Bow Tie Friday and Holiday Festivities

This past Friday is a date that will live forever in the hearts of the Stonehill Community. A lasting tradition was started, friends were made, and admissions cleaned house at the Christmas Party Raffle. On this special day there was one thing that made the holiday party extra special, there was one thing that brought the entire Stonehill Community together and made each Stonehill staff member believe in the magic of Christmas, if only for a moment. My friends, this one thing is BOW TIE FRIDAY.

Sam Smith Associate Dean, bow tie enthusiast

Now, you may be asking: Evan, I’m already on the edge of my seat, this tradition seems life changing and instrumental in the struggle for world peace, how can I participate?

Well wait one second there whipper snapper, why don’t we gather around the fireplace and I’ll tell you a little something about the long storied tradition of Bow Tie Friday.

Bow Tie Friday Begins

It all started way back in the dark ages when no one wore bow ties. Times were tough. Then people wore bow ties for awhile in the 70s and things were good. Bow ties faded out but made glorious sporadic appearances throughout North America. During this time bow ties still held a strong following among English gentlemen and Biology professors, often accompanied by a tweed jacket. (Reader disclaimer: This short history of bow ties may not be entirely historically accurate.)

That brings us to present day. I had been keeping tabs on the original bow tie Friday, started by a colleague, via twitter. Drew Millikin (a.k.a. the bowfather) held up the tradition strong and proud. I had been talking it up around our admissions office for awhile, and it was time for the first step of expansion: I wore a bow tie to work last Friday. Then it all snowballed into this:

The Donahue Hall folks

Notice we do not discriminate, all are invited to join in the bow tie love. This Friday also happened to be our Employee Christmas Party. To quote Stonehill President Fr. Cregan addressing the large crowd:

“We are a young college and new traditions are what keep us going. The admissions office has started a new tradition, and will all members of the office participating please stand up and be recognized.”

This quote may not be word for word, but that is what the sentiment was (and all I remember). I also remember an inspiring round of applause, the loudest of which was saved for Tony. Tony has been a custodian in Donahue Hall for 20 years now, everyone knows Tony and his willingness to participate really got everyone excited.

Tony, willing to particpate

Imagine that, being recognized by the President of the college, in front of everyone at the Christmas party. This was only our first attempt as a group wearing bow ties, imagine what could happen after some practice! I think the obvious overarching theme of Bow Tie Fridays is that anything is possible… even world peace.

To answer your original question, reader, to participate just grab a bow tie, throw it around your neck, get on YouTube to figure out how to tie it and BAM! You’re in. Just make sure it’s Friday.

Admissions News: This is what you’re really here for right? The Admissions office will be slowing down over the holidays, but certainly not stopping. We’re working hard reading some great EA applications, expect to hear something in mid-January.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

For more media from Bow Tie Friday check out Facebook

If you can't get enough Bow Ties, here a video of BT1 (Bow Tie Week 1) to hold you over until Friday YouTube

As always, get the latest Stonehill Admissions news on Twitter

Chugging along...

Can you say busy?

We're in full swing with Early Action and just starting to receive all of the information from students applying Regular Decision. Need less to say, Christmas shopping has taken a back seat for me. I have a feeling I'll be one of those crazy people buying gifts on December 24th!

Just a quick note to address some concerns over Early Action and Early Decision notification letters: Due to a large volume of applications from a very competitive pool of candidates, we are working hard to send out decisions as possible. If your application is complete, you should be hearing from us soon! If your application is incomplete, please look for correspondence about your missing transcripts, recommendations, test scores, etc. so we can review your application as soon as possible.

And on a random note, enjoy these winter photos from around campus! Yeah!

Christmas Tree with "presents" on campus

Taking a break from reading applications to stop at Dunkin Donuts. Mocha latte and peppermint donut...mmmm

Donahue Hall after the first snowfall of the year


Admissions Staff Members (from left) Jacinda, Shamika, Eric, Evan and Andrew take a stroll around campus

Hello Blog World

This is my first entry in our Stonehill Counselor’s Blog, and judging by the time of year I bet you think this will be about reading applications and the whole process…WRONG.

