An Education Above
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Laurel Leaf Fall 2014
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Democracy is My Anchor
n early October, Margaret Hu, Assistant Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law, visited RPCS as the Sarah Crane Cohen Visiting Scholar in the Humanities. Margaret held an Upper School assembly and an evening lecture for the community. She discussed her new research related to immigration and discrimination, and specifically focused on database-screening discrimination and whether or not data surveillance programs are constitutional. More and more government programs rely upon “big data” analytics in an attempt to assess who is unlawfully present and who potentially poses a national security threat. Margaret Hu’s research interests include the intersection of immigration policy, national security, cyber-surveillance, and civil rights. Previously, she served as senior policy advisor for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Margaret believes deeply in our democracy and in safeguarding the U.S. Constitution. She is one of the only attorneys in the country researching the issue of the lawfulness of big data screening. She also gave our students a perspective on building a career and advised students to “reverse engineer your life.” Think about where you want to be and construct a plan to get there. “You cannot listen to the naysayers, but do leave room for diversions in that path.” She also addressed work-life balance, noting that only women seem to be asked about the topic. She gave a realistic view of how difficult it is to make it to the top of your profession—the dedicated work ethic it takes as well as the resources needed if you also want to raise a family. Think about where you The RPCS community is deeply grateful to the Crane want to be and construct a family for their vision to help us bring distinguished educators to our campus who can share their compelling plan to get there. stories.
About the Sarah Crane Cohen Visiting Scholar in the Humanities Lecture Through the generosity of the late Charles Crane, a Baltimore businessman and philanthropist, an endowment was established at Roland Park Country School in 1993. This fund was created in loving memory of Mr. Crane’s mother, Sarah Crane Cohen, a warm and compassionate woman who possessed a genuine fondness for all people. The Sarah Crane Cohen Visiting Scholar in the Humanities endowment brings a distinguished educator to campus each year.
Happiness and Gratitude: Recipe for a Meaningful Life
In mid-October RPCS held its 6th annual Robinson Health
Colloquium. Generously funded by former Trustee and parent of an alumna James G. Robinson, who believes that parents must be fully engaged in the lives of their daughters, the Robinson Health Colloquium focused this year on well-being. Vicki Zakrzewski, PhD, Education Director of the Greater Good Science Center, presented The Science of a Meaningful Life to students
in Grades 8–12, held a faculty workshop and addressed parents and educators in an evening lecture. Dr. Zakrzewski’s work focuses on how the socialemotional skills of students contribute to their academic success and future ability to become caring members of society. She provided science-based tips for promoting the social and emotional development of students, teachers, and administrators, as well as methods for creating positive school cultures. In addition to her comments on the importance of expressing and feeling gratitude, her definition of happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.” was powerful for our community to consider. She asked each of us to think about “what kind of a person we want to be.”
Dr. Zakrzewski provided science-based tips for promoting the social and emotional development of students, teachers, and administrators, as well as methods for creating positive school cultures. With JOY! as the Student Government Association’s theme for this academic year, it was certainly fitting to welcome Dr. Zakrzewski to the Robinson Health Colloquium and feel her passion for helping others create a meaningful life. (L-R) Jean Waller Brune, Vicki Zakrzewski, PhD and Dana Hamilton, BS, RN
Roland Park Country School