Shining such a bright light

Dear Jean,

In response to the comment from your colleague in Georgia a few blogs back – Michigan State has most certainly been fortunate to recruit such a bright light as you to a place where the weather can be so dreary (like it is today). Although I’ve only been at MSU for a few years, it did not take long for me to find out what a shining light you are. Your energy and smiles have always made the office such a wonderful place to be. From coordinating a new faculty orientation within the college, to inviting new faculty like me to your house for dinner (at which time I was so incredibly impressed with your very friendly and mature teenagers!), to collaborating with new faculty on grant proposals, to making a point of doing regular check-ins to make sure I felt at ease as a new person, to providing Hershey’s kisses at department meetings, your actions certainly model your talk about promoting positive school climates! Before getting to know you, I honestly had not fully known what a joy faculty life could be. It was such an absolute thrill to be introduced personally, by you, to so many other faculty members across the nation when I attended my first CDSPP meeting in Florida, the NASP trainers’ reception in Atlanta, and the APA social in DC. As I've recently heard several people remark in the past few months: the MSU school psychology program has “become national” over the past decade. I know this is in large part due to you, not only because of your high quality research and teaching, but also because of your actions to make the MSU school psychology program such an inviting and positive one for those involved.

Lots of love,

Sara