My family and I have really been enjoying this fall with all of the beautiful golds and spectacular sunsets.  We have been sharing these treasures with our exchange student, Flora, who is from China. Last night we shared the very weird tradition of carving a huge pumpkin into scary faces. Tonight will be another weird - and wonderful - tradition of running around the neighborhood dressed as a witch and collecting candy. And then it will be teaching our own family tradition of sharing the first of each chocolate candy type to the parents.  We must keep the traditions alive! 

Internships can play such an integral role in a student's educational journey. I'm happy to see so many thriving internship programs in CoLA, and I am always especially thrilled to see when these internships lead to jobs. Our recent success story is in English. Last spring, English alumna and Dean's Leadership Board member Kathy Hinders was looking for an intern to work with her at Crown Packaging where she serves as CFO. Kathy worked with Lars Soderlund and Sally DeThomas in English to identify Professional and Technical Writing student Emma Harmeyer as an ideal candidate for this internship.  After a successful spring experience, Emma was hired part-time for this fall, and I just learned that when she graduates in December she will begin working at Crown Packaging full-time! What a wonderful example of what an internship can do for our students.

Did you know that Modern Languages has six active language clubs that offer fun ways for people to practice their speaking skills and learn more about different cultures? Each language has their own routine of when and where they meet, and you can find a wide range of people at these gatherings - majors, minors, native speakers, and people who simply have an interest in the language. For example, in September the Spanish Club participated in A Day in M�xico at the Centerville Library, and in October the French Club gathered at the Rockafield Alumni Center for a cheese-making demonstration. If you want more details about the club schedules, contact the faculty who are responsible for them this semester:

I have great news to share about Sally Lamping, who holds a joint appointment in the College of Education and Human Services and CoLA's English/Integrated Language Arts program. Sally has been accepted to the Fulbright Program beginning this January at the University of South Australia. Sally will work with the Multi-literacies and Global Englishes Research Group and area public schools to study how both countries train teachers for work in schools with high populations of English Language Learners (ELL) or English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) students.  This work will enable her to offer new perspectives on the ways both the Australian National Curriculum and the Common Core Standards can be used to guide best practices in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. Let's listen for her accent when she comes back.

Our Strategic Planning sessions have been going well and we have gotten a lot of good input and ideas on how to modify EMPOWER: College of Liberal Arts.  The next session will be held Monday, Nov. 3 at 9 am in 162 Millett.  I hope you can make it! 

Have a save and Happy Halloween!