Trumbull Notes 11-18-16

November 18, 2016

We’re here at Thanksgiving break. Whew!  For many of us, perhaps most, it couldn’t get here soon enough. Take a deep breath (or two or three) and relax.

Some of you are traveling straight home.  Travel safely.  Enjoy your families (or the families who have adopted you for the break).  Get more sleep, work on those papers that will be due soon under less stressful circumstances, and do relax. 

Some of you are traveling to Cambridge for The Game.  Enjoy it.  Reconnect with friends who have graduated. But be careful.  I value my Trumbullians.  I want each and every one of you back here after break, relaxed and safe.  So while you are at The Game, watch out for yourselves and your friends. It is a time some drink heavily.  Be moderate and watch out for one another.  Call for support if it is needed.  Then travel home or back here safely. 

To our Trumbullians playing in The Game!!!  Best wishes!!!

If you’re staying over break – great!  Either Dean Chandhoke or I will be in Trumbull the entire time.  (I’ll be gone today and Saturday visiting family but back on Sunday and through the rest of the week.  Dean Chandhoke will be here over the weekend and visiting family some during the week.  Do not hesitate to contact us if you need us.  If you’re staying it can be a great time to get some work done.  (That’s what I’ll be up to myself and I’ll send out a note some times when I’ll just be working and writing in the FARR room with coffee and snacks available there and you are welcome to join me.)  It also can be a bit lonely if all in your suite have disappeared and you’re here alone.  Know, though, that lots of people stay.  Meals will be available through Wednesday (see below) from Yale Dining.  Then Trumbull takes over to make sure you have food and company throughout the break.

On Thursday, Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th Trumbull folks will eat together at 1 p.m. at the Omni for what is always a wonderful dinner.  If you’re going gather in our Common Room at 12:45 and we’ll walk over together.  Please email Debbie today by Noon if you plan to attend.

On Friday, Nov. 24th, the day after Thanksgiving our wonderful Trumbull Executive Fellow, William Massa, will host students staying here over break at BAR pizza for dinner at 5:30 p.m.  It’s a relaxing setting, will have their wonderful salad and pizza.  Please join Trum-Fellow Massa then.  Please sign up in the office by Noon today if you plan to attend.

On Saturday, Nov. 25th, our graduate affiliates will host a dinner with Thai food in our Buttery at 6 p.m.  Sign up in the office (so we have the right amount of food) by Noon on Monday.

A loss for Trumbull regarding Manette Adams, past Associate Head of Trumbull College

For many, many years Harry Adams served as the Head of Trumbull and his wife, Manette, served as the associate head.    Most of you have probably not met Harry but you know that he is the person whose portrait hangs in the Trumbull Dining Hall and that he always joins us and marches with us at graduation.  Harry served as Yale’s Chaplain as well as Head of Trumbull  and he is the reason that, to this day, if it rains at graduation Trumbull gets to hold graduation in Battell Chapel. 

I regret having to report that Harry Adam’s wife, Manette Adams, passed away this past week.   I will attend services in her honor (on Saturday, December 3 at 2 p.m. in the Spring Glen Congregational Church in Hamden) and Trumbull will send flowers to Harry Adams.  Contact me if you wish to join in in signing a card or in attending the service. 

My own thanks.

It is perhaps the most appropriate time all year for me to give my own thanks to the many, many people in Trumbull who make it run and run well. 

To Dean Chandhoke:  I’m still saying welcome to Trumbull to you.  Meanwhile, you’ve been working like crazy for weeks.  Thanks for watching out for all our students.   We’re so glad your spouse is here now watching out for you!

To Christina Wethington and Bernadette Janis and to our entire Dining Staff:  We’re grateful to you for the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner you served to us last night, for the special Halloween dinner you prepared in October, for romantic Fridays and for feeding us three times a day every day. 

To Debbie Rueb:  Thanks for keeping me on track, for working with all our Trumbull Aides, and for remembering just about everything.  Thanks too for your warmth and kindness.  Thanks to for being the longest standing staff member in Trumbull and being our institutional memory.

To Leah Jehan:  I love your smile.  I love the support that you give to our students and our Dean. I love your children’s visits and the fact that you keep me up to date on many of the wonderful things our students do.

To Luis Baez and our facilities staff and our grounds staff:  What would we do without you?  Thank you.

To Deborah Bellmore:  Thanks for keeping your eyes on everything in the college including our budget, for working with the TCC and our graduate affiliates, for noting when things are falling apart, and more.

To the TCC and SAC:  Thanks for Rumbull, for bonfires, for movies, for Trumball, for study breaks and more.

To our Trumbull Aides in the House and in the Office:  We know how important you are.  Without you much food would not be served, many chairs and tables would be in the wrong places, posters would not be up, many people would remain locked out of their rooms for too long, student lost and found items would remain lost, and packages would pile up. 

To our Freshman Counselors:  What can I say?  You cover Bingham.  You connect with our entire Freshman class.  You are often on duty and hosting breaks.  And, somehow, you also get your own work done, apply to graduate school and jobs, and stay cheerful.  Enjoy your breaks. You deserve them along with our gratitude.

To Karen Eisenman:  We say this all the time:  How did we survive before your arrival?  Without you no food would be served in the house, the house would be piled high with trash, tables and chairs would not be where they are supposed to be, delivery people would be lost somewhere on Wall Street still thinking that the Law School is Trumbull, Debbie would have no receipts from events, guests would have no towels and soap, no repairs to doors or dishwashers would be made, and I personally, would be completely frazzled. 

To our Fellows and Graduate Affiliates:  You watch after our undergraduates in so many ways, many of them very quiet and private.  We and, especially those whom you have supported in special ways are very grateful.

To our resident fellows, the Williams and Wargos (including the pups).  Thank you for being here and for all your support.  Luna gets a special shout out for comforting distressed Trumbullians post-election night.  John Williams gets one for running the Mellon Forum, Brooke Williams for a very delicious cake and her exhibition in our gallery, and John Wargo gets one for a fabulous Trumbull Tea and Fellows talk.  We’re grateful to their entire families too for making this a special community.

And to all our Trumbull Students:  You’re amazing!  You are why we’re all here.  We love your talents and humor and good will.  I especially appreciate your support of one another. 

If you are staying around over Thanksgiving Break?  Interested in Eating?

Meal Options over Thanksgiving Break:

Dining Halls:

Trumbull’s last day of meal service is Friday, Nov. 18.  It will re-open on Sunday, Nov. 27 at dinner.

JE and Berkeley will be open 11/19-11/23 for brunch and dinner.

Thursday, Nov. 24:  Dinner at John Davenport’s at the Omni Hotel at 1:00.  Deadline for sign up is Friday, Nov. 18 at noon.

Friday, Nov. 25:  BAR Pizza @ BAR at 5:30 with Executive Fellow Bill Massa.  Deadline for sign up is Friday, Nov. 18 at noon.

Saturday, Nov. 26:  Thai food in the buttery at 6:00 with Graduate Affiliate.  Deadline for sign up is Monday, Nov. 21 at noon.

AFTER BREAK:

Monday, Nov. 28:  IM Winter Sign Ups with Food, 8-9 in the buttery.

Tuesday, Nov. 29:  Game Night Study Break with Peruvian food in the buttery from 8-9:30.