A little public speaking...

So, I got this innocuous email from my Core Faculty (aka "advisor", but really, CF sounds so much better, don't you think? Like you have your own personal team or something) the other day:

Hi Celise,

We will soon be working on some student profiles for our website. We want to highlight successful ADP students and present a blurb about their area of study and their career goals. I wonder if I can submit your name to the list of possible students to profile?  I think you would be a great student to profile. Let me know. Thanks.

And I'm all:

 I would be honored! Thank you so much for thinking of me.

Thinking that it's going to be, like, an article or something on their website. And then today, I get this email from one of the coordinators:

I am a Core Faculty member for Prescott College with the undergrad and graduate programs, and as part of that, am serving as a coordinator of mentors for the limited-residency undergrad program.  Core Faculty* suggested that I invite you to an ADP Orientation when we have a dinner panel of experienced students such as yourself and past mentors who share their advice with incoming students.   Your experience with non-profit management would be especially interesting to other students.   The timing would likely be 5:30-6:30 pm on a Friday evening at the Orientation weekends, so that would be on January 27 for the Spring Orientation or June 1 for the Summer Orientation.

Wait-wha? Panel discussion-wha? My Core Faculty person didn't mention anything about a panel discussion.At least it's in a small space. Let me rephrase that. THANK GOD this will take place in a small space. I'm a little nervous, but when I went through orientation 2 yrs ago, having that panel there was very helpful. And it's how I found my first mentor. I had SO many questions, because I just jumped in without really thinking about it. Having real former mentors and real former students present and talking about their experiences made it more real for me, and gave me a better understanding of how the program worked.

I now thank my Core Faculty for suggesting me and hope that by sharing my experience, I'll be able to help someone overcome their anxiety regarding this unique program.


*name removed to protect the innocent