Since it is my first blog it has got to be something fun and interesting….something that will make you want to tune in next week.

What could be so powerful, special, and exciting that each of you will follow my blog religiously from this point forward? I’ll tell you what: MR. STONEHILL

Conor Nordengren '10 making his parents proud

That’s right, Mr. Stonehill, if you’ve been on a tour of campus or spoke with a Stonehill student they probably talked about it. Mr. Stonehill is a glorified male beauty pageant….but make no mistake about it, we aren’t dealing with the Moms from “Toddlers and Tiaras” (no I do not watch the show...). This competition is not meant to be taken too seriously. All of the contestants have a great time, a lot of laughs and a lot of smiles.

Fourteen of Stonehill's finest young men, took part in the competition. The judges included officers from every class, a few others from the Stonehill community, and our very own Andrew Leahy. Our Senior Admissions Counselor extraordinaire is not just a compassionate,intelligent member of our Stonehill Admissions team- he is also a fantastic judge of talent (and I’m not just saying that because Andrew is my boss…)

I hear he accepts Mr. Stonehill bribes (cash or money order)

Four of our Student Ambassadors took part in the competition and did an awesome job. Clenton McArthur '10, or should I say his brother "Clenny Kravitz", performed a great rendition of ‘American Woman’.

Other notables included Jay Ardizonni '11 performing the vampire musical from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the Tiger song Ed Helms sings in "The Hangover", and Randy Jose '12 absolutely killing it performing a Michael Jackson dance tribute, the crowd rose for a standing ovation after the performance. And I have to give props to our Student Ambassador Tim Cushing '10 for doing a great all around job (or he will keep bugging me about it).

Alas, in the end the deserving winner was Joey D’agostino '10 who performed some great magic, and was a crowd favorite in the swimsuit portion of the competition rolling through on his skateboard with lights all over him. The lights somehow made their way into the formal wear segment of the program.

Well, now devoted followers, that wraps up my wrap up of Mr. Stonehill. It was a lot of fun, everyone had a great time. All of the contestants did a fantastic job performing. I think this video of Conner speaks for itself.

If you are interested in any other media from the event check out Facebook

Also, don't forget, for all the latest admissions news check us out on Twitter

Fall Travel Superlatives

Yes folks, it's that time again. Let's wrap up Fall Travel high school style...with superlatives!

Best downtown:Hershey, PA

If you look closely on the light poles you can see the giant Hersey Kisses!

Nicest drive: Litchfield County, CT

Besides the construction that made me late to a visit or two, I have to give credit to the beauty of Litchfield County!

Best "work weekend" ever: MIAMI

You can't really consider being in Miami for a weekend in October "work." Please keep in mind it was snowing in Boston when this picture was taken. That made this deal a little bit sweeter :)

Best rental car: Lime green VW Bug with Kentucky plates

I have no clue how this car got to Pittsburgh, but I was so glad it was mine for the week!

Biggest Fatty Fest: Primanti Brothers

Yes, that would be a chicken, cheese, cole slaw and french fry sandwich. I split it with a friend and still didn't finish it!

Best New Building: Huizenga Science Center at the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Double winding staircases, rooftop terrace, 8 labs, etc. Unreal!

Most high tech visitor sign-in: Great Valley High School in Malvern, PA.
Step 1: Take your photo using a camera hooked up to a computer. Step 2: Enter your personal information into the computer. Step 3: Sticker prints out with your photo, information and arrival time. VERY COOL! When you leave the building, they scan you out! Best part: when I return next fall, my information is saved in the system. Very, very impressive!

Most Persistent:

A certain Admissions Representative who will remain nameless has been harassing me all fall to give her another Fall Travel Superlative. So there you go!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! We are almost through reviewing Early Action and Early Decision folders. When are we sending out decision letters? Follow us on twitter to be the first to know!

Quick Update

Hey everyone! I only have a few minutes to update because this week is CRAZY! We've started reviewing Early Action and Early Decision applications and there's no going back now! We received more applications at this time this year than last so we're busier than expected.

