25 October 2021

Dear Everyone:

Those who joined us for the conversation on Friday between Karla Cornejo Villavicencio and Adrian Izquierdo, introduced so beautifully by Mary McGlynn, know that it was all the things we want out of such an event: richly thought, incredibly frank, and touching on such vital matters as how we know what we know, and how we keep some things to ourselves. I’m very grateful to Mary for making the event possible, and thanks as ever to Lily Iserson for helping with the necessary back end.

Part of what the conversation between Villavicencio and Izquierdo covered is the imagination and importance of college to and for various people and communities. That piece resonated for me in the context of knowing that many of you are right now applying for jobs and fellowships, activities that come out of and throw into the world certain imaginations of educational and other institutions and more individually, of the lives you are crafting. I think I say some version of this annually and in a variety of contexts, so apologies for repetition, but I want to ask you please not to forget/always to remember as you move through the job search (or applications for any sort of thing), you are not the sum of what the academy or other institution determines you to be; your being far exceeds in every way what any institution thinks of you! Whether you land the job or fellowship or get the prize or award or not, this is true! Be sure to connect with Tanya Agathocleous, our wonderful DEO dedicated to supporting you through the job search process, and remember always what wonderfully complexly and richly interesting people you are! It is to our collective great good fortune you are in our midst.

This Friday, we’ll be conducting more business related to the US Latinx search (current students and faculty, please look for the email from Nancy Silverman regarding the seminar). Next Friday, 5 November, all are welcome and current students are especially invited to join us for a preview of the spring 2022 course offerings in English. Todd Craig, Caroline Reitz, Amber Musser, Duncan Faherty, Talia Schaffer, and Karl Steel are among those who will be present at this event organized by the curriculum committee under Karl’s terrific leadership. A zoom link will follow early next week!

With gratitude and abundant well wishes, as ever –

Kandice