It’s been a busy and exciting week here on campus starting with two lectures on Wednesday by Wes Moore who wrote the New York Times bestseller, The Other Wes Moore, that the incoming freshman class was assigned to read over the summer. Although it was part of the Student Affairs Lecture Series, lecture is not really the right word for his presentation. His demeanor was more like a friend or mentor offering up some solid advice. He encouraged the Class of 2016 to use their power to work together to make a difference even while here at Sacred Heart. I am looking forward to seeing our freshman class do great things – both during the next four years and beyond.
There was a great turnout last night for the TimeFlies concert. Students were lined up to get into the Pitt Center to hear this “electro-hip-hop-dub-something” duo. Am I showing my age if I confess that I have no idea what that means?
Later this afternoon, the first annual Blessing of the Hands ceremony will take place in the Chapel. The ceremony will commemorate the start of the clinical experience for juniors in the Nursing program and the continuation of that work for seniors. Traditionally, this milestone was marked by a capping ceremony. Since nursing students no longer receive caps, we will celebrate our nursing students by blessing their hands – a critical tool in the care they provide to their patients. Congratulations to all the nursing students who will be doing clinical work this year.
We got some great news this week as the state’s Office of Higher Education’s Advisory Committee on Accreditation approved the following programs that we had submitted:
- A graduate certificate program in Advanced Orthopedic Physical Therapy
- A master’s program in Digital Marketing
- A master’s program in Film and Television Production
- A master’s program in Human Resources Management
- A master’s program in Speech-Language Pathology
- A doctorate program in Nursing Practice
- A bachelor’s program in Professional Studies
Kudos are also in order for Jacqueline Kelleher, assistant professor of Education, who won her seat on Bridgeport’s Board of Education in an election held earlier this week. Not only did she win, but she received the most votes of anyone on the ballot. Clearly the voters recognize her commitment to ensuring a solid education for the children of Bridgeport.
Our Innovation Committee members, led by Stephen Brown of the College of Business, have come back with a list of activities that they believe need to be done to promote innovation throughout the University. These range from establishing communication with the University as a whole to identifying structures and practices that facilitate innovation. We will need the help of everyone – faculty, staff, students and administration – for this project to be successful. You can find more information on the work of the committee here.
Congratulations to the men’s soccer team on its 3-0 start to the season. They came back to beat Holy Cross Wednesday night. The season is still young, but you can’t argue with a perfect record.
I am looking forward to the Freshman Induction Ceremony next week and the Second Annual President’s Gala. I hope to have a chance to talk with many of you at those two events.
We’re expecting wet weather this weekend – great for watching the first weekend of NFL football or getting some homework out of the way! Enjoy!