Come meet us at The Beach!

It's Spring Break for FLC this week! And to celebrate, the Office of Admissions will be hanging out at The Beach on Sunday! Ok, it's probably not the beach you have in mind, but it will still be fun. On Sunday, March 14, the Office of Admission will be handing out free goodies at the Durango Mountain Resort Beach. Along with DJ Wreck from KDUR, we'll be slopeside from 2-4pm with cookies, chap stick and other fun give-aways. Take a break from the great spring skiing conditions on Sunday and stop by to say hi.

Welcome back!

Happy New Year, and I hope each of you are settling into 2010 with a renewed sense of optimism and resolution. Here in Durango, our campus is abuzz and full of energy. Today is the first day of our Winter Semester, and we are excited to have students back on campus.

As I think about the past few months, I am reminded that it has been a very dynamic and exciting time for us. Truly, Fort Lewis is a college on the move. Several recent developments reinforce our unique nature. They include:

• Dr. Ron Estler of the Chemistry Department recently was selected as the Colorado Professor of the Year. Dr. Estler will now compete for US Professor of the Year honors.

• Our Men’s Soccer team recently won the NCAA Division II National Championships, and our cycling team won the Collegiate Team Omnium National Championships in Cyclocross.

• Construction on the new $11.6 million Biology building will finish later this month. The new building will house the Biology and Agriculture departments along with a new greenhouse, animal facilities, laboratories, classrooms and offices.

• For prospective students, we will host three upcoming Skyhawk Saturdays for
--January 23, 8:30am-12:00 noon
--February 20, 8:30am-12:00 noon
--March 20, 8:30am-12:00 noon

As you can see, this is an engaging time at Fort Lewis We look forward to sharing our progress with you and to working with you.

Now it is time for me to get back to reviewing application files. Seniors--good luck with finishing your application.

Finding the Right Fit

Real estate agents often chant the mantra of ”location, location, location” to their clients. As in buying a house, location shouldn’t be the sole driving force behind the college search process; nonetheless, it's still an important variable to consider. Over the past few months, you might have received admission information from colleges and universities, ans as you've noticed colleges reinforce their location in their publications. With striking photos of mountains, skyscrapers, or grassy quads, college viewbooks and websites play up their schools’ location. With all these great photos, you might ask yourself, where is the information on academics? Is there more to a school’s campus than the scenery? Obviously, the answer is yes, but you shouldn’t shy away from taking advantage of a college’s environment. College is perhaps the best four years of your life. It’s an opportunity for you to expand your intellectual and social horizons. It’s one great experiment. Follow me on a journey of how to think about which school's location will work for you.

The "right fit," like many phrases, can have various meanings and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Your right fit might be different from mine. In thinking about schools, you’ll want to ask yourself: Do you like the cosmopolitan feel of a large city? Are you seeking a thriving music scene in a college town like Athens or Austin? Or do you want to stay close to home to be near family and friends?

Once you’ve identified your “right fit,” search for a college that is in your paradise. As an example, I’ll use Fort Lewis College. I am the Director of Admission at Fort Lewis College so it is an easy example for me. Fort Lewis is located in Durango, Colorado and the Four Corners region. Here, the San Juan Mountains meet the desert Southwest. It’s an incredible location. The area is surrounded by national forest, parks, mountain reservoirs and rivers. World-class skiing is 25 miles from campus; river rafting is in town; and great archaeology sites are only 30 minutes away. Heck, I ride a singletrack mountain bike trail to work. For students interested in the outdoors and wilderness, Fort Lewis College can be the perfect choice.

Here are some ways our students find their right fit at FLC:

1. Join student organizations: See what opportunities are available through the campus. Fort Lewis offers an Outdoor Pursuits club. It’s the largest club on campus and provides FLC students with such classes and trips as climbing (mountaineering, rock and ice), rafting/kayaking, avalanche safety, backcountry skiing/riding, canyoneering. Additionally, OP is the adventure hub of campus with an extensive equipment check-out program, outdoor resource library, bike and ski tune shop, and a knowledgeable staff. OP can provide maps, expert advice, reading material, and other resources to plan individual adventures.

