Grant, ‘11

This week promises to be heavy in homework…lab reports, a chemistry test, and of course, the obligatory core paper. During what will hopefully be some of my finer hours, I’ve still doggedly infiltrated Richmond to bring you timely intelligence. Honestly, if the weather had been warm enough for leather underwear, the docu-drama would have made millions.          Despite the heavy workload, my second semester as a freshman has been even better than the first. I recognize so many names and faces in the dining hall that I end up staying twice as long as I should. Possibilities are exploding around me in a kaleidescopic fashion as if someone has just pulled the pin on a clusterbomb of opportunities.         Just yesterday I had the good fortune of being able to attend a great seminar having to do with organic chemistry. Dr. Scott T. Handy from Middle Tennessee University gave a talk about using polycoupling to build substituted heteroaromatics, particularly Lamellarins, a class of bioactive molecules isolated from sponges that look promising for medical applications. Had I heard what he said a month or two ago, it wouldn’t have meant anything to me. Luckily we’d covered enough in chem 205 to understand the general principals involved, and most of it was fresh in my mind. Even though I didn’t comprehend everything he spoke of, it was clear that it took a mighty dose of persistance and creativity to get as far and effient in the synthesis as they did.         Speaking of innovation, I had a chance to attend and participate in a very juicy dialogue with President Ayers not ten hours ago. The discussion hinged on the question ’What do we want UR to be known for?’.         To be frank, I was a bit skeptical at first. Would this be true dialogue, or simply brainstorming with PR mixed in? Lately change has become a worn out mantra, trampled for decades by politicians and administrators alike.         Many issues were broached- getting people to care about athletics more, managing coursework, trying to unify academic and social life, and more. It was impressive to say the least, watching a person in power take tough questions and critiques straight to the face, without flinching, dodging, or launching a rhetorical counterattack. His answers were candid, to the point, and proved that he was truly receptive to feedback. There was nothing he didn’t want to hear; he wanted to hear it all, and verbally weighed all that was said.       Furthermore, Dr. Ayers broughtup his ‘5-year strategic plan’, five fronts on which he wants to change the university for the better in the immediate future. As he explained them to us, they were:-Knitting together the academic community-Making Richmond more diverse in as many dimensions as possible-Improving/expanding financial aide-Becoming more civically engaged with the city of Richmond-Generally enriching student life        The overarching theme of the evening was that UR has changed and improved so rapidly over the past 15 years, that we’re at a crossroads, and UR’s students need to help actively direct where our identity is headed. With a glimmer in his eye, President Ayers expressed his hope that the university would ‘do something bold’. It’s apparent from his attitude that he’s willing to mobilize vast amounts of money and resources, (dare I say as much as it takes?) to sustain and steepen Richmond’s upward trajectory.From core class to athletics, everything is up for overhaul. To everyone out there…If you want to be part of a student/faculty led revolution that’s well-staffed and generously funded, the time is now, and the place is Richmond.