So far it looks like the class is shaping up well. I'm impressed with the quantity and quality of our applicants so far! I love this time of year because it's so exciting getting to learn more about our applicants after meeting so many of them last spring and fall. This year in particular I feel that the essays are really strong. I read a great one about a cross-country family road trip to visit colleges all over the nation and another moving essay about an applicant's cousin who recently passed away from a rare disease. Both very different, but well written nevertheless.

Missed the chance to apply Early Action or Early Decision? Fret not- the Regular Decision deadline isn't until January 15th so you have plenty of time!

As always, please feel free to contact admissions@stonehill.edu if you have any questions about applying.

Come to the World's Largest College Fair!

Ever wish you could get all the information that you get at a college fair from the comfort of your own home?

Well, Stonehill is participating in the world's largest College Fair, and it's located on-line! Over 42,000 students from all over the US have already signed up so why don't you? It's easy and free.

If you are interested in learning more about Stonehill, visit our virtual booth by visiting:

http://www.collegeweeklive.com/

This fair is currently live and is running until this Saturday at 6pm.

As part of this fair we are hosting several live chats. To chat with an Admissions Counselor and some of our current students, visit our booth during the following times:

Thursday, November 5th: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Friday, November 6th: 3:00pm-6:00pm
Saturday, November 7th: 12:00pm-3:00pm

While at our booth you can download several different brochures that include information about financial aid, various academic programs, and more!

Thanks and we hope to see you at the fair!

UPDATE: Early Action Deadline Extended!

Happy November!

Didn't get a chance to submit your Early Action application in time for November 1st?
Do you wish you could turn back the clock so you could get your application in?

Well you're in luck!

We've decided to extend our Early Action Deadline until November 16th.

For those of you who have applied already, we thank you and we will begin the review of your applications soon.

To learn more about how we review your application click here.

To apply now click here.

More from PA

Just a quick update! Being a massive history nerd, I couldn't pass up the chance to stop by Valley Forge while I was recruiting in the Philadelphia area last week. I've visited Concord, Lexington, Gettysburg, Harper's Ferry and Antietam so obviously I need to keep going. Now I can proudly add Valley Forge to my list!

US National Memorial Arch

Not exactly my idea of proper winter housing....

These deer were right next to my car!

Sun beginning to set on Valley Forge

Greetings from PA!

Hello everyone! It's been a long fall for us in the Admissions world but as always a fun one :) I'm currently in Philadelphia recruiting all week and will finish up my travels in Northern Worcester County, MA next week. Just a quick reminder: Early Action and Early Decision applications are due by November 1st. If you missed the deadline you can still apply Regular Decision by January 15th.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Miami and Ft. Lauderdale to go to some college fairs. I've been to Florida several times but never to Miami- very exciting, especially considering it was snowing in the Northeast for the majority of the weekend! I'm not going to lie- escaping to the sun and beaches wasn't a very painful way to spend the weekend. Although I had work commitments for the majority of the weekend, I was able to spend about an hour on the beach. There was also a dinner cruise sponsored by the Miami Invitational College fair. I took some photos from the top of the boat and posted them below. Enjoy!


















Recruiting in Philadelphia is always one of my favorite weeks during the fall. I have a lot of friends and family in the area so it's great to spend some of my free time with people I don't get to see as often as I would like. There's also some fantastic schools in the Main Line area that I look forward to visiting each year. I've added some new schools to my list that I've never been to which will mix things up a bit. I'll have a full travel report (not to mention my travel superlatives) in a couple of weeks. Until then, get those Early Action and Early Decision applications in and enjoy what's left of the fall!

SC = Southern California!!!

Hello! This is Andrew Leahy, one of the Admissions Counselors here at Stonehill. I just returned from an amazing week of recruiting in San Diego County in southern California! This is the first time Stonehill has been to CA to recruit students even though we have several Californians on campus already.

The weather was unbelievable! Plus, my younger brother is stationed at the Naval Base in San Diego so I got to spend some time with him in between recruiting appointments. SD is a lot of fun! We hit up Sea World, the Zoo, a Harbor Tour, the Wild Animal Park…just about everything! As part of my trip, I started a little list of superlatives to highlight some of the best times during my vacation…I mean work…in CA.

