2020 Launch Conversation

On August 12, 2020, 16 area first-years, second-years, and parents met with alums via Zoom for a Launch conversation. In previous years this conversation, called Launch Lunch, was held over an informal face-to-face lunch at Lee Sproull’s house, which, of course was not possible this year. Although missing the face-to-face connection was disappointing, the upside of our Zoom event is that almost twice as many people participated than had been the case in earlier years.  After a round of introductions and before we divided into two breakout rooms (one for students and one for parents), we gave each group a discussion question to consider.  Students were told that typically parents gave students advice before the students went to college; this time the students were asked to discuss advice they might give their parents.  Parents were told that students were advised to limit the amount stuff they packed to take to college and were asked to offer something their students could pack that would take no space at all, namely a memory or two from their students’ last months at home before the start of college.  Both groups had some good conversations and began the process of making connections.