Thursday, February 21, 2008

When Sharon Jones released the song I Got the Feelin’, she must have had a premonition of the Fall Formal at SLC. Under an immense tent on Westlands lawn, more than 600 students swung and grooved to the retro-soul sounds of Jones and her back-up band, the Dap-Kings. The wooden dance floor became a kaleidoscope of moving feet that didn’t cease until after midnight — and a spirited encore. The event was a huge success.

Culminating President Karen Lawrence’s inaugural celebration, the Fall Formal was jointly sponsored by the Student Senate and the Student Engagement Fund, an initiative of the newly formed Sarah Lawrence Parents Advisory Council (PAC). This committed group of current and past parents wanted to support innovative initiatives that would enhance community life on campus and engage the student body in new and creative ways.

Trustee David Dull and his wife, Susan Shieldkret, co-chairs of the Parents Advisory Council, made the initial gift to establish the fund in July 2007. Their grant had two purposes: to enhance the quality of student life and to serve as a matching gift challenge to other parents. Almost instantly, the fund achieved success, reaching its goal of $150,000 in less than four months. Such a response indicates that parents have a strong interest in and commitment to bettering the college experience for Sarah Lawrence students, especially when their own children can benefit from the expanded offerings.

The Student Engagement Fund provides for six large-scale campus activities over the next three years, including concerts, academic symposia, and festivals. These events are planned by a committee comprising students, faculty, staff, alumnae/i, and the dean of studies. This year’s funding also brought comedian Michael Ian Black to campus in January and will provide co-sponsorship of the Spring Formal to coincide with the Students for Students Scholarship Fund (SSSF) auction and a campus-wide picnic.

Dull and Shieldkret, parents of Katy Dull ’07, are enthusiastic about the prospect of boosting community spirit on a multitude of levels. “All of us on the PAC are very pleased that so many parents are willing to help the college in this tangible way,” says Dull. “We want to engage parents so they respond to opportunities that can make a difference at SLC in the short term,” says Shieldkret. “The Fall Formal was an exciting start for this new program.”

Students, parents, and staff alike have been delighted with the results. If the success of the Fall Formal is any indication, such parent-led initiatives will continue to make a difference in the day-to-day lives of SLC students.