And the winners are…
Best Music: Poway HS Marching Band! They were practicing for homecoming as I walked into the school for my visit. Poway – you guys were amazing! Keep up the good work!

Best View: Academy of Our Lady of Peace! Leaving their college fair at night, overlooking all the lights of San Diego was absolutely breathtaking. OLP also wins for “Most Food & Variety of Food at a College Fair”! Every time I turned around there was another student with a tray of brownies, cookies, m&m’s or drinks. Thanks, OLP!

Most Beautiful Location: The Bishop’s School! Bishop’s is in gorgeous La Jolla and the campus is absolutely beautiful. Even the parking garage was pristine!

Best Lunch: Coronado HS! Coronado wins for their awesome quad with volleyball court, picnic tables in beach sand and music during lunch. Lunch never looked like more fun!

Most Questions: Cathedral Catholic HS! Not only did you guys ask a lot of questions, but they were GREAT questions to ask. Thanks for making the visit an exciting one!

Best Goodie Bag: La Jolla Country Day School! It doesn’t take much to keep Admissions Counselors happy and a little bag with a bottle of water, a granola bar, and some candy will do the trick! Plus, there was a Twix inside. I love Twix. Enough said.

Best Local Honey: San Pasqual HS! Okay, actually it’s Hernandez Farms which is about 5 minutes from San Pasqual HS just up the road. Orange blossom honey. I tried it. Bought two containers. Can’t wait to go back and get more.

Most Interesting Curriculum: Canyon Crest Academy! What an awesome integration of math and sciences and the arts. Enjoy it and take advantage of as much as you can Ravens!

Most Posters & Pennants: Rancho Bernardo HS! I don’t know if there’s much more wall space, but I’m sending a Stonehill poster and pennant along!

Thanks to all of you students and Counselors for making my travels out west a success! I hope you will take some time and learn more about Stonehill by visiting our website, coming to campus for a tour if you are out east or asking me questions! My email address is aleahy@stonehill.edu if you need to contact me. Also, two of your fellow Californians are writing blogs on our Admissions page. Check out Marco’s and Kathleen’s journals. To those of you who have already applied – I look forward to reviewing your application! All the best for a successful and fun senior year!

10 Dos and Don'ts- College Fair Style

What a long overdue post about this subject! For all that have attended a college fair, you know how overwhelming the experience can be. There are sometimes hundreds of college reps and thousands of students to navigate through in order to get the information you really need. Hopefully a few pointers below can help you through the process. And remember, college fairs are fun and informative!

Do:

1.Fill out inquiry cards. This will ensure that a college can update your information, send you materials relevant to your academic and extracurricular interests. There are also a good number of schools (like Stonehill) that track a student's interest in a school. When we read your applicant file we can see that you met a representative at a college fair- we know you mean business!

2. Bring pre-printed labels. The savvy student knows that filling out inquiry cards can be a pain! Pre-printed sticky labels with your address, email, class year, high school name, DOB, academic and extracurricular interest will save you a lot of time and help avoid writer's cramp...plus it's easier for us to input in our computer system. Win win!

3. Ask questions- that's what we're there for! Your guidance/college counselor may be able to provide you with a list of good questions to ask or you could brainstorm on your own. Either way, it's never a bad idea to have a few questions in mind regarding academics, campus life, housing options, etc.

4. Do your homework! Most fairs will provide a list of colleges to expect at the fair. Try to come up with a list of schools that you want to visit to help make good use of your time. It's also not a bad idea to check out their websites to get some basic information and know what you want to talk about with the college rep.

5. Keep an open mind. Try to visit schools you may not have heard of and explore all that the fair has to offer. You never know what you'll find.


Don't:

1. Dress inappropriately, this may be your first and last impression! It's hard for us to take you seriously when you're wearing Sponge Bob PJ pants. Keep the sleepwear, sweatpants and other lounge wear at home.

2. Be afraid to speak up. While we love talking with parents, we want to interact with you as well. Introduce yourself and make sure we get to know you!

3. Hesitate to ask for the contact information of a rep. if the table is busy and you have more questions. We try as best as possible to speak with every student but this can be difficult at busy fairs. We never want you to walk away from our table with unanswered questions.

