The bLAb is back after taking a short break over the fall semester. Before I introduce myself as the new voice behind the bLAb I would like to thank our previous writer Kiera Mitru, who graduated last May and did wonderful work in the School of Liberal Arts.
So who am I? My name is Jillian Fiddler and I am a Junior here at Siena. I am studying Social Work with a minor in Criminal Justice while also filling my time on campus with clubs and work. I’m not going to bore you with an entire biography of who I am and all of my interests because most of that information will naturally come to light through these bLAb posts.
My plan for the bLAb this semester is to create a place for students and faculty to share their experiences on campus as well as an opportunity to get information on upcoming events – and the review of them afterwards. I would love for this to be a platform where everyone is heard and respected and the Siena community can thrive by sharing stories.
I know the semester is nearing midterms and between the unpredictable weather and the impending doom of upcoming assignments no one wants more on their plate but I do have a favor to ask. I have two big plans for the bLAb that need your help with input and participation.
Ask The President:
If you follow the Siena Liberal Arts Instagram (@sienaliberalarts) then you have seen the information being posted about an upcoming Q&A with President Gibson. This is a chance for the President to answer direct questions from the students on Siena’s campus. You still have time to send in your questions and can do so by emailing us at lainfo@siena.edu.
Siena Student Shoutout:
Siena does a wonderful job at showcasing students who go above and beyond academically and within the community. I love reading about my peers and all they have accomplished and it inspired me to create a platform where students can shout out their friends for absolutely anything. Do they have a great sense of humor? Are they always the one driving you to Walmart? It could even be that you know they had a tough week and want to cheer them up. If there is a student on Siena’s campus that you would like to give a shoutout to, email the bLAb and I will showcase them in the next post!
I hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week and are enjoying the first signs of spring. Any interaction with the bLAb is greatly appreciated and I look forward to hearing from all of you.
If you have suggestions or ideas for the bLAb they are always encouraged and can be done by emailing lainfo@siena.edu
There is no better way to celebrate the recent observation of Women’s History Month than by expressing gratitude for the women in our lives and the lessons they teach us. At Siena, our community is made stronger and more vibrant by the hard work and intentional connection fostered at the hands of the strong women that surround us.
Rachel Jones is the Senior Director of Dining Services at Siena, and is a true Saint among us. Her patience, warmth, thoughtfulness, and passion for cooking are woven into the work that she does, and her impact could not be more resounding. One of the most important aspects of one’s college education is the experience one participates in outside of the classroom, and Rachel Jones is someone that each of us can learn a great deal from.
Good food and great company is what SienaFresh is all about – how could you not smile? Photo courtesy of Rachel Jones.
Starting as a restaurant hostess and working her way up to a serving position in her early twenties, Rachel came of age in an industry that is known for its misogynistic managers and oppressive business practices. Along with the guidance of her best friend and mentor, Julia Philippone, she learned lessons throughout his period of her life that still inform her work ethic to this day, the most important being:
Always dress for your next position.
No crying at work.
Emails and texts are a record, not a conversation.
During her career as a restaurant server, she recognized that many of the people that she worked among were women and gay men. Witnessing the lack of support that was granted to herself and her coworkers, she became inspired to step into a managerial position as soon as the time was right. Showing up for herself and her coworkers is exactly what she did day in and day out for years, working at an Applebee’s in Atlanta, Georgia until she became the manager of the restaurant location.
When returning to her hometown, she recognized the need to change her career path as a single mother. Work hours in the restaurant industry are often long, unforgiving, and irregular. Looking for consistency, she began a virtual position working to advocate for teachers in Chicago, Illinois. This position took place at UAlbany, where she gained experience in Human Resources and Administrative Tasks. While looking for her next position, she knew wanted to stay in the college atmosphere, but a piece of her missed working in the restaurant industry. At the time she applied to work at Siena, she was hired as the Office Manager for Siena Fresh, and within four months she was promoted to the position of Director of Operations.
(Dining) service with a smile! Rachel loves chatting with students and ensuring that their dining experience at Siena is well-rounded. Photo courtesy of Rachel Jones.
Her position at Siena has celebrated a marriage, of sorts, of her career interests so far. She is able to flex her administrative muscles, organize budgets, get creative in the kitchen, and empower the people she surrounds herself with. Some of the most important connections she has made at Siena include her close friendships with Beth DeAngelis, Director of the Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women, and Kate Kaufman Burns, Director of Health Promotion. Through these connections, she has found support and empowerment – two superpowers she shares with the students and colleagues she works with.
Rachel shares that while the restaurant industry has come a long way in the past 20-25 years, there is a lack of intersectionality present among those in managerial positions across the board. There are more and more women in positions of influence, herself setting a glowing example of that. Jones shares that, “Women can be successful, independent, strong, and unique. A college campus is the perfect place to embrace that.”