2. Get to know the town. Since you will be living in a new community for four years, don’t hesitate to explore the town. Fort Lewis College and Durango offer a Welcome Week block party for new students. It’s a great way to learn about restaurants, shops, and other offers. Plus, there is usually some good, free food at events like this. Many restaurants and clubs offer college night specials on food. You can often eat well and on the cheap if you know the locations that offer college specials.

3. Explore the region. Within a two hour drive of Durango lay six different ecosystems. Three Native American reservations are within a 50 mile drive. Getting off campus will help you explore different areas of the country that perhaps you’ve never seen before. I had never had an Indian taco or Navajo frybread before moving to Durango. Now, I love it, and I know many FLC students who experienced these foods for the first time simply by being adventurous and getting off campus.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. You can stay on campus or you can get to know your college’s surrounding areas. I encourage you to do the latter. College is about expanding your horizons. I’m a firm believer that some of the most important learning experiences in college occur outside of the classroom and even off-campus. Be curious–explore and enjoy your college experience.

Tips for High School Juniors--Thinking about colleges

High school juniors out there--watch out. If you haven't taken the ACT or the SAT yet, get preparend. And I'm not referring to the test. I'm talking about the amount of mail you'll receive from colleges and universities after you sit for the test. By the end of the summer, you’ll probably have a stack of college brochures tall enough to poke through the stratosphere. Let’s be honest–choosing a college is no easy task, and some of these brochures only complicate matters. Right now you might still be trying to figure out: How will I pay for school? Do schools have my major? What do I want to study? Do I want a small school or a large university? Concerns like these are valid, and with over 4,000 colleges and universities to chose from, how will you ever decide? And you thought some of the SAT questions were hard! Relax–this month’s post will help point you in the right direction. In no time, you’ll know how to select the college that’s right for you. Here are my ABCs for choosing a college.

A. Academics: Keeping your academic and professional interests in mind should be a key aspect of your college decision process. Make sure a college offers your major. If you are undecided, select a college that is broadly-based and has a variety of majors to choose from. Looking specifically at colleges’ graduation requirements and core curricula will help you determine if there is room to try different classes or electives. Additional classes can expand your skill set and perhaps even your marketability on the job market. Think about international opportunities. Do you want to study abroad? You should also look at the faculty: what is their background, do they focus on teaching or research, what type of support will they provide? Consider how classes are taught: Is it a lecture format, or are there hands-on or experiential learning opportunities for students? You might also be mindful of colleges’ rankings and their annual report to the US Department of Education. Finally, look at career and graduate school placement. Where do students with your major work after graduation? Does the college provide career planning and assistance with employment placement?

B. Belonging: The college day is organized differently from high school. Unlike high school, you’ll be in class for only 3-4 hours per day as opposed to 7-8 hours per day. As a result, you have more free time. That’s not to say that you don’t need to use your free time to study; rather, you’ll have greater opportunity to take advantage of social, extracurricular and club activities. You want to find a college that “fits” with your personality and your interests. Make sure to visit the campuses that you are considering. Colleges can look very different in person as opposed to what’s printed on a glossy brochure. Get a sense for the students, their interests and what they do with their free time. Do you want to be a part of a fraternity or a sorority? What do students do on the weekend? Step back and reflect: Is this a place where I will be happy? Can I picture myself here for the next four years?

C. Cost: Cost is one of the main factors to consider when choosing which college to attend. In examining costs, consider expenses beyond tuition. Many students and families fail to consider the big picture and thus don’t realize that tuition is only a fraction of the overall costs. Other costs to consider should be housing, food, books, student fees, and cost of living expenses around the colleges that you are considering. Also don’t forget to look at your scholarship and financial aid offers. Be sure to read the fine print. Are the scholarships renewable? Do I need to take a certain number of credits? Do I need a maintain a certain GPA in order to keep my scholarship?

