Skip to main content

Back at Caz


Well, who knew? 

I stepped on the campus of Cazenovia College in 2003 and it was weird then. A first-generation student with no concept of what college really was and what I should expect, and even more so, how I socially would integrate to campus culture and college lifestyle - for lack of a better phrase, it was all well, weird. 

Today, I'm now a college graduate, having completed graduate school (and oddly, doing it again for fun and interest), I stepped back onto that same campus in a much different role - as an alum returning, as an advocate for higher education and student affairs, and as someone who personally felt compelled to give back to a place (and the next wave of students who are like me) that gave me access and a launching board for my life today - again, this was weird too. Very weird. 

Life is crazy. But again, there I was on the same quad fifteen years after I first stepped foot on it, eleven years after rocking a cap and gown, giving a speech to my class on "forever", packing up my car, and heading home. Again, so weird.

Nonetheless, I would be lying if I claimed to be completely chill about going back. The return was exciting! I do miss Caz. No matter how much I travel, or what big city I fall in love with as my choice for retirement, that little village in central New York has tight strings to my heart. 

And while the campus had many changes, the athletic center upgrades, the various resources having changed locations, Caz is still Caz. From the very first moment of parking my car and walking onto campus at 9:45am on a Friday morning and seeing students roll out of dorms in sweats and school gear, their lanyard lazily flowing at their side, their wet hair still obvious from the shower they just jumped out of, and that look - I still know that look! - of regretting everything about morning classes, I knew things weren't as different as those obvious changes tried to fool you on. 

But with every step on campus, it was like a rush of emotion and nostalgia overflowing as I thought about the many people who I met there, the moments that happened on every part of that campus, how I changed, and even, at times, how crazy it was that I was back - and even more wild, invited and welcomed back!

You want to know how crazy fifteen years can become? I went from a first-gen student who attended Cazenovia at the absolute very last minute (was headed to St. Johns University) to now having lunch with their brass on institutional advancement and discussing assessment goals and advancement of the college, along with future connection possibilities. Uhhhh, yeah, like whoa! 

However, with that said, you know how crazy fifteen years can NOT change things? I sat down with one of my favorite professors - EVER! - who also happened to be my debate coach for three years, and the woman STILL intimidates me. She just has that Coach Taylor-Friday Night Lights vibe about her. Truthfully, I want to be her. Anyone who has taken a class with this lady would back me up on this.

But really, my favorite part of returning was speaking to the new batch of Wildcats in the classrooms. Having the opportunity to discuss what they are learning, my experience in the field, and of course, tying it all to diversity, inclusion, and ultimately, how to deal with various types of people when they hit the real world. 

The feedback was absolutely tremendous. I answered numerous types of questions after class on a variety of topics, including simple things like "getting through Caz". 

It's not unusual to have a close connection to your alma mater, but for me, the timing is very significant as I close out a semester where I find myself heavily invested in student affairs, making multiple presentations all over the country, and of course, awaiting my son in June. It all just makes for a massive bundle of change, nostalgia, and reflection that I'm not sure I can unpack and accurately capture in words as of this writing. 2018 thus far has been an absolute whirlwind. 

But one thing is for sure, I do have Caz pride. Many move on. Others find it too cool to show that kind of appreciation. But not me, Caz is a big part of me. I am very proud of that place, regardless of size and notoriety. 

It was great in so many ways to be back at Caz. And something tells me, it won't be eleven years until I am back. I am very thankful, and of course, looking forward to it. 

Recent Favorites

Yankees 2024 World Series - Ponderings and Stuff

I thought I would try something different for the 2024 World Series, especially since my Yankees are in it, and offer some quick ponderings and share some stuff from my thought process. Why not?  I expect a tough and arduous series. In many ways in approaching it, I would be shocked if this goes five or fewer games to either side. Obviously, I wouldn't mind if it happened for the Yankees.  Whoever wins, maybe they should also get claim to the 2017 World Series title. I'm kidding. Sort of... Game 1 Dodgers d. Yankees, 6-3  (LAD Leads Series 1-0) This is one of those games where I love baseball, but I hate it. That was a tremendous game if I didn't have a rooting interest. However, I do. And baseball, by nature, has a flair for creating moments that can rip your heart out as a fan. This one did. It's up there, to be honest. In this time, it feels worse than Sandy Alomar's home run off of Mo in 1997. But likely to not leave me in my feelings like the 2001 World Series

Knicks Trade is Great - However, Julius Got Us Here

I purposely took some time before posting on this recent trade. It came out of absolutely nowhere and left me in shock on that fateful Saturday night - even though, every Knick fan knew a Julius Randle trade was inevitable. Karl-Anthony Towns is an amazing talent. He’s All-NBA. He’s an All-Star. And in many ways, he’s a very, very, very unique and select talent. Also yes, he has flaws. Who doesn't in today's debate-anything landscape?  For pure basketball reasons, Towns as a Knick makes sense. The spacing is better. The options are better. The style of play is better defined. And the opportunity for the ultimate, an NBA championship, is increased. However, this trade gets all the feels when we focus on Julius Randle. If you follow this little slice of the internet, you probably have gathered that I’ve been a loyal Randle supporter since arriving in 2010. His potential was there. Yes, he’s been frustrating. There were moments of high-level frustration. But Randle has been our gu

It's Time. Pete Rose Belongs in the Hall of Fame

It sounds mean, but Pete Rose served his lifetime ban. After the recent passing of the all-time hits leader, the court of public opinion is now in session on one of the sport's biggest questions and most debated topics - should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame? We all know the stances and varied degrees of opinion on this by now. Rose committed the biggest and most unforgivable crime in the game (and in all sports) - gambling not just on the game, but on your own team. That’s sanctimonious to the integrity of everything that is MLB.  And there is the other side - watching baseball evolve into a product that pushes gambling on billboards, commercials, and a staple of the fan experience, yet, retrospectively keeping one of the sport's most salient record holders guilty for the same thing that is now exercised heavily. The Hall of Fame of Fame standards have been criticized as we deal with the aftermath of the steroid era and the other major elephant on the field - Barry Bonds bei