Today I came full circle to where my career began. Anyone who has known me any length of time has heard me tell how influential the faculty was in my professional development. They formed my view of how a professional should dress, behave, and handle all manner of clinical issues.

Like all first days, most of it was spent taking care of paperwork, connecting to systems, and being introduced to my new colleagues. I also had the pleasure of meeting students that were either visiting from or getting ready to go abroad to experience healthcare in a different system. Day one and I remembered what this place meant to me. It changes lives and gives students a new view of the world.

After a walk around campus and a trip down to Gus’s for a veggie sub, I took some time to look out the window at the hill to Ayers Hall. As a student, I climbed that hill more times than I can count and there was a time I knew exactly how many steps there were up to the hill. Now I look at it across the treetops with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to all the faculty that guided me and for all those that welcomed me home. I can only pray that I will live up to the standard they set all those years ago.

When I got home from my first day a letter was waiting congratulating me on my tenure being approved by the Board of Trustees. I’m home.

How many times did I climb that hill for classes and now I see it from my office.