FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2002

My blood may run red, white, black and gold,
but I bleed blue and white!

Yes, I do LOVE Penn State.

Jackie Warnick-Piatt - A huge thank you for inviting me to be a part of Penn State's Allies in Prevention Conference! I loved interacting with Wilkes-Barre, Hazelton and Worthington Scranton PSU students. Thank you for such a warm introduction! I really enjoyed our breakfast conversation too-very eye opening for me! The next time you invite me to present, I'll be sure to bring my son.

To the wonderful students - for as many whose names I can remember, Lisa, Erika, Chip, Paul, Keith, Theresa, Stacy, Kevin, Rose Mary, Kim, Meghan, - all of you were fantastic!!! I am certain that this new Penn State program will be a major success! Your Leadership Recipes were some kind of good! Lisa - I am particularly indebted to you for sharing so much of yourself during our time together. You will surely continue to inspire your fellow students, and most certainly your son. You simply amaze me!!!

Dr. Chapman - what a pleasure to meet you! I applaud the work you are doing at La Salle and really enjoyed having dinner with you as well as your keynote remarks. Dwayne Hilton of Hazelton, Patrick Rose of Scranton and John Murphy of Wilkes-Barre thank you for allowing me to be a part of the conference!! Dwayne - it's always good to see you - twice within the past month!

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2002

These two months have been incredibly fantastic and full of many adventures and re-connecting with old friends and colleagues as well as getting to know new friends.

I want to thank my new good friend and very talented Gospel Comedian, Minister Alcindor Hankins for his wonderful friendship! Alcindor, I can hardly begin telling you how inspirational you have been for me and how uplifting our conversations have been. Alcindor - Thank you for giving me the opportunity to re-create your web site and help serve your ministry. I truly believe in what you are doing and know with all of my heart that your calling comes from a Divine Source. I am forever grateful that we met at my family reunion in North Carolina this past August. One day soon I hope to make a way for you to share your message in Maryland and/or Pennsylvania. You will always have a friend, supporter, fan and webmaster! Through you I am learning the true meaning of Psalm 46:10 and through "being still" many glorious and exciting things are happening in my life. I will soon finish, if not already, those two important additions for your web site. My travels have kept me away from the keyboard, but you are always on my mind and know that you can count on me as much as I know I can count on you! I thank God for you Good Brother!!!

At the beginning of October I attended the Annual PCPA (Pennsylvania College Personnel Association Conference) where I presented two programs with three very special people. The first session, titled, "Supervising Across Differences" whose idea originated from my graduate school advisor, Dr. Jan Arminio, invited Matt Shupp and me to present with her. Matt, who is now a third year residence director and graduate student at Shippensburg University, was one of my RAs many years ago when I was a residence director at Ship. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to present with Dr. Arminio and Matt, and I hope we can present together again as the message of our session needs to be shared with many. Dr Arminio - thank you for pulling us together and for just being who you are! I could easily write volumes about you, written in APA style of course, but your modesty would certainly protest. Matt - what can I say? I am excited for the person you were, are and becoming! Thank you for coordinating child care during my visits to Ship during our session planning. Thank you for all those good pictures too, both ACPA (they're on my wall) and my favorite picture of Alexander and me in Mowrey's lobby. I never thought my son would have the opportunity to see the inside of Mowrey Hall at such a young age!

The other special person, Amy Cotner-Klingler and I presented a program, titled, "Release the Power: Inclusive Services for Students of Color." Sometimes I'm not sure if Amy knows how truly special she is and how much she is a cheerleader, friend and colleague! We had an awesome session and I am most thankful for the opportunity to present with her! Our on-line research and creating our own social justice change model were most remarkable accomplishments for both of us! Amy - having you nearby, both physically and spiritually, means a great deal to me and I certainly will never take it for granted! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of next semesters CNED 302 class and for always being so supportive! Rebecca and I are looking forward to the Murder Mystery Dinner later this week!

The PCPA Conference was such as highlight and I enjoyed spending time with my good friend and former colleague Natalie! Natalie - I do miss our conversations and time together and I wish I saw you more often. Thanks for hanging out with me at PCPA and for the wonderful Gettysburg apparel. You have and probably always will look out for me when I need it the most. Always know I will do the same for you!

Let me say hello and send best wishes to Molly Clark and her Penn State grad school friends Laura, Holly and Elizabeth. Thank you for letting me join your lunch table during the conference. Molly - I'm just so excited for you and feel so blessed to be able to say I knew you when you were a sophomore at Gettysburg and now to see you in your first year of grad school at Penn State! You made my day when I looked up during the session I was co-presenting and saw you in the audience!

