Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Hail to the Orange





Last week I made a rare, weekday trip to Champaign-Urbana for the Greek Oscars.

I was personally invited, which the sorority women I advise took to mean I was a finalist for an award. It meant a lot to me that they had nominated me, so I went.

It turns out, I won... first place for "Outstanding Advisor."

As they say, it's nice just to be nominated... (but the winning is pretty darn cool too...)

Alpha Delta Pi won and was a finalist for several other awards as well - as usual, making me very, very proud.

The ceremony itself was held in Foellinger Auditorium, which just happens to be where I had my very first college class (Classical Civilization 115 with Professor Scanlon) and where my College of Communications Commencement Ceremony was held. So my college career began and ended in that building.

And yet... here I am, 12 years later, and it continues to have a presence in my life. The University of Illinois and of course, Alpha Delta Pi, continue to have a presence in my life.

I am so very blessed.

As I walked away from Foellinger last Monday night, I had a sudden flashback to my graduation day and the overwhelming feeling of sadness I had as I walked down the sidewalk to leave. If someone had told me then that I wasn't *really* leaving - that I would be back one day in the not so distant future and that the campus, the quad, that building would all still be something I could be a part of - I'm not sure I would have believed them.

College is way more than an education and if you're very lucky, it can extend past graduation - I'm thankful for all the lessons I've learned and continue to learn at the U of I. I'm still a part of it - and more importantly - it's a part of me.

1 comment:

Michele said...

Congratulations!!!!!!

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