Letter from Rev. Earl Henry re New Directions

Since 1970, I have worked with, helped, made suggestions about, and, in general, then impressed with the students in the New Directions, Inc. program. – Rev. Earl Henry O.S.B.

Letter from Rev. Earl Henry O.S.B. Regarding New Directions

[Webmaster’s Note: The following letter was written on Saint Vincent College letterhead and signed by Rev. Earl Henry, O.S.B. ]

September 30, 1988

To Whom It May Concern:

It has been my pleasure to work with the administration of Saint Vincent College since August 1965. During that time I work as the Dean of Students for eight (8) years, director of admission for nine (9) years and then my present position since June 1987. Since 1970, I have worked with, helped, made suggestions about, and, in general, then impressed with the students in the New Directions, Inc. program.

I see the students of the New Directions, Inc. as beneficial to our College. The lifestyle and sense of clear purpose of the New Directions, Inc. students bring to campus is consistent and constant. The New Directions, Inc. model is good for other Saint Vincent students to see and be reminded of, for often times, young men and women on their own from the observant parents, ease up on the discipline that is needed to care for themselves or to stick to their career aspirations. In a sense, the image and example of the New Directions, Inc. students present a counter cultural model; a model different than the ordinary style of student behavior. College students sometimes slip off their sense of purpose, sometimes go overboard in their expressions of self identity, sometimes get mixed up in their priorities or just have lapses in attention to responsibility.

The New Directions, Inc. students, on the other hand, always look and act like they know where they want to get to. They dress for success; they keep in good physical shape; they are thoroughly prepared for class; they spend hour after hour in the library, they achieve grade point averages higher than others with similar talent. They give the impression that they are at Saint Vincent College to learn and that there is no time for nonsense. Such a peer model is good for other students to see, for a serves as a reminder and as a motivator.

The reminding and motivating of others is not only on an impersonal level but also and especially one-on-one in the classroom. The standard of preparedness and class participation of individual New Directions, Inc. students, as well as their high achievement in final grades, help promote others to higher standards.

From the point of view of an enrollment Dean’s desk, the New Directions, Inc. students provide other benefits to Saint Vincent College. One is that the New Directions, Inc. program brings to campus students from diverse geographic areas. For example, Saint Vincent College on its own has attracted very few students from places like Colorado, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, but through the recruitment of the New Directions, Inc. program, students from those areas have enrolled and bring their diverse backgrounds to those of the other students on this campus. Recently, the New Directions, Inc. program added foreign students to the program and to our campus. Such diversity is desirable to a small college.

A second benefit that New Directions, Inc. students give to Saint Vincent College is the record of career success stories. Saint Vincent College tracks its graduates for several years after graduation and publishes statistics about how successful our students have been in achieving their goals after graduation; e.g., enrollment in graduate schools, enrollment and professional schools, employment in their chosen career fields. Because the New Directions, Inc. students are highly successful in their pursuit of established career plans immediately after graduation, their statistics influence positively the general profile of Saint Vincent College graduating class each year.

The enrollment at Saint Vincent College is deliberately small. This smallness makes every student on campus highly visible. Over the last eighteen (18) years the New Directions, Inc. students have brought to Saint Vincent College campus qualities that are desirable and valuable to student peers and to the general profile of the College. I appreciate the presence of the New Directions, Inc. young men and women on Saint Vincent College campus and applaud the planning and determine efforts of David Hemmerling to make this program fly!

Sincerely,

(Rev.) Earl J Henry, O.S.B.
Dean, Admission & Financial Aid
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650