Let the summer begin

Commencements are so much more interesting when you're absolutely unaware of what's about to happen and when they end in strawberries and champagne. On to summer!

Astronomy 101

Astronomy labs usually happen in the middle of the night on some rooftop on the outskirts of town, away from the pink undertones of city lights. Setting up shop in the middle of campus on a Wednesday afternoon, as students crisscross the library lawn, attracted a crowd. Groups of preschoolers stopped for an explanation, seasoned professors inquired about the lesson and every so often a student in the course, obligated to look and appreciate, would peer into a telescope.
Who knew there were so many types of welder's glass as well? No. 14 to look safely at the sun, in case you plan to try this one at home.

Our house

This family lives on the main floor of one of the freshmen dorms, with a religion professor acting as a "head-of house." Their 5-year-old son has a whole building full of older siblings and a campus full of daily activities, not to mention the snacks that come with hosting gatherings every other week.
The family took a very active interest in the students under their roof, inviting back former residents and helping with everything from religion term papers to laundry techniques. It's amazing how warm and welcoming a college dorm can feel.

Bonus

The freshman experience budget had a $2,000 surplus at the end of the year. What better way to go out than $2,000 in free ice cream?

Lunch

Small, blond children from Alaska share a meal. Lovely.

Mud

The infield of the Kentucky Derby was a whole different atmosphere this year. With flooding and tornadoes just to the south, the city braced for a day of torrential rain. The sun came out with 10 minutes to go ahead of the Run for the Roses. Someone pronounced it a "Derby miracle."