Mills: Inside and Out

Both in full view of everyone and tucked away behind the scenes, tremendous energy is pouring into helping our students succeed this week. Given all that action, the high temperature—100 degrees!—that Oakland is predicted to reach this afternoon seems somehow appropriate.

On the front lines, our entire enrollment management team, in collaboration with the Division of Student Life, the Provost's office, and Finance and Administration executed a smooth and greatly improved transition process to welcome new students to Mills. Move-in and orientation went well, and our many creative leaders found ways to avoid or solve countless potential problems. 

The students who have joined us for the first time have already impressed us with their energy and commitment. If you visit the courtyard at Orchard Meadow residence hall, you can see evidence yourself of students' aspirations. During the candle-lighting ceremony on Sunday evening, each student wrote three wishes on a card and tied the card to a tree, following an annual tradition of hoping that when the cards fall, the wishes will be fulfilled. One of my favorite set of wishes reads:

For myself: To take care of myself and practice wellness.
For my classmates: I hope we figure this adult thing out.
For the world: Stop being so damn problematic.

Not all of the work undertaken by our faculty, staff, and alums is as visible as the wish cards in the courtyard, but it is every bit as important to Mills and to our students' success. Behind the scenes, our faculty have been preparing course materials and advising students in preparation for the start of classes this week. Our finance team—Elaine Clark, associate VP of finance & assistant treasurer, Victoria (Tori) Jenner, Rachel Hanna, Linda Zhao, Jacqueline Hu, Elena Drozdova, Ahn Tran, Katy Schlunz, Chavon Rosenthal (last day was 8.31.17, but will continue as a contractor)—has been working tirelessly with Vice President Maria Cammarata to support our annual audit and close the books on FY 2017.

As we head into Labor Day weekend, I hope you'll find time to appreciate family and friends in the wake of devastating flooding on the Gulf Coast because of Hurricane Harvey and in South Asia because of catastrophic monsoon rains. Our alumnae relations office is reaching out to members of the Mills community who are helping with relief efforts or who have been affected by the storms. Please consider donating to relief efforts, and keep those displaced and harmed in your thoughts and prayers as they come together to recover and rebuild.