November already??

Where do I even begin with this week??  I can proudly say that I have successfully navigated my way through two tests (in my most difficult classes), two papers, and two very big events for Student Senate.  And I'm still standing!

Student Senate held our bi-annual Town Hall forum on Tuesday.  This event (which I was responsible for last year) is a chance for students to get to hear from the President and various departments throughout the university about current issues.  Students are then given the opportunity to direct any questions to the panelists (we had staff from 8 departments) that they may have about university affairs.  It was a success, even with a change of venue- so I hope that students can say that it was helpful for them to learn about the university!  I know I was excited to hear that our new academic building should begin the first stages of construction next fall as long as the donations fall into place.  

The other big event on Tuesday involved several organizations across the campus, including Senate, Relay for Life/ Colleges Against Cancer, ASA, and ADG (I apologize if I missed any!).  This was a Bone Marrow Donor Drive that was held all day.  This drive gave students the chance to sign up as bone marrow donors on the national registry.  An alumnus of Rockhurst, Dr John Murry, approached us and asked if we would be willing to have this donor drive.  He has four grandchildren with a disease called Diamond Blackfan Anemia, which requires them to have monthly blood transfusions-- but if a bone marrow donor is found, they can cease receiving these transfusions.  Therefore, Dr Murry has made it his personal mission to increase the number of possible donors in the registries.  I could not believe the turn out of students--we were just shy of our 500-person goal on Tuesday, and we should (with the help of two very committed students) be able to reach this goal by the end of the week!