Seasons
September 23, 2021
The return of autumn this week put a smile on my masked face.The change of seasons always has that effect. Maybe because I grew up in Florida, where we only had two seasons: warm and too warm.
I also love the seasonality of the academic life. There's the annual rhythm of semesters and breaks. And then there's the different seasons that can mark a faculty career. We may focus for a season especially on teaching, research, or service -- or even (dare I say) administrative work.
Few exemplify the riches of such a seasonal lifebetter than the college's own Fr. Thomas Kennealy, S.J., who at 90 years old has enjoyed more seasons that nearly all of us. Since arriving at Xavier in 1969, Fr. Kennealy has been Assistant and then Associate Professor of French, Assistant and Associate Dean of two colleges, University Archivist -- and now after his second retirement, also biographer of Fr. Francis J. Finn, S.J.
Congratulations to Fr. Kennealy, Professor Emeritus of the College of Arts and Sciences, one his most recent achievements.
I smile to imagine what his next season might bring.
