One Class to Go

The semester is almost over. Today, I presented my poster on Mobile Visual Search in my second to last class. On Friday, I have my last class and then the semester is finished. Though I was suppose to present my archives paper on privacy, my presentation was cancelled. My professor wants to show us this movie and does not have time to have the remaining groups go. Plus, my class has discussed privacy issues at lenght in previous discussons. In archives, there is an on going debate over what information should be kept private and what information should be accessed by researchers. Unless, you are really fascinated by the subject, I will not bore anyone in this post with the specifics. Yeah! All I have to turn in is a two page report on my internship at the Lesley University Archive.

I love my internship. I helped process and arrange part of the Margaret A. McKenna collection. She served as Lesley's President for 22 years, before resigning two years ago. She serves now as President of the Wal-Mart Foundation. She is one tough lady. She worked originally as a civil rights attorney during the Jimmy Carter administration. After his administration ended, she ran the Bunting Institute at Radcliffe. Radcliffe is part of Harvard. In 1985, she left this post to become Lesley's President. At the time of her hiring, she was nine months pregnant with her second child. She changed Lesley for the better. Under her, they expanded their graduate programs and began a Ph.D. program. Lesley was started in 1909 as a school to train kindergarten teachers. While its emphasis is still education, it offers degrees in Expressive Arts, which is a type of therapy. She expanded their endowment from $1 million to 77 million and doubled their student population. It was interesting to process her records. I feel part of Lesley though I do not go there. So, if you see me in a Lesley sweatshirt, you will know why.

I leave for California in less than a week. I am excited to be back in the warmth as Monday here was described as an "arctic chill." Also, we get like 9 hours of sunlight each day. The sun rises at 7 and sets about 4. The other day I fell asleep at 3:300 and woke up an hour later engulfed in darkness. The darkness and cold tire out your body. On Monday, my whole house was asleep by 9:30. I think I feel asleep at about 8, while John and I were hanging out. He is a Saint because most night I go to bed by 10. I have become a morning person. Who knew. I am off to finally have some Christmas fun. Boston Common is all lit up. Pictures maybe forthcoming.