4. "Grab and go" a.k.a. take a brochure from every table- it's just wasteful! There is no possible way that every school will be a good match for you or that you'll be able to read every single one. Try to talk to a rep, see if the school is a good match and then take their materials. Consider this a good move for the environment as well :)

5. Travel in packs. Just because all your friends like a school, it doesn't mean it's the best place for you. Try to branch off on your own and go see the schools that you're really interested in attending.

Early Action or Decision?

Well it's October and that means two things:

Playoff Baseball is here (go Sox!) and Early Admissions deadlines are around the corner.

Our Early Admissions Deadline is November 1. Still trying to decide between Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED)? Maybe you're not sure if you should apply EA or Regular. Read on and I will do my best to clarify your options...

• Remember that while both ED and EA are "Early" admissions options, ED is a binding program.By applying ED you are telling that institution that you will definitely attend if you are accepted and your financial need is met. Because of this, ED should only be used if you are 100% sure that the school is for you. In most cases you must commit by the end of December, which is 5 months earlier than the normal commitment deadline of May 1st.
  
• EA gives you a chance to sit on the fence for a while.EA can be a good alternative for students who have a strong interest in 1 or 2 schools but maybe aren't as ready to make that commitment so early. typically colleges notify their EA applicants of a decision in early January, some 4 months before they have to commit.
  
• Want to compare Financial Aid packages?By applying EA you have the ability to compare financial aid packages with other institutions. When you apply ED and are accepted you must withdraw all other applications so there is no chance to do some comparison shopping. If Financial Aid will play a role in your decision it may be best to avoid ED altogether.
  
• Is it easier to get in EA vs. Regular Decision? Statistically our acceptance rate is higher for EA applicants vs. Regular applicants. Having said that, I bet you would see this trend with a majority of schools. Reason being, those who apply Early typically are the higher achieving students. The academic profile of EA applicants on the whole are stronger, which leads to the higher acceptance rate. So while I won't say it is necessarily easier, EA does give those students who are "on the bubble" a chance to be deferred and re-reviewed with the Regular decision pool.
  
• Are you applying early so X school knows you're really interested? Well you don't have to! One of the biggest trends lately is to apply early at more and more schools. Some students even feel pressure to apply early because they see all of their friends doing it. If you need the extra time to complete your application, don't rush to get it in for Nov. 1. If you are worried that by applying regular will lead the school to believe that you aren't that interested there are some steps you can take to show otherwise.

Go on an official visit.Many schools track who visits. By taking the time to visit the school in person you are showing interest in the school. Check out what each school offers. Some offer Group Info Sessions, Tours, Class Visit Programs, and a combination of all 3.

Include a supplemental personal statement. By taking the time to write a short statement about why you are interested in "X School", you can show that you have "done your homework" by discussing why specific programs and opportunities that the College has to offer are perfect for you. You can also talk about why you applied Regular as opposed to Early. Maybe you are taking the SAT or ACT again and want to wait for those score results. Maybe you are doing really well in your senior year and you want "X School" to see both first and second quarter grades. By taking these extra steps, in my mind, you have applied early!

Still nor sure? Contact your Admissions Counselor.Each Admissions Office has a counselor that is assigned to your area. Reach out to them and ask your questions. We are a friendly bunch so questions are ok with us! By reviewing with you your individual situation we can try to advise you the best route to take for applying.

In the end, the decision is up to you. But remember that it isn't when you send us your application that matters, it is what is IN your application that is the most important. Good luck!

Stonehill and the Windy City

Hello everyone!

