A Fireside Chat Lights Up a Cold Day

Dr. Donald Guy Generals, seated in an armchair, read from a passage as the smell of marshmallows and hot chocolate hung in the air.

He shared “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz, a Dominican-American author who grew up in Dr. Generals’ hometown of Paterson, N.J.

With rapt attention, approximately 40 students, faculty and staff seated around the College’s president listened as some sipped a warm drink.

For the hour during Dr. Generals’ Fireside Chat in the Winnet Student Life Building Coffeehouse on November 18, titles and position were put aside and those who braved the freezing outdoor temperature were engaged, as a community, in a dialogue on a literary work.

Since his arrival, Dr. Generals has said, on many occasions, that his role is to support a good college that is working to become a great institution, and to engage all in the learning process — students, staff and faculty. "We have to continue to keep current with where the world is and what our role is, and how we can affect changes in the world,” he said. “We must become a community of learners."

The new Fireside Chats, launched this fall, provide an opportunity for the College community to learn from and with each other. “My hope is that you will freely share reflections on your favorite book, poem, song or any artistic expression of Hispanic culture,” Dr. Generals wrote in the invitation to the first chat.

The atmosphere was cozy. A dessert buffet in the back of the room included graham crackers, chocolate and an open flame for toasting marshmallows, which added to the ambiance. Dr. Generals ate his first s’more (and loved it). At this forum, all opinions could be voiced, and students could step up to quiz the president.

Those in the audience who had read the book Dr. Generals shared had a lively discussion, as a video of a burning fireplace played on a flat-screen TV near his armchair.

Dr. Generals called on Lynette Brown-Sow, vice president of Marketing and Government Relations, who shared her thoughts about a book called “The House on Mango Street,” by Sandra Cisneros. He then called on Dr. Judith Gay, vice president of Academic Affairs, who read two poems, one which sparked a discussion about the justice system and how difficult it can be for people to improve their lives.

Dr. Generals said he plans to hold several Fireside Chats with different themes and looks forward to more people sharing at the gathering. “This is the first shot at this. We’ll do many more,” he said. “Ultimately this is about reading. We want to encourage you to read as much as possible.”