I have been ruminating on change for many years. When is it good? Is it inevitable? What is lost when things we treasure change? Are there ways that change brings growth?

I am not naturally one who likes change. I want the same meal on holidays. I take the same route to the grocery story every single time I go.

And yet, I know I—we—live in a world of change.

The picture below is beautiful. The patterns, the abstraction, pull the viewer in while pushing us away.

What is it? It is the root ball of a tree that crashed to the ground some months ago on the Salem campus. As you walk past Corrin Refectory, if you did not know it had been the scene of a huge tree falling, you would still gasp at the beauty, including that of a much smaller tree that has since been planted there, with some ceremony.

When the tree fell, I felt a significant sense of loss. I was, I confess, made unhappy by the change. Today, what is left are memories and this visual of an accidental abstract, calling to mind the renewal of the earth, calling to mind a very different kind of beauty.

As we wrestle with all we are doing these days as a community, I think of that tree—a tree that connected generations and connects us still. Our classes and our meetings, our screens and our calls, stand for much more than the obvious, the visible—they stand for the ways we are FOR one another; and we know in our heart of hearts that in this moment we are learning more than we could ever have imagined from one another.

The delights of nature remind us that we are part of an ecosystem and that we all need multiple strategies—talking with friends, reading books (I am in the middle of White Fragility and a terribly silly mystery called Lethal Licorice), walking in the rain, using a calculator, cooking dinner.

As you head into the next part of the history and future you are making, remember liberal arts education is about creativity and compassion, generosity and grace. And, at Salem we are stronger together. 

Happy April! 

Susan Henking
Dean of the College

We will have our first virtual performance on Friday, April 17 at noon. It will be presented live on the Salem Elberson Fine Arts Center Facebook page (@salemfineartscenter).

We start the series with music from Dr. Sonja Sepulveda’s living room in South Carolina!

Hymns play a big part throughout American music and history. Each one has a story, and many of the stories are extraordinary. Some of these tunes and their poetry were born out of desperate times similar to the times we are currently experiencing. Indeed, some of these tunes are so timeless and relevant they have lasted hundreds of years, have been made into larger choral or orchestral arrangements, have been developed into gospel songs, and have worked their way into the fabric of our lives not only through church, but through movies, recordings, and concert halls.

Dr. Sepulveda is an associate professor of music and director of choral activities at both the Academy and College. To read more about her, please go to: Sonja Sepulveda.

Rosa D. Otero
Art, Art History, and Design Department Chair

In the midst of uncertainty, the million-dollar question remains, “How can we be well?” If I could only wave the wand of wellness over all our heads, trust me, I would. It’s just not that easy. We are facing unexpected circumstances in many areas, and we are bombarded with news and suggestions for how to deal with such news. Here are a few I’ve heard. Exercise every day. Eat well-balanced meals. Meditate. Learn to quilt. Put together a 5,000-piece puzzle. Clean your closets. Write a book. Learn a second language. Organize your bedroom. Hey—organize your life.

We occasionally receive different, and perhaps better, messages. Don’t feel like being ultra-productive? It’s okay. Don’t want to try online yoga? It’s okay. Don’t feel like cleaning your workspace? It’s okay. And don’t feel like organizing your entire life? It’s okay. Acknowledge what you’re feeling, and rest assured there’s no single way to be okay other than giving yourself permission to be yourself. That’s okay at its finest.

Step by step, everyone. Peace and grace to all of us, for ourselves and for each other. Stand in your strengths; they’ve gotten you through rough patches in the past and they’ll do it again! And when you need some help standing, call on your Salem sibs. We love you and we’re here for you.

Take care and Be Well.

Susan Harding
Director, Office of Student Wellbeing

When I lived in Italy, it was always the sound of bells that woke me (even on those early Saturday mornings when all I wanted to do was sleep in!). Like clockwork, the bells rang—in rain, snow, hail, darkness, and brilliant sun. No matter the season, the bells were a grounding reminder that we had been gifted with a new day, in all her fullness.

We have a bell outside the Lucy Rose Center, with a beautiful sign resting above it that reads “Your Future Starts Today.” Upon acceptance into a graduate program, or the signing of a job offer, seniors come and ring the bell—celebrating with friends and faculty the accomplishment of taking that next step into their future. The sound resonates throughout the Student Center, and it is not uncommon to hear amazing cheering.

The spring is our season for bellringing, when all the hard work of fall applications comes to fruition. We are deeply saddened, in this home-bound season, to not be able to ring the bell with you all in person. We know the profound value of community celebration and mourn that loss. And yet, we also are in a season of joy—as students continue to share photos with me, holding their own handmade signs, of acceptances to graduate schools, signings of job offers, and selections of fall study abroad programs. From Scotland to Austria, Washington State to Wilmington, we are seeing the future being created today—and we are so thrilled. If you have a celebration, please share it with us! Send me your photos, and we will share them with our community virtually.

We also know that many people are seeking employment in this exceedingly challenging environment. Know that we are here for you, in every way possible. If you are looking for a job, here a few steps you can take today to make your application as strong as possible:

1. Take some time now to work on your resume (we can help you with this!)

2. Build as many professional networks as you can (register for Network 1772, our alumnae networking platform, at Network 1772).

3. Challenge yourself to build your tech skills by taking a free course online.

4. Use the following real-time list to see what companies are currently hiring (Hiring Practices)

Listen for the bells. And please join us in finding all the reasons to celebrate your future, starting today.

Collier Lumpkin
Executive Director – Global Leadership and Career Innovation

Salem’s chair library is still open! Please take a virtual tour by visiting the chair library website, which was launched in 2019, at Chair Library. You also can access it at Facebook Chair Library.

Rosa D. Otero
Art, Art History, and Design Department Chair