While there currently is and will continue to be sadness, the discussions have turned to the impact these two had on co-workers and fellow students.  People talked about the infectious smile and warm greeting the staff member had, treating everyone with the same level of respect, as well as the impact the student had on the members of her cohort and her love for helping young people.  There is no way to ease the pain of these deaths, but I take pride in seeing how well the members of our community love and support each other through times of tragedy.

A New Definition

This week, I adopted a new definition of Homecoming.  Homecoming is for football, celebration and sharing happy memories, but it is also marching through challenging times, while constantly reminding ourselves of the strength that comes from community and what we learn from each other.  Homecoming is valuing the impact others have had on your life.  The FSU community is remarkable, and I am proud to call this place home.