Todd "Teddy" Eicker - it was great seeing you at PCPA after not seeing your smiling face for almost two years! And to think of all the conferences we attended together while in and after grad school. While I don't miss the days of sleeping four to a room, I do miss you and enjoyed catching up with you and seeing you get your groove on the dance floor.

Chris Bell - what's up?! I loved spending some quality time with you and Kaycee both on and off the dance floor! Chris - it's no wonder that you received the Bob Diltz Dancing Award last year!

After the PCPA Conference, I attended the annual MACUHO (Mid-Atlantic College and University Housing Officers) Conference, held in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania where I saw many old friends and colleagues. Attendance was very different for me this year as a fist time exhibitor and not a long time delegate. Either way, I felt just as welcomed and loved.

Deb - we make an incredible team and our booth, "Fusion - Sparking New Ideas in Training" caught lots of attention and will certainly be remembered by all those who visited us. Thank you for inviting me to share a booth with you and for being the the "spark" almost a year ago that took my life in a whole new direction! What an inspiration you are!

Gretchen - thank you for letting me talk you into presenting with me, yet again! We make a quite the presenting pair and I have always enjoyed sharing the front of the room with you! Our session, "Rally The Troops: Revolutionary Practices for Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion" was most revolutionary! I am so thankful to have you as a friend! In fact, you know me far too well not to be my friend! If I had a secret identity, you would be among the few people who would know the other side of the mask. It was good talking to you on the phone last night!!! Our home is always open to you whenever you want to visit us! (You'll know what day I wrote this.)

Seamus McManus - Wow, an incredibly thank you for the software tip! It was great seeing you and Drexel is very blessed to have you!

Michael Scales - What can I say? It's good to still be seeing you after all these years! Drexel is also very blessed to have you brother!

While I saw many old friends, let me just say hello and thank you to some very special people: Tony Cecere of Shippensburg University - someone I consider a wonderful mentor and an everlasting supporter! - there are many people who have benefited from his leadership over the past twenty seven years - and I'm one of them; Gabby Hilson of Loyola College of Maryland, Chrissy Martino of Elizabethtown College, Tara Morlando of Monmouth University (I'm glad you're back in this region!), Craig Allen of Seton Hall. and all of his cool staff (Jessica, Krutti, et. al.)!, Becky Verzinski of Towson, Diane Drakes of Kutztown University (my girl!) & Tamara Stevens of Saint Joseph's College [thank you for that awesome hooded sweat shirt - it fits perfectly and I'll be wearing it in January when I come see you!] Jeremy Beeler of West Chester University [has it been five years!?] & Matt Simmons of East Stroudsburg University (so good to see you! I would have loved working with you!), my pal Jamie Steele (I saw you at PCPA and MACUHO!) and my two favorite Philly People (besides Tim Rupe and Mark Stuart)- Cathy Sands and Jenn Thorpe of Philadelphia University. Jenn - I will always be your TR! I hope you're always my VLM!!!

A huge thank you to a very dynamic duo from Albright College, and great colleagues- Eric Poirier and Amesha Brown for keeping me company as I packed up my booth AND for helping me carry everything to my car!!! MACUHO - PPD (Mid-Atlantic College and University Housing Officers - Professional and Personal Development Committee) bonds run deep!!! Thank you again!!!I'm still singing you praises for those awesome MACUPS (Mid-Atlantic College and University Placement Service) name tags!!!

MONDAY, AUGUST 26 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

Penn State Mont Alto feels like a second home to me! Amy, thank you for inviting to speak on urban to rural student transition issues. Your colleagues already have such warm hearts and realize that it is the most important step in helping students feel embraced and welcomed. Thank you for finding a baby sitter so I could bring my son with me too! That's such an added bonus!

Thank you for a great lunch - both the food and conversation! You know what I mean! I am forever thankful for our friendship!

Jason - thank you for faxing me such wonderful directions and being in the office when I called. Without you, I may have never made it!

Omy and Angie - thank you so much for inviting me to spend the day with your staff!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2002

The past seven days have truly been a blessing! Let me first thank the warm and wonderful University of Maryland Resident Life Human Resources Staff-Brenda, Cindy, Dan, Laura, Lindsey, Pat and Vanessa. Thank you Laura for inviting me to be a part of your staff's retreat! Brenda, I appreciate you opening your home to me and your colleagues and serving such a delightful breakfast! Thank you for including me on your afternoon visit to Annapolis and a fabulous lunch near the water. I learned just as much from you as I hope you learned from me. I enjoyed our time together and I wish you much success as you strive for my balance in your lives.

