day 14 OG

Welcome to a new week, Monks!

Instinctively, when I see the month of August turn to double-digits, (August 10th) I begin to notice changes to campus, (rumor has it that our RA's are back on campus today to begin training) in my colleagues, who I suspect are both excited and anxious as we get closer (I am), and in my own personal energy level.

Every day, we're getting closer to the beginning of school, and for those of us who have worked at colleges and universities long enough, it's starting to get.....real.

But for now, I'd like to keep with the theme of summer news.  Back when things got weird in March, the College was actually in the process of onboarding some phenomenal new staff (onboarding is a fancy, corporate term that really just means "showing around").

So, please let me re-introduce you to Oliver Griswold, Chief Marketing & Brand Officer at the College.  What does he do?  Well, there is some great information on his job online, but if you ask me, where I've seen him in action is both behind the scenes, (the website, marketing and brand materials, even the design of campus signage is under his purview) and in-front, leading a great team of marketing, social media, wildly-creative, human-behavior experts.

I say that last part, because, really, what is marketing and branding but deeply and authentically connecting to how humans interpret their world?  That's heavy stuff for a Monday morning, but Oliver, and his colleagues in the Brand Studio at Saint Joe's, are amazing at being able to take all of the great things our College is doing, saying, posting...and creating a cohesive narrative for the outside (and heck, inside the campus, too) world.

But, enough about work, already!  Here he is:

Oliver Griswold, Associate Vice President and Chief Brand and Marketing Officer

And, thanks to some not-so-obvious sleuthing on my part, some interesting stuff about Oliver you won't find on our website.  I hope he doesn't mind.
- He's a runner and ran XC in High School and College.
- He's an avid music lover- Josh Ritter and Indigo Girls.
- He and his family can be found almost every weekend on the SJC lakefront!
- He rock climbs.
- He's from CT.
- He lived in DC, NYC, CA, + CO, in addition to CT and ME.
- He fell in love with Maine visiting extended family growing up in Dresden.
- He's an American Studies major with a minor in Creative Writing from Colby College.
- And, as if that's not enough, he has a Master's degree in American Studies from GW.
- He's a Stephen King Scholar - writing his honors thesis on his reflection of women from 1977-1995.
So, there you go.  Oliver Griswold, everybody.  Have a great week, Monks.  See you in less than two weeks.
Matt

 

Matt Goodwin is the Dean of Students at Saint Joseph’s College.

Along with a team of Monday-Funday Campus Life professionals in the areas of Student Engagement & Residential Living, Counseling Center, Health & Wellness Center, Campus Safety, and the Mercy Center, Campus Life supports students’ holistic personal development, learning, and empowerment in service to a global community.