President's Corner
What I'm Up To
- I'm reading:
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John Banville’s Mrs. Osmond, his homage to literary idol Henry James and an imagined sequel to James’ 1881 masterpiece Portrait of a Lady. Go online and read the first paragraph of Chapter 25. He is…profoundly good. Makes me want to never write again, since anything I attempt will feel like some other, lowly activity in comparison to his mastery of language, image, syntax. This is slow reading, every sentence to be savored.
- I'm watching:
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I’ve always respected Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but we just watched the documentary RGB. It is over-the-top great and she is now one of my heroes. A superwoman in many ways and the documentary is really well done. There are lots of scenes of her speaking to crowds and the way young women, especially law students, look at her is touching. And you can’t help but fall in love with her now late husband Marty. See this movie and be reminded of how important is the Law.
- I'm listening to:
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In my Spotify Daily Mix was Percy Sledge’s When A Man Loves A Woman, one of the world’s greatest love songs. Go online and read the story of how the song was discovered and recorded. There are competing accounts, but Sledge said he improvised it after a bad breakup. It has that kind of aching spontaneity. It is another hit from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, one of the GREAT music hotbeds, along with Detroit, Nashville, and Memphis. Our February Board meeting is in Alabama and I may finally have to do the pilgrimage road trip to Muscle Shoals and then Memphis, dropping in for Sunday services at the church where Rev. Al Green still preaches and sings. If the music is all like this, I will be saved.
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I'm tweeting at @snhuprez:
Pop Picks – August 16, 2018
Posted on August 16, 2018
What I’m listening to: In my Spotify Daily Mix was Percy Sledge’s When A Man Loves A Woman, one of the world’s greatest love songs. Go online and read the story of how the song was discovered and recorded. There are competing accounts, but Sledge said he improvised it after a bad breakup. It has that kind […]
Read More »Building an Inclusive SNHU
Posted on August 16, 2018
Following the anniversary of the deeply troubling incidents in Charlottesville a year ago, I want to update you on our efforts to build a more inclusive community here at SNHU and the considerable progress of the last two years. This is an update on our ongoing efforts and while I will focus this message largely […]
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SNHU: A Great Place to Work Eleven Years Running
Posted on August 2, 2018
Eleven years ago, Southern New Hampshire University was named for the first time a “Great College to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education. As you can imagine, or remember, it was a very proud moment for the SNHU community. Last month, The Chronicle announced that SNHU made the list once again, making us […]
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Some Reflections on Completing 15 Years at SNHU
Posted on July 23, 2018
Last month marked my fifteenth year here at SNHU. A former college president once told me, “all college presidents should leave after eight years. Ninety-five percent of the good you will do happens in the first year and after that you are just on cruise control.” A second former president countered, “I was a president […]
Read More »Pop Picks – July 23, 2018
Posted on July 23, 2018
What I’m listening to: Spotify’s Summer Acoustic playlist has been on repeat quite a lot. What a fun way to listen to artists new to me, including The Paper Kites, Hollow Coves, and Fleet Foxes, as well as old favorites like Leon Bridges and Jose Gonzalez. Pretty chill when dialing back to a summer pace, dining on […]
Read More »Pop Picks – June 11, 2018
Posted on June 11, 2018
What I’m listening to: Like everyone else, I’m listening to Pusha T drop the mic on Drake. Okay, not really, but do I get some points for even knowing that? We all walk around with songs that immediately bring us back to a time or a place. Songs are time machines. We are coming up on Father’s Day. My […]
Read More »In Praise of Gardens and Fathers
Posted on June 11, 2018
Every year, as we head into Father’s Day weekend, I repost this piece from 2010. It always seems to resonate with people – I usually get a lot of email response – and this year I have again planted tomatoes. And this year I’ll fall short again of whatever magic my father worked in his […]
Read More »Pop Picks – May 24, 2018
Posted on May 24, 2018
May 24, 2018 What I’m listening to: I’ve always liked Alicia Keys and admired her social activism, but I am hooked on her last album Here. This feels like an album finally commensurate with her anger, activism, hope, and grit. More R&B and Hip Hop than is typical for her, I think this album moves into […]
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What a Weekend: Commencement Highlights and A Hearty Thank You
Posted on May 23, 2018
Just over a week ago, more than 19,000 students graduated from SNHU and nearly 6,000 walked at four ceremonies over two days in Manchester, New Hampshire. Collectively, our graduates traveled more than 3.8 million miles to attend Commencement and receive their hard-earned diplomas. It was emotional for our students and their families and it was […]
Read More »Pop Picks – April 27, 2018
Posted on April 27, 2018
April 27, 2018 What I’m listening to: I mentioned John Prine in a recent post and then on the heels of that mention, he has released a new album, The Tree of Forgiveness, his first new album in ten years. Prine is beloved by other singer songwriters and often praised by the inscrutable God that […]
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