Take a picture…

When Laurie and I first joined the Fletcher Admissions Office, the application included an essay question that went more or less like this:

Imagine you have taken a picture of something that will help the Admissions Committee learn about you.  Describe the item in the photograph.  (250 words or less)

With that essay in mind, I gave my Admissions pals an assignment:

Take a photograph of a spot at Fletcher that is important to you.  Describe the spot, and tell us why you chose it (200 words or less).

I hope the photos and descriptions will give you a little insight into us and our work.  I’ll start them off today and continue in posts for the next week or so.  First up, Peter, because his favorite spot connects to his earliest days at Fletcher.

The Edward R. Murrow Room featured prominently in my first impression of Fletcher, as it was where my interview was held almost four years ago, and it continues to be an integral part of my Fletcher experience.  We hold most of our Admissions Information Sessions there and, in the winter, the Committee on Admissions spends the bulk of our Friday mornings discussing applications around the room’s big wooden table.  We’re surrounded by Mr. Murrow’s plaques, awards, pictures, books, news clippings, and furniture — including my favorite item:  his old leather massage chair.  There’s a lot of history represented in this dark, cozy room and much to be learned from browsing the walls and bookcases.  (Did you know that the term “Public Diplomacy” was actually coined at Fletcher?)  Unfortunately for the photography portion of my blog assignment, the Edward R. Murrow Room at Fletcher is currently undergoing a major renovation:  one that involves temporary removal of nearly everything (alas, even the chair), and covering the windows, walls, and light fixtures in plastic sheets.

Next up, Kristen:

This bland little corner and empty table aren’t very visually compelling, but they do represent something important about my work here and the culture of Fletcher more generally: our collaborative, personal approach to education.  This is the meeting table in my office, and I spend a lot of time here.  Very often, I will first meet around the table with students when they are just beginning to learn about Fletcher, and then again for a formal interview, and then many times more during their years at Fletcher.  It’s a pleasure for me to be able to be a part of their graduate school process, from beginning to end, and I know my colleagues feel the same.