Landmark College Welcomes New Students
by Solvegi Shmulsky
PUTNEY, Vt.--Stories were the focus at Landmark College’s winter Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, January 23, 2016, in Putney, Vermont. Convocation is a semi-annual event named from the Latin for “to call together.” It is attended by new families and members of the College community. Leaders welcomed incoming students, and personal messages of struggle and fulfillment were shared by student Malcolm Migel, alumnus Dr. Zachary Alstad, and faculty member Dr. Kim Coleman.
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Dr. Peter Eden, Landmark College president, acknowledged the challenge of starting college and assured new students that faculty and staff would support them. “You’ll do good things and bad things, but even bad things are the substrate for character development,” he said. “You might fall sometimes, but we’re always here to help you up.”
Eden emphasized the need for dialogue and collaboration in the community. As an example of working together, he described consulting with Liza Burns’ communications class before his speech. The advice students shared was:
- No one is perfect
- You may escape the project but not your grade
- Embrace people who learn and socialize differently than you
- Friends will always be there but homework has deadlines
Themes raised by Eden were echoed in stories from speakers.
Malcolm Migel
Student, B.A. Liberal Studies
Malcolm Migel addressed the audience with a student perspective. He is due to graduate from Landmark College in May 2016 with a bachelor of arts in liberal studies.
Migel first attended in 2008 after his athletic role at a former college ended and he “felt completely broken.” He said, “This place was unique—with the Green Mountains, care, compassion, and support.” After a successful stint at Landmark, he attended Southern Connecticut, played two years of professional rugby as a Connecticut Yankee, and coached the rugby team.
In September 2014 Migel’s life changed when he fell down the stairs and suffered a severe injury. He was hospitalized and lost memory and basic self-care skills. “When I felt like my life was at an end, the best phone call ever came from Steve Stanley, athletic director of Landmark.”
Stanley had called to tell Migel that Landmark College had a new B.A. program. With the support of his wife, Migel returned to pursue his B.A. and join the first baccalaureate class. To new students he said, “I see a fire in you. Your story is no different than mine--it just has different chapter headings.”
Zachary Alstad
Research Associate and Alumnus, '03
The alumni perspective was provided by Zachary Alstad, Ph.D., class of ’03. He is a researcher with the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT).
Alstad’s story began as he recalled his earliest academic memory, which was “being diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD and feeling powerless.” He was asked to read aloud in class, “but I couldn’t read,” he said. With the help of “an amazing support system,” he gained the “passion, process, and science of learning.” As a psychologist, he now studies learning with the intention of improving education.
“There’s academic trauma in many of our histories,” Alstad said. “We may have been mocked, discouraged, made fun of, or forgotten. Some of us believed those lies, but we’re not victims. We keep on going.”
He encouraged students to “Keep your goals in sight, know how deeply faculty and staff care about your well-being, and value your precious time.”
Kim Coleman
Associate Professor, Department of Natural Sciences
Dr. Kim Coleman, a faculty member in the Natural Science Department, delivered a faculty story. She told incoming students that “Faculty are just people. We had childhoods, chores, dreams, and nightmares.”
As a child, Coleman was very curious, “because I didn’t understand what was going on,” she said. “Some people know when to talk, what to say, and when to be quiet. I didn’t.”
Eventually academic struggles emerged, and “I heard words like, careless, unmotivated, and lazy.” In response to academic challenges, Coleman worked harder and longer than her peers. This strategy was effective, but not effective enough to help her succeed in a doctoral program. Instead of pursuing her Ph.D. right away, she took a job at Landmark College.
While at Landmark, Coleman learned skills and strategies that are taught to students. She began applying them to her own life, and doing so enabled her to go back to school and earn a Ph.D., which “wasn’t easy, but was attainable.”
“There’s no magic strategy, but we’ll help,” she said. “Welcome to your people.”
Students on Stage
Welcoming student leaders and incoming students is a tradition at Landmark College Convocation. Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Luciani invited 30 orientation leaders, RA’s, Student Government (SGA) representatives, and Community Activities Board (CAB) members to be recognized on the stage. He applauded the many contributions students make to the community and asked incoming students to think about what they might offer.
Closing the ceremony, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Monika Bissell introduced the student coin. New students are given a coin symbolizing the commitment of the student, the College, and families in working together toward achievement. Recognizing the big step that new students are taking, Bissell shared instructive and funny quotes from Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Harry Potter. “I am and always will be an optimist,” she said quoting Doctor Who, “The hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams.”
After Bissell’s remarks, new students walked onto the stage to the clapping of audience members. Bissell and Eden shook hands with students and handed out coins from a basket. Following the ceremony, a brunch was held in the dining hall.