Rachel Kyte
About Fletcher

An extra-special Convocation

Daniel Birdsall

New student arrival: check. Orientation: check. Official start of classes: check. Things are basically underway here for the 2019-2020 academic year, but without a good convoking, it doesn’t quite feel like the year has officially started. That will all change on Friday with this year’s Convocation ceremony. Convocation is always equal parts formal and celebratory, full of academic pageantry and the good energy of a community happy to be gathered together for the first time of the year. It feels a bit more special than usual this year, though.

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orientation lunch
About Fletcher

Orientation, continued

Daniel Birdsall

As orientation rolls on, I’ve heard a number of colleagues comment that this year’s class of new Fletcher students are a happy-seeming bunch. That’s not abnormal; orientation is by definition a good-energy event, but I’ve likewise noticed a positive vibe so far this week. It helps that we’ve had idyllic weather (with a stormy afternoon yesterday being the only meteorological blight thus far). As I’ve mentioned before, we’re hugely excited by the arrival of our new students, and it’s great to feel that they’re just as excited to be here.

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Dean Johnstone orientation
About FletcherGeneral Admissions News

Orientation!

Daniel Birdsall

Today is one of the most fun days of the admissions year – the start of orientation! With a few exceptions, it’s the first time we’ll meet our new students face-to-face, after having spent the better part of a year working with them virtually as prospective/admitted/enrolled students. Our friends in the Registrar run the arrival and check-in portion of the day, though we eagerly staff the welcome tables for the opportunity to put faces to names with which we’ve been working on paper for the better part of the past year. My guess is that it can sometimes be a bit surreal for students to arrive at Fletcher for the first time, and be greeted by one of us as if they’re a long-lost relative. What can I say? We’re excited to have our new students here.

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General Admissions News

Fall travels coming into focus

Daniel Birdsall

While it’s hard to pin down an objectively “busiest” season of the admissions year, the fall months often feel the “buzziest,” if I may invent a term. More than any other season, fall is defined by juggling the most simultaneous tasks, and sometimes makes me feel like my head is spinning. Fletcher students are back on campus, prospective students are visiting and interviewing, and applications are starting to roll in. On top of all that, recruitment travel, a primary driver of the “buzz,” is at its high point.

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digital divide conference
Our Students

Summer fieldwork and conferences with the Fletcher Educational Enrichment Fund

Daniel Birdsall

Regular blog readers may have previously heard of the Fletcher Educational Enrichment Fund (FEEF), a resource for students interested in conducting independent research for a capstone, undertaking summer fieldwork, participating in conferences, and generally pursuing experiential opportunities that otherwise might carry prohibitive costs. One great thing about the program is that it’s not restricted to the academic year. While many Fletcher students are in formal internships or work during summer break, there are also a fair number engaged in other pursuits (as an alternative or in addition to an internship) during this time. As summer begins to wind down, we’re starting to get some details on what FEEF grant recipients have been up to.

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Admissions Tips

Admissions interviews open for registration

Daniel Birdsall

A quick plug today for our Admissions interview program, which will run from late September through early December. For readers who plan to apply to Fletcher during this cycle, I highly recommend registering for an interview, although it’s an optional part of the application process and you won’t be penalized for not doing so. Interviews are available both in-person and via Skype, though, so really, there’s no reason not to get one set up.

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