I feel honored to have been asked to serve as the general diversity session facilitator for Penn State's Student Government Leadership Conference. Specifically, Steve Satterlee and Richel Perretti s for inviting me to present and Pam Matthews for making everything go so smoothly. I've never been in one room with over 250 Nittany Lions, quite an invigorating experience!!! Just to name a few, kudos to Fifi, Brad from Penn State York, Tim, Kevin, Jeremy, and Sarah (who found herself!) for being such great participants. To the woman who told me that her spirit simply was too hot for the cup (it was an experiential activity, you'd only get it if you were there), you go!!! I will treasure the conference T-shirt and bandana for ever!

A huge thanks to Jenn Thorpe for inviting me to present on diversity for her student staff at Philadelphia University. Thank you for a scrumptious dinner at the Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant and for keeping me well hydrated during my visit. Cathy, thank you for joining us for dinner!!!! To Pat, Keith, Thalia, Laura, Tom, Sarah and the rest of the student staff, you were a very attentive and energetic audience!!! You will truly have welcoming and inclusive communities if you are able to carry your energy and enthusiasm throughout the year. Thank you for the opportunity to both teach and learn with you.

For two days, the Res Life team at Lehigh University made me feel very welcome and a part of their training experience. Gretchen Hill, thank you so much for your confidence in me along with the five star room and board accommodations! I often wonder how I have come to deserve such a good friend! To Tom Dubreuil, you have a strong team - thank you for for being so welcoming and trusting Gretchen's recommendation. To the Gryphons - Brian, Julia, Tess, Billie, Adam, Chris, Corey, Corey, Kate, Andrea, Barre, Joy, Sharon, Theresa, Danny, Mike, Taylor, Olga, Judy, and Faiza - and this is just a few of them- thank you for your kindness and for being such a great and interactive group!
Adam, thank you for letting me borrow your ethernet cord so that I could connect to the outside world during my visit. Brian, I wish you all the best as you start your new organization. You are certainly well on your way to doing great things! Julia, I admire your passion, honesty and commitment to respecting differences and not tolerating prejudice and hate. I encourage you to challenge all of your peers and continue being candid. I wish all of my session participants would tell it like it is. Billie, I just love your energy and your desire to be a change agent! As I told you, your capacity to impact change is immense as a White woman and we need more people with your commitment to educate others. Nate - thank you so much for going to your room and bringing me a bottle of water for my drive home! I truly thank you for that!

I am about a month late in thanking the Lehigh Residence Life Coordinators for allowing me to spend a Friday afternoon with them in late July talking about Balance. Major thanks to Chris, Doug, Allison, Kaycee, Laura and Gretchen for your time and attention. I wish you much success in achieving and role modeling balance in the upcoming year! Thanks to Barbara for inviting me and taking such good care of me. Good hospitality must be a common practice for you Lehigh folks!

After three years, I am still grateful for the Shippensburg RDs who keep asking me to return to facilitate their diversity training. I thoroughly enjoyed our three days together and I hope to be back next July. Bonnie, Jim, Joe, Lynette, Mark, Matthew, Nina, Noel and Pete - I appreciate your insights and I'm confident that you will be doing fantastic work with your staff next year. Thank you for taking risks and sharing a part of yourself with me and each other. Lynette - I did remember from our time together at Bloomsburg University two years ago!!!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2002

I am very grateful for the advice, support, trust and confidence of these friends whose encouragement after so many years continues to inspire me: Amy Cotner-Klingler, Theresa Berkoski, Brian Hardy, Gretchen Hill, Kristen Hyman, Tom Martin, Barry McClanahan, Christa Sandelier, Jim Steele and Jenn Thorpe. During the past two months, you have significantly touched my life and uplifted my spirit. Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!

Last weekend I met Minister Alcindor Hankins, a Gospel Comedian, who currently lives in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Minister Hankins' performance was part of my family reunion banquet ceremony and in my opinion was the highlight of the evening and the perfect way to wrap up the biannual family reunion weekend. His message is divine, noble and poignant and his talent for laughter is beyond the scope of anyone I have ever seen. Think of any true comedian, one who does not need profanity or vulgarity to make a punch line, times ten, and then you'll experience a glimpse of this man's talent. I think I'm still a little sore from laughing!

Minister Hankins and I were able to connect after the banquet and have been in touch this past week. I admire his courage and faith to pursue such a unique and divinely inspired calling. His example has renewed my own faith and has left a lasting impression on me.

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