Written at 11:00 pm:

I just now have another opportunity to record more thoughts about the day. First, I must report how thrilling it was to be in class most of the day and to see our faculty and students so engaged. I attended a huge university and most of my classes were lectures, of course. To see the back and forth of conversation, the steady questioning, and the opportunities provided to students to test ideas and express insights was a great reminder of just how special our brand of education is. And every professor knew the students so well, which will make for great letters of recommendation in the future. But what truly struck me was how much the students seemed to be enjoying the classes and fully involved with the learning process. I want to enroll and do this every day. Next, I want to report on my wonderful dinner with President Rinaldi’s family, including Domenico who is a FY student at Whittier. First, I was served a bowl of pasta with peas, and it was quite tasty. This was followed by a green salad, tomatoes with mozzarella, and turkey with artichokes. Then cake. I urged Domenico to vie for President for a Day next year so that I might once again find myself invited to the Rinaldi home. The dinner was delicious and the conversation lively, and I was energized for an evening of class. My final class was Professor Sean Morris’s screenwriting seminar (to which I arrived late because I had to do a little unexpected work related to my “day job”). When I arrived, the class was already in the midst of watching “The Illusionist” and studying its structure as a screenplay. Since I missed the beginning, I had to catch on to the meaning of Sean’s outbursts of “push” every few minutes. The class ended with a lively discussion – even though it was 10:00 p.m.I thank all those who gave me the opportunity to experience life as a student today, and I especially thank Tina Rinaldi. I ended the day with extraordinary admiration for our faculty and with great optimism about the students we attract to Whittier and the lives they will lead. Ah, to be a student again and to be one on this campus!