Josh Pollock reflects on group facilitation challenges in Caryn Mirriam-Goldbeg's workshop, "Whole Self, Real World Facilitation"

The IMA residency ended in the stillness and quiet of heavily-falling snow after all residency activities were suspended on Thursday due to the approaching storm. While many students and faculty stayed over last night for a snowy slumber party of sorts, many who needed to drive or fly long distances starting scattering to the winds a day earlier than expected.

The storm and quiet, however, belies the beautiful weather and thrilling discoveries many of us experienced all week. From Danielle Boutet’s mind-blowing talk on transdisciplinarity and relevant ways of knowing, many students found insights to take into their work Susan Maier-Moul’s two workshops on media and power ignited our excitement about how to put ourselves — our own ways of knowing and speaking from our authentic authority — into the world.

Tiffany Beard & Victoria Eberle at a workshop in the cottage

Other workshops — from improvisational singing with student Deb Hensley to ways of seeing light with faculty member Ellie Epp — expanded the ways we can see and hear ourselves and the world. Sessions on research and scholarship — Ralph Lutt’s workshop on designing research projects and Francis Charet’s session on Ram Dass’ contribution to Western spiritual practices — demonstrated how to blend passion and scholarship.

Lise Weil, and Karen Campbell with Health Arts & Sciences faculty member Celia Hildebrand — presented workshops that looks at how we see ourselves and are seen in the world, and what we can do to challenge and change power dynamics.

Miriam Gabriel and Kae Kue in the cottage

Now that snow adds a new and heavy blanket to the campus (dropping another 8-10 inches on already two feet of the white stuff), let’s remember what we found of ourselves, each other and the place that is Goddard College.