Hurricanes & the Fielding Community

Dear staff and faculty colleagues,

Over the last several weeks, many of our dear students, faculty, alumni, friends, and families find themselves within nature’s destructive path. Please hold them in your hearts as part of our enduring value to be in community with each other.

As I mentioned in my weekly video from two weeks ago, Kristine Jacquin contacted all of our students and faculty who were affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, around 25 people. They all checked in and we are making sure that they treated compassionately in terms of their graduate work given that some of them are in difficult circumstances. As an institution, we have also made a donation to Shelterbox for school supplies and temporary housing in the affected areas.

Moving to our partnership institution, the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, we have not been able directly to reach our colleagues there. Indirectly, we have heard that the university suffered significant damage and many of our colleagues are without homes or damaged homes. As you know, we are part of a joint doctoral program in creative leadership which is housed in St. Thomas. We will be welcoming several students into our organization development and leadership track in January. We are monitoring this situation and once we have direct contact, I will let you know what we are doing to help and what you can do as well.

Lastly, Hurricane Irma now threatens Florida and potentially other southern states. We will deploy the same strategy that we did for Harvey and let you know what our students and colleagues may need from us.

In addition to people enrolled in our programs, though, we have faculty, alumni and other loved ones in affected areas. Remember to hold each other close in our thoughts and hearts. It is times like these that even a small touch or gentle reach out can encourage others.

Thank you.
Katrina S. Rogers \ President