Last week the Communication Program celebrated one of its graduates and LHU employee, John Vitale. In typical Vitale fashion, John went straight to the heart with his acceptance speech. Underscoring his need to do the unexpected, he said he wasn’t going to focus on his successes. Instead, he peeled back the layers of his life and talked about some of his failures. He outlined the failures that contributed to his interruptions in education and took responsibility for the negative things that shaped him into the man he is today.
In a salute to John, I don’t want to talk about all the things that I accomplished during my more than two decades at LHU. I want to talk about what I’ve learned over the years.
I’ve learned that the 20-something life can be a very different collegiate journey from those who walked the halls of ivy 30 years ago. Many students are struggling through tragic life experiences and are simply doing their best to meet the challenge to survive. I think of a student who asked to delay an assignment because his best friend was murdered and he needed to attend the funeral. I think about the time I could barely hold back the tears when a very timid student told me that she had been molested by a family member many years ago. Nonetheless, the pain was present and vivid. She admitted that her only attempt at recovery was a grandmother who helped her to transcend the nagging stress. Oh, how the weight of that conversation lay heavily on my heart and left me seeking professional intervention.
I think about the time when another student emailed a request for an assignment extension. Her reason: she had recently experienced an abortion and needed time for recuperation. The young lady was no doubt in shock due to the experience. The pain was so deep that she thought it necessary to convey the procedure in extremely graphic detail.
It was at Lock Haven that I learned that many bright and promising students were unable to complete their bachelor’s degree because they had mothers who needed them to return home to work and provide for the family, or to care for a sibling.
Faculty and staff, these are not the stories of losers. These are the stories of survivors. They are survivors because like John, they keep seeking a better outcome and a better life. These are the students of your life. Their parents entrust their care and development to you every day and ask you to contribute to making them whole. I know that you are up to the task—even in the midst of integration.
I commend the LHU community for all that you do to learn about our students’ struggles and how you lighten their load when you can. I thank you for helping me to do what I can “for the kids.” I say good-bye to all the friends I’ve made and to the special times we’ve shared. While you won’t have my services as I move into retirement, you will have my prayers. Best wishes Lock Haven, and thank you for allowing me to participate in a truly positive teaching and learning experience.
Dr. Sharon Stringer
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