My grandfather was a nature enthusiast. He used to take me on walks with a plant identification book and point out the trees and flowers along the way. He did the same with insects and other crawling things like snakes. My favorite was, and still is, the toad. We would build little homes for them out of foliage and overturned flowerpots. (Toads, by the way, are good to have in your garden, eating up to 100 insects a night!) By the time I was a young teen, I wasn’t afraid of any bug or bat, and when I had my children, I taught them, too. Ultimately, they also pressed leaves and rescued errant spiders that got inside the house. That process of lifelong learning and sharing is what makes the College of Education and Human Development such a great place. This coming month we have so many opportunities for you to interact with the next generation of Owls. We know that when you do, you offer them the chance to see the world differently and the ability to appreciate the path that you have taken. Please join us! 

Warmly,

Kirsten Halker-Kratz

Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Relations