If you keep some of these ideas in mind, choosing a college should be as easy as 1-2-3. Or in this case, as easy as A-B-C. Good luck.

FLC Skyhawk Gets a Name

Over the past few weeks, Fort Lewis students have been considering names for our masot--the Skyhawk. Skyler debuted his new name during the varsity basketball games on Saturday. Hundreds of fans cheered the announcement and then went on to watch both Skyhawk basketball teams beat New Mexico-Highlands.

Skyler's new name came following a vote by the FLC and Durango communities. The quest to find a new name for the FLC mascot began weeks ago with a call for entries for the “Name the Skyhawk Contest” sponsored by the Associated Students of Fort Lewis College (ASFLC). Hundreds of name suggestions poured in.

The name choice was recently narrowed to 11 finalists and was put it to a vote. The voting was open to the College and Durango communities, as well as alumni.

Comment on my blog and tell me what you think of the new name.

FLC--National Champs...Again!

While I try to keep my blog clear of shameless self-promotion, sometimes, it's needed. I'd like to congratulate the Fort Lewis College cycling team on their 9th mountain bike national championship. At the 2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships in Banner Elk, North Carolina this past weekend, Fort Lewis College bested the field including the host Lees-McRae to win the Division I team competition. Dave Hagen, the FLC cycling coach, had nothing but compliments for the FLC riders. "It was a great day for us," Hagen said. We had a bunch of riders who really stepped up for us." This year, we brought a more well-rounded team. And we did well in both (dual slalom and downhill)."

As someone who slowly rides his bike to work, I have great respect and admiration for our riders. Congratulations!

Dorm Life

One of the defining aspects of college life is the residence hall. The anxiety associated with moving away from home, doing your own laundry and living with a complete stranger can keep many seniors awake at night. Indeed, dorm life is one of the one of the biggest adjustments to college. The questions that fly through high school seniors' minds are often anxiety-ridden: What if I don't get along with my roommate? Do I want the top bunk or the bottom bunk? Why if my roommate is messier than me? Will I be homesick?

To help with the transition to life away from home, Fort Lewis has developed some innovative programming for our residence halls. We offer five Living Learning Communities (LLC) -- exciting options for residential students. By joining an LLC, you live with other students with common interests and who are similarly invested in having fun and learning together. LLCs combine a common interest or theme with the social aspects of a campus housing community. The result is an experience that will last a lifetime.

In addition, Fort Lewis is excited to offer a new residence hall this fall. Animas Hall is the College’s new $12 million residence hall. The facility will offer 148 students suite-style living accommodations with the most modern conveniences, such as flat panel TVs and wireless Internet access. The hall will also include faculty/staff apartments and classroom space. Construction on the project has already begun and it is anticipated that students will begin moving in for the fall 2009 semester. Check out some of the photos below.

While dorm life can be overwhelming at first, conversations and time in my residence hall include some of my fondest college experiences. Its OK to be nervous, but remember your rooommate is as well. You're not alone in your feelings. Here are some quick tips on adjusting to your home away from home.

1. Talk to friends or older siblings who have lived in a college dorm. Get an understanding from them about the fun as well as the challenging aspects. If possible, try to spend the night with a colelge friend in his or her dorm room.

2. Prior to arriving on campus, call or e-mail your roommate. Get to know them as individual. Many a friendships are formed between college roommates. I still stay in touch with my freshmen roommate.

3. Once on campus, be social. Take the time to get to know your roommate and others on your hall. These are friendships that will last a lifetime.

4. Use Skype or other video/phone systems to communicate with your family. You're not as far away from home as you might first imagine.

Again, enjoy the transition to college. It's a lot of change, but it's exciting and a great time in your life.