Cooking up connections: Rachel’s student-focused work with SienaFresh fosters positive and intentional relationships. Photo courtesy of Rachel Jones.
As she continues to forge her path forward, Rachel shares that she only has her Associate’s Degree. While the position she currently holds would normally require a Bachelor’s Degree, she got where she got because she works hard. Jones firmly believes, “There is no substitute for hard work. If college is not in the cards for you, hard work can and will get you to a similar place.” As she worked toward her Associate’s Degree, she was guided by professors who believed her lived experience played into her degree. Looking into the future, Rachel hopes to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree at Siena, completing a walk across The Stage at commencement that will bring everything full-circle.
When discussing the impact cooking has had on her personal journey, she mentions how cooking and baking have been grounding for her, especially through the challenges that have come with this past year. When asked who her favorite chef is, Jones responds, “I am my favorite chef. I love the way it makes me feel.” Her go-to dishes are her meatball and vegetarian lasagne. While she shares that they take a while to construct, putting them together is a labor of love. She doesn’t refer to a recipe because she knows that, “Recipes taste the best when they’re written in your heart.”
Rachel uses baking as an outlet, a way to clear her mind after long weeks. Here, we witness her culinary expertise via this gorgeous Frasier Layer Cake. Photo courtesy of Rachel Jones.
Jones wishes that, above all, more people understand that food service employees are people too. These people are the moms, wives, sisters, brothers, and best friends that keep our world turning and our bodies nourished. On campus, SienaFresh employees greet each day and each student with optimism and respect – they care about the work that they do and continue to show up for the community that they serve. Rachel hopes that her hard work and that of her dynamic team translates to the community that she cares for.
SienaFresh employees are halftime heroes! Photo courtesy of Rachel Jones.
Food is a universal symbol for community and acceptance. On a college campus like Siena’s, these themes could not be more harmonious with our Franciscan values. Rachel Jones is a bright light in our community, and her work continues to feed us in both a literal and spiritual sense. We thank Rachel and the SienaFresh team for all that they do; Saints cannot march forward without them!
To say that I was overly ambitious entering senior year is an understatement. I’m no stranger to a jam-packed schedule, so I figured the final stretch of undergrad would be fairly manageable. I was excited to be taking on leadership roles in a few clubs, working nearly full-time hours, and having a 15 credit course load. It felt good reciting my schedule to friends and family, completely proud of myself for taking so much on.
Like many other students, I identify with being an overachiever and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. Unfortunately, also like many of my peers, I was quickly introduced to my limits as the semester unfolded. I ended up feeling trapped in my schedule and was buried in the workload I was so proud to be taking on just a few weeks prior.
Digging your way out of the rubble that comes after an overloaded-schedule-meltdown is no easy task. You have to challenge yourself and most likely have to step outside of your comfort zone. Even though the recovery might be painful, the reward of less stress and more time to reflect is worth it. Here are steps to bouncing back after taking on too much in the beginning of the school year.
Step 1: Sort out what matters the most
Go through your schedule and determine what matters the most to you. Ranking the importance of each commitment might be helpful in this process. Question your motives along the way. Do you still find being part of that club rewarding? Has picking up extra shifts at work really been worth losing sleep? Did you give yourself any time during the week to attend office hours or visit the Writing Center for academic support? Before you can start cutting commitments off, it is crucial to think through why you are doing what you’re doing. Determine what actually is or isn’t worth a slot in your schedule.
Step 2: Cut off what is least important
After prioritizing, it is time to let go of what no longer holds high enough importance in your schedule. For myself, this was easily the most challenging part of the process. The thought of letting down, friends, co-workers, or advisors terrified me. What’s important to remember here is that stretching yourself too thin hurts both yourself and the people counting on you. By cutting ties with a few commitments, you will be better able to manage the ones you deemed as most important. So type that email, explain that this is what is best for you right now, hit send, and take a breath. The worst part of schedule clean-up is over.
Step 3: Stay committed to less commitments
Having free time is a necessary aspect of academic success and overall well-being for college students. With this in mind, that doesn’t mean I am any less of a serial schedule-filler than I was before. I needed to declutter my days, but every now and then I am tempted to fill my open time slots with new opportunities as they present themselves. For myself and anyone else in this position, the key is to stay focused on the priorities back in step one. Stay committed to your new core schedule. Instead of only giving a little bit of your energy to many commitments, give your all to your most valued few.
As college students, it will always be tempting to load up our schedules to maximum capacity. How could we not want to? There are so many awesome opportunities everywhere we turn on campus. As we settle into midterm season, there is no better time to do some schedule decluttering.
In addition to these steps, utilizing on-campus resources can also beneficial in sorting out your commitments. Be sure to check in with the Career Center, Counseling Center, or School of Liberal Arts Office for additional advice in sorting out your workload. And most importantly, always remember to schedule time to take care of yourself first, Saints!
