As always, it’s been an exciting start to the semester. Our Orientation activities were a great success - we had a strong volunteer team and we were able to give our newest members the information they needed to start a new life here at MIT, as well as opportunities to build connections and friendships in a new city.
This fall, our members also initiated three new groups. Ran Keren shared his coaching expertise and his passion for tennis by teaching a short session of lessons, and Lisanne Stoop got the After Hours Meet Up group started - they are providing activities in the evenings and on weekends so that working spouses and couples and families can more easily participate in our program.
And just when I started to think I’d seen it all in this job, Shakti Lieten and Norman Wozniak started a Theater Acting Group. A group of 12 spouses and partners and students have been rehearsing this semester and will put on some performances at the beginning of December. Stay tuned to our weekly emails and Facebook group for more details about the show. I hope to see you all at opening night!
In addition to the usual excitement of welcoming newcomers in the fall, we were also working behind the scenes to finish up our new website. Thanks to the support of MIT Medical’s Marketing and Communications team and a group of MIT Spouses & Partners Connect volunteers, our new website more accurately reflects the diversity of programming that we offer, gives us a more modern look and feel, and makes it easier for you to quickly find the information you need.
We have also been putting plans in place for our semi-annual Kids Clothing Exchange and some bigger social events with the MIT Postdoctoral Association. Our Career Connect workshops are underway, and we will start exploring to capture that content in video format.
We’ve been busy! So busy in fact, I haven’t had time to think about what is coming next for MIT Spouses & Partners Connect. I finally have some time to breathe and think, and I find myself asking…
Now what?
What is the next project or program we want to develop? MIT Spouses & Partners Connect is always full of good ideas, which should we pursue next? Where will our volunteers and member take us in the coming year?
If you have a strong desire to have an impact and make a difference with MIT Spouses & Partners Connect, we want to hear from you! There are many ways to share your talents and energy. Let’s find a match between our needs and your interests and availability. Together we can do great things.
Jennifer
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” - African proverb
