Radke - Week 6 - Dickinson

I've had another wonderful week in the Office of Campus Life, but specifically with Dickinson as a whole.  I've had the opportunity to meet what seems like most of the institutional administrative structure.  After my meeting with their Vice President of Student Affairs next week, I will know and have talked with all lead staff on campus.  This has really been beneficial to help me understand the student culture of Dickinson since there are very few students on campus.  Two people that I spoke with and left me to process my own feelings about their role on a college campus was the Director of Religious Life and the Director of the Jewish Center on campus.

I first met with the Director of the Jewish Center and learned more in that hour then I could have ever expected about the Jewish culture.  The student Jewish population at Dickinson is a little over 10%.  While that doesn't seem like much overall, it is vastly different to anything I've ever experienced.  They have a center where students can come to not only have a place to be around students like themselves, but to learn more about their culture and religion, to strengthen or understand their faith, and to also hear speakers brought in by the Asbell Center.  The services and opportunities for these students are impressive and it is encouraging to see such a small population of students feel like they have a home and a place they can be themselves without judgement.

After that meeting I was able later that afternoon to talk with the Director of Religious Life who also is in charge of community service on Dickinson's campus.  I see the correlation of the two structures put together, but with community service being heavily pushed on this campus, I wasn't shocked when I was told that 75% of her time goes to that and it only leave 25% for any work in the religious development on campus.  Afterwards it made me think about how it is possible to be hired for one job, but with restructuring or budget cuts I could quickly be given responsibilities that are not in my original job interest.  It seems she's done a great job with both and has become just as passionate with community service as she is being an ordained minister.  Students here have an abundance of opportunities to do service with seven week long service trips throughout the school year, days devoted to community service, and good options through student organizations.  I'm glad to see so much emphasis on community service being pressed upon this age group of students.

Oh and while the weather was a litte warm last week, I'm sorry my friends in Mississippi that are burning up, because this week it's highs of 85.  I am gloating about the weather right now, but knowing there is no way I could make it in the winter.

Carrie