Sorry it's been a while! Since we last spoke I've logged over 2,00o miles by land and air in 5 different states. One of these states was Illinois where I spent 4 days in the Chicago area for some High School Visits and College Fairs. A few thoughts about my trip:

• Windy City is not so windy...Maybe it's just me but I didn't notice the wind all that much
• Lack of Boston accent disappointing to students...I swear at almost every school I visited students would want to know where my Boston accent was. (I don't really have one) You could tell they were devastated. I did my best impression of one and that seemed to work well!
• Wrigley is a great place to watch a game...When I found out I was coming out to Chicago the first thing I did (before buying my plane ticket and finding a hotel) was to see if the Cubs were home during the time I would be there. And they were! Myself and my friends from P.C. and B.U. came to the game with me. We had a great time but it was odd to be sitting in a ballpark in September watching two teams play a game with zero playoff implications. Leaving that night I vowed not to ever take the Red Sox and their consistent run at the playoffs for granted
• Train system is amazing. I have to hand it to Chicago they have the public transit system down to a science
• SAT? What's that?...This is ACT country. The SAT was hardly brought up by the students.
• You never know who you might meet at a College Fair...At a fair at Loyola Academy I met a 3-time NBA Champion from the Chicago Bulls. No, not Jordan, but former back-up center Bill Wennington. He was easy to spot at the fair since he is 7 feet tall and his son was 6' 10".

Overall it was a great trip. The school counselors I met with were very receptive, and many of them knew of us already. They said if students are thinking of the Boston area in the search, they add us to their students' lists.

Next post I will recap the NACAC annual conference which brought together over 3,000 Admission and School counselor professionals from around the world. Needless to say it was an interesting week.

Stonehill Invades Pittsburgh

Greetings from "the road!" I'm currently in Cleveland after spending several days in Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Rochester. Since I had high school visits and fairs on Friday and Monday I had the opportunity to stay the weekend in Pittsburgh and see all the sights! It was the week before the G20 summit so the city was abuzz but luckily I was out of there early enough to avoid all the traffic, flight delay, protesters and general craziness that surrounds an international event of that magnitude.

I have a few friends from college in the Pittsburgh area so it was great to catch up with them and let them show me around the city a bit. On Saturday we caught a football game which was a new experience for me. Coming from a small high school, attending a college with DIII athletics and working at Stonehill (Division II) I've never really experienced the wonder that is BIG football. We got tickets for Pitt v. Navy and had a blast...especially since Pitt won! Chris is the world's biggest Steeler fan so he was just excited to be in the new Heinz Stadium for the first time. That's him with the Superbowl Trophy. I was more excited for tailgating and food! I ordered a hotdog and this is what I got. As you can see by my face it was a daunting task.

Despite the rain, Chris and I headed to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. They were feeding the Komodo Dragon when we were there which was really cool to see. We're both huge fans of penguins (who isn't?) so the aquarium was the best part for us. I've attached a live action video of a penguin diving and playing peek-a-boo with Chris.





It was a great weekend to relax a bit before travel really gets underway. This week I'm in Cleveland, OH visiting high schools from Monday-Friday. In October I travel from Hartford, CT to Springfield, OH and finish up with Philadelphia, PA.

We'll update soon with some frequently asked questions we receive during travel season and what types of questions you should be asking reps at college fairs and visits.

On the Road Again!

Well it's that time of year again- fall travel! The Admissions Team is hitting the road and coming to a high school or college fair near you. We'll be traveling all over the country for the next 6-8 weeks and blogging live about our adventures!

I'm currently in Pittsburgh, heading to Rochester, NY on Tuesday and finishing up September with Cleveland, OH next week. I'll have mostly local travel for October before I finish up in Philadelphia. Look for a post about my exciting weekend in Pittsburgh soon! One word: football.

Eric is currently in Chicago, IL and I'm sure he'll have a post since it's the first time Stonehill has traveled to Chicago in at least a decade!

Below is the college fair schedule for the entire office. Check in with your college counseling office to see if we're visiting your high school as well!

http://www.stonehill.edu/x11047.xml

We can't wait to meet you!

Busy school year? Same here!

What the best way to know if a school is right for you? You have to visit!

We're offering some new ways to visit Stonehill this fall. We're now offering TWO sessions on select Saturdays to come visit campus during the fall. Group Information Sessions followed by campus tours will start at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on September 19th, October 10th and October 17th. Please call the main Admissions line at 508-565-1373 to make a reservation. Space is limited so please plan in advance.

