i’ve been getting a lot of pressure to join facebook. the unthinkable has happened… i got an invite from my mom to add her as a facebook friend. i don’t know how much longer i can hold out; i’m admittedly a late adapter.
i want to highlight a few of our accomplishments to affirm that our effort as a group is meaningful. we delayed, perhaps defeated blackboard as a format for testing. multiple course exams are no longer a part of the first-year curriculum. we provided precise feedback to administrators and instructors about our desire for increased quality of experience in lectures. we established a culture of personal responsibility, collegiality, and community. we encouraged high ethical behavior from each other and the established the practice ‘if you see something, say something’. we encouraged a ‘roll with it’ attitude. dental school is difficult and we try to make it as comfortable as possible. in some cases we can change things, in other cases, we must change.
those of you who know me best know that i am very sentimental. please forgive me for being very personal with you now. i want to share with you my feelings for nyu: some of the most capable people i have ever known direct this school. i’ve found them to be genuine, warm, intelligent, resolutely confident, wise and fun. they care deeply about the value of our experiences and have impressive cohesion that makes this institution nimble, adaptable, current, relevant, and progressive.
i want to share with you an email that dr bertolami sent all of us last year. i am happy that we are on track with his vision for this school:
“NYUCD/NYUCN students, faculty, and staff all share the same goal – the furtherance of excellence in the academic program in order to educate outstanding healthcare professionals. But the hierarchy inherent in the traditional faculty/student model obscures this reality. More important, it's the wrong model for a professional school…the model should not be about who’s in charge, but about grown ups coming together around shared values and objectives. In other words, it should be about collaboration.” – Dr. Charles Bertolami, Dean
i hold this college in the highest regard. i’ve given my heart and my best effort to you and to this school. so it is with mixed feelings that i announce to you that i have accepted an admissions offer to another university. this decision was difficult to arrive at and i thank my mentors who spent time with me helping me to understand the decision and my feelings about it. they have helped me develop intellectually and emotionally. i encourage you to seek mentorship relationships; they will add richness to your experience and will be more valuable than many things you will learn here. as a parallel to what i have done, i encourage you to add value to the school and to your community. in return i’ve been given every opportunity i wanted: observing in clinic and hospital procedures, i have the cell phone numbers of many faculty, i’ve been a part of pet projects with faculty, research, friendships, asked for my assessment and opinions many issues. i’ve given myself to my community and i’ve been entrusted as second in command in my church congregation, captain in the new york sailing club. I share that with you to show you what could be if you do the same.
there are not words to tell you how much i will miss you and how much i appreciate you.
