Adversity

Earlier this year I gathered with some college friends to reflect on a near-death experience we had 40 years ago. We were hiking on Mt. Washington, New Hampshire in May, and suddenly found ourselves in the pouring rain in near freezing temperatures. The creeks on either side of us had flooded and we could not backtrack or go forward. One member of our group was starting to experience hypothermia. If you’ve ever read stories about how dangerous that mountain is, ours was shaping up to be the archetype disaster. By miraculous good fortune, one in our group of seven had a two-person tent, even though we had been headed to a shelter at the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine to spend the night. We stripped off wet clothes and all piled in, back to front in our sleeping bags with bent knees crosswise in the tent. Despite the awkwardness, we quickly realized we were not going to die and we made the correct decision. In fact, it turned into an evening of storytelling, laughter at jokes, and ended with a beautiful morning. Two of us, myself and a buddy, continued up to the ravine while the others opted for a warm shower at base camp. Forty years later, the first time we’d gathered to speak collectively about that experience, there was a powerful bond knitting us together knowing that we’d shared a unique form of collective support that enabled each of us to pursue a life that might not have happened.

Webster’s Dictionary defines adversity as “a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune.” All of us at some point in our lives confront such a moment. Fortunately, one of the greatest antidotes to it is education, and the economic opportunity it creates. A few weeks ago, we held WP’s annual Fall Giving Day. The seven student support-focused initiatives were linked in one form or another by the theme of adversity, the barrier that money frankly plays in the accessibility of a college education. There were 238 persons who stepped up to make donations to one or more of these worthy causes. It warms the heart knowing that WE UNIQUELY specialize in changing the lives of students and families given how many come from limited means.

As part of Fall Giving Day, I lead a hike in the High Mountain Park Preserve adjacent to the campus. It raises money for an emergency fund I set up in my first year here for the purpose of helping students in unexpected financial crisis near the end of their studies—a car that breaks down, an apartment eviction, a medical emergency for the student or a family member, a job loss—all of which that can have the effect of their not being able to pay a school bill or buy books. And you know what that means. Anyway, this year we did something new—more than 30 of us hiked from the main campus to the Valley Road campus (yes it is possible, albeit it isn’t a straight line). It turned out to be a bit longer than we expected, but our cheer was undaunted. I built in some fun higher education trivia game moments for gift card prizes and shared letters from recipients of resources from this fund—all of whom I am pleased to relay overcame their adversity with this help and graduated this past May. What made the hike extra-special was the support of the children of our extraordinary Child Development Center! In addition to making us care packages, they placed motivational signs to keep our spirits up as we neared trail’s end. Every sign was a treat, and the perfect reminder of the power of togetherness and mutual support. Fall Giving Day is a manifestation of the impact one can have on our greatest asset, our students.

Academic News

What Works for Student Success Conference set for Monday, December 16. The annual virtual conference is set with the program schedule to be sent out shortly. There are 17 sessions planned, plus a keynote. A key theme of this year’s conference are issues and applications of AI, although there are a number of topics tied to other themes. The conference is valuable for both faculty and staff. See you for the conference!

UCC News. Thirty-nine course proposals in 12 areas are currently with the UCC Review Panels and 21 courses have advanced from the panels to the UCC Council. Additional proposals will advance to the review panels next week. We anticipate being able to build first-year cohort schedules with an exciting array of UCC 2.0 courses, some new and some revised. College curriculum committees and review panels are commended for the careful review and comprehensive feedback they are providing to proposers.

Office of Sponsored Programs Updates. Congratulations to these very recent awardees:

Casey Mathern, Director, University Galleries, continues her work with the Passaic County Cultural and Heritage Council securing a $7,875 grant to continue the local arts program for 2025. Mathern also leads a team of WP collaborators in a new multi-disciplinary NEA award melding environmental science and the arts for which the University has just received intent to fund in the amount of $60,000.

Sherrine Schuldt continues her work with the Department of Public Health’s engagement with the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, bringing in $53,333 for the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success 2024-25.

Dr. Kendal Martin, Professor of Biology, secured a subcontract with the University of Florida for a USDA grant titled Hunting for healthy soils: Organic management of soil micro-predators for pathogen control in the amount of $59,149.

Donna Minnich Spuhler, Director, Campus Activities, Service and Leadership in the Division of Student Development received $56,250 from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) for WP’s Hunger Free Campus project.

A grant for $100,000 was brought in by Johanna Prado, Director of Degree Completion and Adult Learning (DCAL) in the College of Adult and Professional Studies, for the Some College, No Degree program, titled WP Integration Initiative: Pathways to Success.

Department Chair Request. Every year Provost Powers seeks to meet with each department on campus. Thank you to all that have scheduled that opportunity. There are a few remaining that have not yet set a time and thus it is greatly appreciated if you would reach out to Claudia Chavez in Academic Affairs to arrange it.

Back by Popular Demand – Dr. Sonya Douglass to Engage Departments More Deeply on Decolonization/Inclusive Teaching Goal Themes. Informed by the goals developed by each academic department on campus, Dr. Douglass has graciously agreed to come back and engage in sub-topic themes linked to those goals. Be watching for more specifics that further enhance her extraordinary presentation in October, set to occur in late January.

Facts & Figures

The University takes an enrollment snapshot shortly after the start of the semester (Census I) and in early November (Census II), the latter capturing the additional enrollment from WP Online Term 2 and dual enrollment students. Here is a comparison between this year and last year as of Census II:

Quotables

Sample quotes from students helped by the emergency fund:

“I am a senior at WP. I come from a family that has endured numerous financial struggles and I had absolutely no way of paying this semester’s bill. I was overjoyed and truly humbled to receive it. Your belief in me and investment in my education means more to me than words can say.” (graduated August 2024)

“My father had a massive stroke in my first semester. Once that happened, I had to help my mom out with the bills. With this scholarship I will be able to pay for my current semester and register for my last one.” (graduated May 2024)

“As an adult student and mother of three teenagers, two of who attended WP, my journey has been both challenging and rewarding. This timely scholarship has been a beacon of hope, enabling me to pursue my passion with renewed vigor. The support extends beyond financial aid; it reaffirms my belief in the transformative power of education, inspiring me to make a lasting impact in the lives of others.” (graduated May 2024)

The best part of success in life is paying it back. Be the difference in a student’s life. Consider how you can support one today!

The Provost’s Office is Brenda, Claudia T., Claudia C., Kara, Rhonda, Sandy, and Josh. You can reach us at 973.720.2122 • provost@wpunj.edu