The Senior Class Visit Program is also in full swing! Seniors are assigned a current student host that takes them to class, lunch and a personalized tour. This is a great program for Seniors that are thinking about applying to Stonehill and have already done a Group Information Session or a Tour. We require one week's notice to sign up so we can notify professors and find suitable student hosts. Please call the main Admissions line at 508-565-1373 to reserve a spot. Space is limited.

Friday, September 18th (Rosh Hashanah)
Monday, September 21st
Friday, September 25th
Monday, September 28th (Yom Kippur)
Tuesday, September 29th
Friday, October 2nd
Tuesday, October 6th
Thursday, October 8th
Friday, October 9th
Wednesday, October 14th (PSAT Test Date)
Friday, October 16th
Tuesday, October 20th
Friday, October 23rd
Monday, October 26th
Wednesday, October 28th
Friday, October 30th
Thursday, November 5th
Friday, November 6th

New Dunkin Donuts!

While the new science center has been open this summer to students doing undergraduate research in the S.U.R.E. program, there has been one important component missing from the building.....Dunkin Donuts!

Yes, the time has finally come! The entire campus came out in full force last week for the Grand Opening which included free coffee, donuts and tons of samples. Included are some photos of the *new* Dunkin Donuts which is located right outside the atrium with beautiful floor to ceiling windows. This space can be set with tables (see photo) or chairs for presentations, speakers and hopefully Open Houses in the spring for the Admissions Office!

It's also another exciting time: back to school! The academic year officially started yesterday with the first day of classes. Congratulations once again to the Class of 2013 and best wishes on their first week of college!

Ted Kennedy

I was sad to learn of the passing of Ted Kennedy. I've always admired his work ethic, empathy, and the genuine concern he had for those less fortunate. I especially admired his dedication to the important issue of education. Kennedy made it one of his priorities to work towards ensuring high quality education for all students. Kennedy was a main contributor to the creation of such programs as TRIO and GEAR UP.

Kennedy also worked to help make Higher Education more affordable. Kennedy is credited with helping to create the Pell Grant Program, and the Direct Lending Program. Millions of students who did not have the economic means to pay for college, have directly benefited by Kennedy's work. Kennedy's tireless effort to help low-income, first generation students, receive a high quality college education is something I personally admire. I was one of those students so I can personally attest to the impact his work can have.

Kennedy has also been a part of Stonehill's history. In 1964 he received an honorary degree from Stonehill. Since then, Kennedy has returned to campus on several occasions. He will be missed but as he famously said in his 1980 Democratic Convention speech, "The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream will never die."

To view a photo snapshot of Kennedy's various visits to Stonehill, click here

Stonehill College Ranked 7th in the Country!

So I know we always talk about the wonderful community we have here at Stonehill...and we do! 93% of our students live on campus, are heavily involved in community service, activities, and in genreal have a lot of fun.

Yet sometimes it can be hard for us to truly get across that our students are genuinely "happy" here at Stonehill...How does one measure that? Well Princeton review does each year when they release their Top-10 list of Colleges with the happiest students. and guess what? Stonehill is number 7 on that list.

Here are the other Schools on the list:
Brown
Clemson
Clarmont McKenna
Stanford
Bowdoin
Yale
Rice
St.Mary's College in MD
Colorado College

Pretty good company I say.

To learn more why our students are among some of the happiest in the country click here to read the article.

To see for yourself come visit us. Here is a link to our Visit Schedule in August:http://www.stonehill.edu/x12715.xml

See you on Campus!

Eric

Happy 4th!

As per tradition, my family always goes down to my aunt's lakehouse in CT for the 4th of July. After THREE STRAIGHT WEEKS of non-stop rain, we finally had a weekend of sun! Below are some pictures of my fun weekend.



Lounging in the lake


Intense game of volleyball



My attempts at serving


Mom's version of "tanning"


Chris attempting to jet ski

My sister's 21st birthday cake


My cousin Michael's fireworks display

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Eric and I will be on vacation for the next week but we'll be in touch soon. In the meantime, check out some of our student bloggers who have been posting throughout the summer. Kathleen (our newest First-Year blogger) just wrote about her 1st experience as a Stonehill student at Orientation! http://www.stonehill.edu/x13106.xml