It’s a Sunday evening in mid-October. I’m watching the Red Sox playoff game on TV (Go Twins, but what are the playoffs?) and the much discussed fall foliage is beginning to appear. We’ve finished up our sixth week of class, and after moving to Boston from the Pacific North West, my home for the last 10 years, I again have routine in my life. Having arrived at that point, I thought I would use this post to share what I have been working on the last few days. I’ll work backwards from my chair now (it’s 6-4 Sawx).
I’ve spent much on the day working on a case analysis mid-term for my class Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning. This class is my first experience with the case study method, and it’s awesome. This particular assignment has an analyzing a somewhat troubled high school (the leadership structure of the staff, not the students) and designing an action plan for the incoming principal.
I also spent time this weekend preparing an outline for the synthetic essay I have due net weekend for my History of American Higher Education class. The essay addresses universities in the period of 1870-1910, and I will argue that the period was defined by a period of statistically increased access not matched by increased equity. I am working ahead slightly on this, because one of my good friends is coming for a visit next weekend (when you move to Boston, people want to come see you).
This past Friday, I spent the day on campus, even though I don’t have any classes. I am interning at an organization called the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE), and I spent an hour at our office preparing survey population data. I went from there to a meeting with one of the Graduate School of Education’s research librarians in preparation for an upcoming research paper in which I plan to address some of the opinions surrounding the growth (some would say bloat) of administrative roles on college campuses. From there, I went to an information session with Valerie Sutton, the Director of Career Services, for students interested in the consulting industry.
I was feeling pretty good for that hectic day after a great run Thursday evening along the Charles River. Running has been a part of my life for years, but the miles of paths along the river, blocks from both campus and my home in Allston (equidistant between Harvard and Boston College where my girlfriend studies) having taken my running to the next level. Something about the sun on the brick buildings and changes leaves and crew teams practicing – its always a good run.
If this all sounds good, I promise it sounds good to me too. Being surrounded by such energy and purpose, not to mention intelligence, is incredible energizing. The schedule is full, and yes I am tired at the end of the day. But my days are filled with a purpose and learning like I have not experienced before. I am stoked for the week ahead.
Blog written by Andy Marshall. Photos provided by Andy Marshall
Andy Marshall is an Ed.M. Candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Higher Education Program, and an intern at the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE). His academic interests include studying the ways in which organizations of higher education develop their own leaders, and what unique aspects of higher education organizations might affect this process. Prior to studying at Harvard, Andy worked at his alma mater, the University of Puget Sound, as an Assistant Director of Admission. He is excited and grateful to be surrounded by individuals of such character and purpose, and is enjoying learning from this incredible resource.
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