Summer session is an amazing opportunity for Oliverian and our community.  It provides us with even greater opportunities to do what we do best in forming meaningful relationships with our students.  The longer daylight hours and welcomed appealing weather afford us outdoor activities and time together that we relish as a faculty.  Our belief is that first and foremost, we are here together to build developmental relationships with each other.  I’ve long felt that the “in between” moments are some of the most powerful times to spend with one another as we are able to really learn about each other and see our community members for who they are, and where they are along their journey.  While we often talk about the close connection we feel with our families and students, the effort to build developmental relationships takes these connections an important step forward. 

I encourage our families to look at the framework within which we pursue these relationships, as it sheds light on a depth that goes beyond expressing care and kindness.  If you think you’d enjoy reading the “Search Institute”  driven research behind this framework, give us a call!  Or read, here.  We would love to expand our network of those interested in supporting us as we focus on this work.