JCU Blog Central

Saying goodbye to a legend and a friend

Saying goodbye is never easy and this case is no different.  Tomorrow, the John Carroll community will say its final goodbye to Fr. Joseph Schell, S.J., a former JCU philosophy professor, University president, and campus minister who was the true embodiment of the Jesuit phrase "Men for Others."  Fr. Schell spent 60 years on Carroll's campus meeting everyone he met with his kind eyes and a warm smile before retiring from the community in 2004.  The calming nature of his presence, the kindness of his heart, and the warmth of his personality will be greatly missed. 

Today's the Day

It's May 1st (the National Candidate's Reply Date for those of you keeping score at home) and it's a very exciting day in the world of enrollment.  This is the day that students should be making their final decisions about what university they will be attending in the fall and contacting said school.  We are very excited here about the members of the Class of 2012 who have already committed to John Carroll and can't wait to see what the next few days brings. 

Of course, our work with this class is not over.  There is still summer orientation, class registration, & Streak Week that we need to guide the new class through and I couldn't be more excited.  I look forward to meeting families during orientation, serving alongside students at the Streak Week service project, and welcoming new students to campus on move-in day.   Sure, it's great to open up the mail and see a new Enrollment Reservation Form of another student who is choosing JCU, but it really comes to life when the new students start trickling in to campus.  We can't wait to see you this summer and in the fall!

Welcome to JCU! 

Welcoming the new class

As I write this, the windows to my office are wide open and I am enjoying a cool spring breeze and a lot of sun.  The glare on my computer screen is almost unbearable, but I'd rather deal with it than close my blinds.

The warming weather trend is always a reminder to admission professionals that the National Candidates Reply Date (May 1) is just around the corner.  This is the date by which seniors in high school have to make their decisions about which college they are attending.  For many schools, John Carroll included, this can be a nerve-racking time of year.  But this is a great time of year and we are filled with such hope for the incoming Class of 2012 as evidenced by our Class of 2012 Celebration that took place on April 5.  We hosted over 1,100 people on our campus for a day of information, fun, and community.  The Celebration Day was a huge success this year and is a tribute to the great staff and administrators on our campus who planned this amazing day.  The unsung heroes of the day, though, were the JCU student volunteers who came out in droves to welcome the newest JCU class to campus.  I truly believe that the students and their families who attended the event saw first-hand what an amazing place JCU is - not just because of the buildings and the natural beauty of campus, but because our students are some of the best in the country.

The Blizzard of Aught Eight

So what is it that students do when there is a blizzard that left over a foot of snow on the ground?  JCU students can get pretty creative...

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

Most people are not thrilled about having to come in to work on a Saturday when they normally work Monday through Friday.  However, Saturday, February 16 was an exception.  This past Saturday the Office of Admission, the Honors Program, and the committees for the Arrupe Scholars Program and the Leadership Development Program, welcomed nearly 60 students and their families to campus.  These students interviewed with members of the John Carroll community to become members of different campus organizations and for merit scholarships.

I love working on scholarship interview days because there is such a great energy on campus.  There is the energy of the faculty and administrators who are anxiously waiting to see what this next group of students can bring to campus.  There is the energy of the current students who were out in full-force to help with the day's activities.  And, of course, there is the energy of the scholarship finalists who are vying to become members of these presitgious programs. 

It was a great day that I think had a positive impact and everyone who was present.