Folks,
While I try to bring an attitude of gratitude to work with me every day, Thanksgiving affords a special opportunity to pause and reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. And, while I am grateful for all that you do every day, Thanksgiving affords me a special day to say thanks to you, for all that each and every one of you do to breathe life into our NMC mission.
An attitude of gratitude is woven into the fabric of our NMC culture. This past month, I saw it expressed by students, faculty, and staff alike:
- I saw 5th grade students from Blair Elementary here on our campus, grateful for the friendship they receive from their generous NMC mentors.
- I saw the largest turnout ever for the “Walk for Health and Homelessness”, where our students show compassion for those experiencing housing insecurity.
- I saw Kristy McDonald’s service-learning class assemble free Thanksgiving meals – 212 of them – providing members of our community (including NMC students and their families) an opportunity to enjoy a Thanksgiving celebration. I also saw the Culinary Students in Kristy’s class create a cookie decorating kit, to offer joy along with the sustenance.
- I saw our faculty and staff welcoming TCAPS 5th graders – every 5th grader at TCAPS – to explore our campus and learn about health occupations so they might begin to imagine themselves at NMC and perhaps in a future career in health care.
- I saw the College and community join together for our annual Veterans Day ceremony, giving thanks to our country’s veterans.
- And, I also saw students, faculty, staff, trustees, and Foundation board members join together as volunteers to distribute approximately 7,000 lbs. of food at our mobile food pantry, yesterday – our largest ever distribution.
I am grateful that together we get to serve our NMC mission, helping students move from where they are today to where they hope to be. There’s no more meaningful and fulfilling job than ours: to help ensure that our students succeed in the pursuit of their dreams.
Lastly, I am reminded of the NMC Foundation’s mission, to mobilize generosity. These examples above show how generous our NMC family is – showing up and caring for our College and our community. This is not new, this is our NMC mission – transforming lives and enriching our communities – and has been practiced for the past 74 years. As we look to next year, and celebrating the College’s 75th Anniversary, let’s ask how we might grow that generosity and impact.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Nick