Thanksgiving: The Case for Gratitude
For many of us who work in the sometimes polarizing world of higher education, where the culture is competitive and the pace can be punishing, gratitude is kind of like a big, fancy dinner: it’s a cool idea, but it’s really hard to make time for. Luckily, many of us get a whole 4-day weekend for Thanksgiving, a holiday with thankfulness literally built into the name.
Results of Disunity
We have survived a virus that required isolation only to now face another dangerous and growing threat—the idea that the good of one is more important than the well-being of the whole. We have a problem when we stop seeing each other as people—with similar hopes and dreams—and instead only see each other as strangers.
Community: A Challenge Worth Undertaking
Higher education institutions shouldn’t just offer communities, they should be communities that allow their members to focus on, reach for, and achieve their goals in an open and collaborative environment.