These scenes look familiar?  You can see more Skidmore photos — from campus buildings and scenery, to still-lifes, to people-portraits — at the Skidmore admissions Facebook page.  Take a gander for old time’s sake…

Ken Freirich ’90, a self-confessed “serial entrepreneur,” is sponsoring Skidmore’s second Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition, offering $10,000 to the student or team that submits the best plan for a new business.

Over the winter break the entrants will prep their plans. In early February they’ll present executive summaries to a panel of judges, and seven finalists will be assigned mentors — seasoned businesspeople  (including Skidmore alumni and parents) who can provide advice for honing the plans. In April the judges will hear final presentations and award prizes, in the form of cash and/or services to help the winning plans become actual, operating businesses.

The February and April presentations are open to the public — including any “angels” who’d like to invest in a hot startup. To find out more, go here or e-mail Prof. Roy Rotheim (he’s rrotheim @ skidmore.edu).

Prof. Sarah Goodwin, Skidmore’s assessment coordinator, says, “I was pleased to see that alumni are so satisfied with some areas of their education that we also emphasize: writing well, communicating ideas confidently, developing a lifelong commitment to learning, and learning a subject in depth.” Those skills were among 34 that the alumni were asked to rank for their importance in their lives and for how much they were enhanced at Skidmore. Over all, responses were strongly positive, and three of the top-five items in importance—effective writing, lifelong learning, and responsibility for one’s own learning—were also in the top five for having been enhanced by the Skidmore experience.

“Working with people of different cultures” earned a 3.2 score. Goodwin says that rating against its 4.3 in importance “validates the high priority Skidmore is placing on increasing its diversity and on helping students develop a capacity to communicate and collaborate across differences.” Also, practicing “healthy living habits” got a 2.9 rating. For Goodwin and colleagues, “This is an area where strengthening our programming outside the curriculum will be crucial.”

For another angle on the chief findings, the survey firm charted six skills whose importance differed most widely from their enhanced-by scores. Healthy living and practical life management, oral communication, and appreciating and working with people of different cultures averaged about one point higher for importance than for how much they improved at Skidmore.

Hoping for a strong return rate from the 2s and 7s this winter, Goodwin says, “We’re eager to build the data set and apply this research to future adjustments in programs, curricula, and policies.”

The October ScopeMonthly article on Skidmore’s volleyball coach reminded me of a funny story I hadn’t thought of in years.

When I was a student, I signed up for softball for PE.  I’ve always been very ball-shy (I even blink playing ping-pong) and hoped this would help me to get over it.  At the first class, the instructor had us all toss the ball around and bat a little.  After a few minutes, he pointed to three of us and said, “You three go over there and practice catching with each other.”  The rest of the class formed up two teams and played a game.  Each class day thereafter, “you three” automatically went to our spot off to the side and played catch while the rest of the class played a game against other classes.

Imagine my shock at the end-of-semester awards ceremony when my name was called and I received a letter in softball.  It seems that no one had taken “you three” off the team roster, and we all received letters without ever playing a game, in practice or in competition.  Somehow I don’t think that could happen today!

This has been one of my favorite Skidmore memories.

 
When it’s time, you’ll know.
You’ll take down the flag
And with that your pride
And with that the bridle
That steered your stride.

When it’s time, you’ll go.
You’ll leave this place
And abandon this cave
That you called your home
“It’s safe,” you’ll say
You’d never betray
The land that you laid
Or the price that you paid
To one day let go
Of the love that you made.

When it’s time, you’ll pray.
To God, the Father, and the Holy Ghost.
You’ll weep for the times
That you miss the most.
But, my darling, don’t get down on your knees
For me, please. Don’t ever
Believe in what you cannot see.

The shock will come slowly.
You’ll think that you’ve won.
But the loss, no doubt,
Will certainly come.
It will appear as a stranger
With a mind for your lies.
It will wake you each morning
Until the day you can cry
“I loved and I lost, I know this is true.”
And say that it’s time to “do what they do.”