An evolving system

Thanks everyone for making tonight’s dinner event awesome.  David Cooper (‘11) and Sarah Sansolo (‘09) served up an incredible menu (great call on the peanut butter cream pie!).  The a cappella groups helped make things festive–and I didn’t realize so many RJs are in these groups (confirming my sense of the talent in this community).  And the Provost’s announcement made an already wonderful evening even more amazing.  I can only imagine that the Endowed Chair will open up new opportunities–for all of us.  I know that I will welcome the additional time to reflect (chapter 5 of Mr. Scheller’s updated edition of Think, Decide, Do) on the program, incubate new activities, and keep the program continually evolving.  You’re part of this living, breathing system.  Mr. Scheller encouraged everyone to share your assessments, ideas, suggestions, and wishes with me.  By creating this blog I hope you have an accessible way to do just that.  My door is always open–here, electronically, and in Walson 200.  How can we make this year matter?  What can we, as a community, do to make a real difference?

Change is not a spectator sport

Why a blog?  I’ve been thinking about an RJ blog for some time.  This summer, I was powerfully convinced of the potential of digital media to help draw community together.  I follow, as many at Muhlenberg do, the Facebook group, Stay Strong with Jacy.  I observed in awe the number of group members grow to nearly 700 virtually within days of its creation by fellow RJ, Les Polk.  I still believe online communication is no substitute for face-to-face interaction, but I cannot deny the potential of this medium to help build and sustain communities dispersed in space and time.  So I’m creating this blog to stay better connected to the RJ community, and to share news, ideas and opportunities of interest to students learning about change.  

This change in communication signals bigger changes to come for a program that, by definition and design, needs to keep evolving, keep innovating, be forward-thinking.  Ideas about change emerge in communication, so my hope is that this blog grows into a space of interaction, dialogue, debate.  This is not a one-way street:  everyone is invited to join the conversation, add your own reflections, ideas, inspirations, and creativity.  So speak up!  Change is not a spectator sport!