Academic Coordinator, Brattleboro, late seventies and early eighties
By 1982 the Mad Men of my generation were well past middle age and approaching geezerhood. We were slowly coming to terms with notion that the masculine dominated world of the early 20th Century had long moved on and women were now an integral part of the workforce. My resume listing Bentley College, The U.S. Army and the United States Post Office, then traditionally exclusive male bastions, did little to prepare me for the very different universe I was about to enter. I joined a staff of 90 women directors, coordinators and advisors —I was one of 5 men tooling along with them. 80% of our students were determined women in their 30’s and 40’s, many of whom were seeking to re-enter an interrupted education—along with many students I faced a steep learning curve. The place was abuzz with student learning, staff development and preparation for the five year accreditation review by the Association of New England Schools and Colleges. To my delight, my new colleagues swiftly introduced and helpfully guided me into CCV’s supportive and collaborative world dedicated to excellence and learning.
CCV is now the jewel of the state college system and I marvel how fortunate and privileged I am to have been part of its early development.