Commencement

We spent the learning sessions hearing from faculty from Vermont Humanities, Vermont Arts Council, and Catamount Arts, as well as Snelling Executive Director Jody Fried and our own cohort member Ryan Newsanger. We processed a written piece about trauma, vicarious trauma within systems and individuals, “Winthrop Cohen” by Arthur Kleinman, with terrific and practiced facilitators. We digested the importance of creativity for complex issues through El Viaje/The Most Costly Journey, a graphic novel of stories of Vermont migrant farmworkers. Then we transitioned to a practical application of our own artistry and made our own comics with the help of Marek Bennett. Unsurprisingly most of us drew our journeys at VLI and graduation.

We enveloped ourselves in the warm air for an evening together reflecting on our session. First on a Lake Champlain cruise, then over dinner and laughs. Finally we circled up by the bonfire to talk about summer plans and meetups to keep the cohort moving forward. We laughed. We cried. We sank in the heaviness of the end, or was that just the Basin Harbor iconic adirondack chairs? Feelings poured over into the morning where we spent a considerable time sharing our personal reflections about the Snelling Center program. We opened our Johari windows even further.

We finally moved to the graduation luncheon. The event honored Marilyn Cargill and her dedication to helping Vermont students pursue post-secondary education with the Jan Eastman award (congratulations!). We absorbed the advice of Executive Director of Racial Equity, Xusana Davis – don’t be a fish, be a frog! And we heard messages of reliance from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board Executive Director Gus Seelig. Then we proudly cheered through speeches, song, and laughter as we joined the decades-long list of VLI alums.

As I reflect on the journey through this program, I am reminded of how innovative, caring, and thoughtful the sessions are executed. There is power in memories, in how we hold our bodies, and the ways we learn and grow. The learning and education would not be so meaningful without the deep connections to space and considerations for adult learning and human growth. None of this would be possible without the incredible staff – Jody Fried, Tasha Kleppner, Katelyn Ritchie, Ptarmigan Abbott, as well as Mark Snelling and the entire board. Thank you.

Surrounded by family and loved ones we said our goodbyes and gave our last hugs. It was fleeting. As we help the 2023 institute into its own form of hospice, and we all begin our next journeys of personal growth, a la the two-loop model, we have countless skills to tap into to grieve, to grow, and to thrive. We can hold onto discomfort and confusion alongside celebration and clarity.

As we breathe into our next opportunities, with gratitude to the VLI journey, we each have a support system as strong as those morning bagpipes.