Courtesy of Dr. Kathleen Rose, President/Superintendent of Gavilan College:
I hope you have had some time during this winter break for spending time with your loved ones, enjoying some of your favorite activities, and renewing your energy for the year ahead.
I’m not one for making lists of resolutions or spending too much time looking back, but this year I am certainly looking forward. To prepare myself for the action and adventure-filled year ahead at Gavilan, I had a head start by first receiving a major dose of inspiration and then taking a trip that was 44 years overdue.
| In late December I was honored to meet Michelle Obama and then listen to her speak during her book tour “Becoming” in San Jose. I’d encourage you all to add her book to your reading list and then think about your own story…and how Gavilan has become a part of your journey. I felt honored when I met her and barely was able to thank her for her support of education and working to open doors for those who need extra encouragement. I had also attended the 2013 presidential inauguration in Washington DC and so felt especially honored to hear about Mrs. Obama’s view of leadership as a First Lady…not an easy path to find her voice and use it to promote diversity in thought and action. I continue to be inspired in my own leadership practice as a result and will carry that inspiration into 2019. |
| The second experience I had was a trip I just returned from to Argentina. In 1975, my family hosted an exchange student from San Juan who lived with us my entire senior year of high school. Estela had never left her small town, and our family had never hosted someone from another country. That same summer, my brother and his wife from Japan arrived back home for the first time, making our family truly international! It was a memorable year and afterwards, Estela and I went off to college, had families and started our careers. 44 years later, I visited her home town of San Juan (along with my brother Frank and his wife Kumiko) and we toured the area for two wonderful weeks. My family has now expanded to include Estela’s family and a new love for the Andes, yerba mate and the warm Argentina sun. |
Back here at home, 2019 will be filled with similar adventures of on-going stories, shared journeys and educational goals achieved. We will prepare for our accreditation visit together on March 11. Measure X will begin to take shape and the Citizens Oversight Committee will form. We will continue to “work” the strategies in our planning documents, particularly the Enrollment Management Plan, the Educational Master Plan and the Facilities Master Plan. Commencement will take place on May 24th . Inspiration and adventure will be abundant at Gavilan College, no doubt. Happy New Year!
