Happily settled at Barnard College

Two days before the movers were scheduled to arrive in Gainesville in mid-July, I received a call from the Vice President of Communications for Barnard College, offering me a position that would combine my experience in communications, higher education and economic development. 

Barnard, an all-women’s college that partners with Columbia University to provide an outstanding liberal arts education, is one of the original Seven Sisters women’s colleges. In 1927, the name “Seven Sisters” was given to Barnard, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, and Radcliffe because of their parallel to the Ivy League men's colleges.

My new job is to work with the communications, campus services and construction teams to provide up-to-date information on a new teaching and learning center and to serve as a resource to students, faculty, staff and neighbors who will be impacted during the two-year construction project. I am working alongside engineers, construction professionals and Barnard staff as we plan for the demolition of a 1950s-era library and the construction of a new 128,000-square-feet building that will bring students and faculty together, facilitating collaboration and fostering dialogue.

The jobs that combined communications and economic development are the favorites of my career: the Council for Economic Outreach, where we attracted Dollar General, the first large-scale distribution center to Alachua County, Nordstrom’s Distribution Center, and expansions for RTI Surgical and Exactech; the work I did to assist a group of developers including Phil Hawley and Jim Shaw, who expanded Progress Park and built additional commercial and business space in Alachua; and the years I spent working for Wal-Mart Stores – as both a consultant and a full-time employee – to gain approvals for new stores and redevelopment sites.

The new position at Barnard is more than I’d hoped for.  I have joined a group of positive, supportive colleagues who believe in the Barnard mission and who value my opinion on how to handle the communications for the construction project and the upcoming capital campaign. It is refreshing to be part of a positive team, to have colleagues who are supportive and to be valued for my experience in communications and development. It's been years since I've felt this welcome in a new job.

I started seeking positions in New York City back last fall – and we are fortunate and excited that this position came up. It is truly a perfect job for me.  Now that we’ve moved, Larry’s starting to look for his first job in the city.  I keep urging him to be patient – it took me more than nine months to find this great Barnard job – and he has to know that his time will come.

We’ve been here almost two months – and we are incredibly happy. We’ve settled in – are exploring new restaurants, walking the city and enjoying the urban lifestyle. Stay tuned . . . more to come!