Mentoring/Alumni relations
Colin Dietch
cdietch@udel.edu
Sat, 5 Jan 2002 03:21:49 -0500
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Hello all -=20
Happy New Year. This idea of an alumni mentoring program is an =
interesting one to be sure, but is, in my opinion, best when viewed =
through rose-colored glasses. Call me cynical, but there will be at =
work a variable for which we have not yet accounted: teenaged =
surliness. Difficult to work with, impossible to quantify and always =
powerful.
I believe that any program, regardless of the zeal with which it is =
promoted, will be met with apathy and a few sneering remarks at the =
receiving end. The "big brother/sister" program in which each incoming =
junior was assigned a senior sibling was good-natured in that it gave =
each junior an upperclassman friend until they became acclimated to =
science and math. The concept was never extended beyond this. Which is =
a good thing, as it never became a hassle and a burden, as I think any =
other program of its type would.
And one must remember how extraordinarily busy science and mathers tend =
to be. During my career there, I never really thought "Gee, I wish I =
had another committment. Maybe this time with someone I don't know at =
all. Yeah, that would make it bearable." Someone mentioned =
letter-writing. Any correspondence addressed to me from "family" would =
have gone sadly unanswered...
It is wonderful that NCSSM has such an active Alumni community. I am =
not discouraging active support of the institution or its students. =
Indeed, both need more support now than ever. However, it is unfair =
take an unannounced and active interest in the lives of the students, =
and any such program would be regarded (correctly, I should say) as =
unnecessary meddling. As a student, I would be troubled by any =
administration-sanctioned activity insulting my intelligence and dignity =
with such a program, dressing up Alumni as aunts and uncles and telling =
me to bond with them.
While I look forward to meeting future graduates, I prefer that it be on =
their own terms, as such relationships tend to be much more healthy than =
those initiated unilaterally.
So pardon my negativity. I yam what I yam. On a side note, I enjoyed =
the idea of applying family names to other members of the "NCSSM =
Family." Alumni Aunts & Uncles. Prospective Applicant Nieces and =
Nephews. Corporate-Sponsor Cousins (Even more effective as Korporate =
Kousins.) Legislator-in-laws. Sounds relatively good, don't you think?
- Colin Dietch '01
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hello all - </FONT></DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<DIV><BR>Happy New Year. This idea of an alumni mentoring program =
is an=20
interesting one to be sure, but is, in my opinion, best when viewed =
through=20
rose-colored glasses. Call me cynical, but there will be =
at=20
work a variable for which we have not yet accounted: teenaged =
surliness. Difficult to work with, impossible to quantify and =
always=20
powerful.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I believe that any program, regardless of the zeal with which it is =
promoted, will be met with apathy and a few sneering remarks at the =
receiving=20
end. The "big brother/sister" program in which each incoming =
junior was=20
assigned a senior sibling was good-natured in that it gave each junior =
an=20
upperclassman friend until they became acclimated to science and =
math. The=20
concept was never extended beyond this. Which is a good thing, as =
it never=20
became a hassle and a burden, as I think any other program of its type=20
would.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And one must remember how extraordinarily busy science and mathers =
tend to=20
be. During my career there, I never really thought "Gee, I wish I =
had=20
another committment. Maybe this time with someone I don't know at=20
all. Yeah, that would make it bearable." Someone mentioned=20
letter-writing. Any correspondence addressed to me from "family" =
would=20
have gone sadly unanswered...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It is wonderful that NCSSM has such an active Alumni =
community. I am=20
not discouraging active support of the institution or its =
students. =20
Indeed, both need more support now than ever. However, it is =
unfair take=20
an unannounced and active interest in the lives of the students, and any =
such=20
program would be regarded (correctly, I should say) as unnecessary=20
meddling. As a student, I would be troubled by any=20
administration-sanctioned activity insulting my intelligence and dignity =
with=20
such a program, dressing up Alumni as aunts and uncles and telling me to =
bond=20
with them.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>While I look forward to meeting future graduates, I prefer that it =
be on=20
their own terms, as such relationships tend to be much more healthy than =
those=20
initiated unilaterally.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So pardon my negativity. I yam what I yam. On a side =
note, I=20
enjoyed the idea of applying family names to other members of the "NCSSM =
Family." Alumni Aunts & Uncles. Prospective Applicant =
Nieces and=20
Nephews. Corporate-Sponsor Cousins (Even more effective as =
Korporate=20
Kousins.) Legislator-in-laws. Sounds relatively good, don't =
you=20
think?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> - Colin Dietch '01</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
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