Dear Students, Colleagues, Trustees, and Friends of the College,
I write today to send wishes for a Thanksgiving holiday full of connections with those you love, rest and relaxation, and nourishment.
Thanksgiving is one of the special times we set aside to remember what brings meaning to the human experience: connection and gratitude. Human beings are social creatures. We need one another; we need to feel love and support; we need to feel appreciated and valued for all we are and all we do. We need to know that we are part of a community that cares about us.
Some of you may know that before coming to Thomas, I worked at Adler University, an institution grounded in the philosophy of Alfred Adler, who was a psychologist and contemporary of Sigmund Freud. The central tenet of Adlerian psychology is the German word Gemeinschaftsgefühl, which means “the feeling of being connected to a community.” Adlerian psychologists believe that the feeling of belonging to a community is key to mental health and well-being. In fact, Alfred Adler was far ahead of his time in understanding that mental health has social determinants.
Belonging is not something we can easily explain, but it is something we can easily feel, and as the newest member of the Thomas College community, I can tell you that I feel it. I felt a sense of belonging when I met the new students on matriculation day. I felt a sense of belonging at Homecoming & Family Weekend, when this community welcomed my daughter to campus for the first time. I felt a sense of belonging at the Mitchell Scholars luncheon and during Diversity Week. I felt a sense of belonging when Queer Frequencies asked me if I would be a “queer icon” and when the entire men’s basketball team greeted me after their win against Paul Smith’s College.
On the eve of this Thanksgiving holiday, I am giving thanks for the welcoming community that is Thomas College. This community has created a sense of belonging that cannot be purchased or simulated and it is incumbent on us to continue to nurture, develop, and expand it to include everyone. I look forward to leading you in these efforts.
Sending my best to you,
Dr. Jeannine Diddle Uzzi
President