Our very first Five Questions candidate was President Ron Liebowitz. Here we are, almost a year later, and Special Assistant to the President Dave Donahue joins the club.

1. You started out at Middlebury as a student (Class of 1991!) and now you’re the Special Assistant to the President. In between, you’ve been Associate Dean for Library and Information Services and Associate Vice President of Operations in College Advancement and a dean in Student Affairs. What’s it like to have held so many different roles at the College?

It has been great. It’s allowed me to take on new challenges, to gain new skills, and to learn different parts of how a college operates first hand and up close. The variety has been very stimulating. At the same time, I’ve been able to maintain the continuity of being with one employer and to create a network of friends and colleagues that I continue to work with all the time. This last point is really important. Sometimes in a place as big as Middlebury, getting something done can be about knowing the right person to contact. And although it was entirely by accident, my career at Middlebury and the different jobs I’ve had (going all the way back to being a student) have been the perfect training for what I do now. I also really enjoy seeing people on campus whom I knew as a student and relating to them now as a peer and a friend.

2. What’s the best adventure you have ever been on?

It’s hard to pick just one, so I will tell you about a few. I spent a summer studying Spanish in Mexico at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Every weekend we traveled, and at the end of the program I took a week and hiked in the jungle. Over the course of the program we visited Palenque, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Monte Alban, the ruins at Tikal, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, and the Rio Usumacinta. It was awesome and permanently changed my world view. I grew up in Lowell, MA, so the idea of “studying” during the summer or going abroad were both pretty foreign concepts to most my friends and high school classmates. It was impossible to be there and not get caught up in the ruins, the culture, and the history. The other adventure was a 35-day car camping trip with my wife, who at the time was my girlfriend. We traveled all around the West and by the end of those 35 days, we pretty much knew we could make any situation work and that we were ready to spend our lives together. We also saw parts of the country that I had never seen from Idaho, to Arizona, to Montana, to Seattle, WA. Finally, every time our family (three kids and wife) travels, it’s a major adventure, especially when we get on an airplane!

3. When you were a student, you played on the football and lacrosse teams. We hear you like to cycle and you were spotted out on the links this summer. What’s one physical activity you’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t gotten around to yet (or maybe never will)?

I’d love to try surfing. The attraction is two-fold. First is purely for the sensation of riding a wave. I’ve done some windsurfing, which I’m terrible at, but the sensation of being powered naturally is pretty special. I imagine the sensation of riding a wave would be even better. The second attraction is warm weather, not that all surfing takes place in warm weather climes, but the picture in my mind is definitely a warm weather one. A close second would be log rolling. I like the idea of head-to-head competition, balance, footwork, and water. Maybe I have a water obsession.

4. Has a liberal arts education served you well? If so, how? If not, please explain. Please cite at least one example.

My job is all about projects and communication. Some projects are in areas that I know a good deal about and are very much in my comfort zone. Others are completely new. The first step is to learn about the industry/area. I believe part of a liberal arts education is learning how to learn, learning how to identify critical information, and how to discern what is important from what is not. Project work is all about figuring out what needs to be done. The other important aspect of my work is communicating, whether it is in written or spoken form. If you can’t communicate effectively with people, you can’t get much done. I’d say a liberal arts education has served me extremely well on both fronts.

5.  Andy Warhol once said that everyone is famous for 15 minutes. What happened during your 15?

Wow, that’s a really hard question. I’m tempted to believe that maybe my 15 minutes is ahead of me, but that may be wishful thinking! If I had to pick 15 minutes, I’d go with a bunch of 5 minute blocks. I acted as a reader for the book Think Big Act Small by Jason Jennings; I’ve done a few interviews over the years for the paper and many years ago on WCAX; I won a write-in campaign for the school board in Cornwall, VT in a hotly contested election; and I’m childhood friends with Mickey Ward, the main character in the movie “The Fighter.” Added together, I’m thinking that is close to 15 minutes, but I’m pretty sure I’m stretching the definition of “famous!” Truth be told I’m actually pretty comfortable out of the spot light, but I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Five Questions!

Jeff Stauch ’05 set the bar high last week with his Five Questions responses. Can Admissions Counselor Shantá Lindo ’10 meet it this week? We think so.

1. You’re in your second year as an Admissions Counselor. What’s it like to review applications from students seeking to attend your alma mater?

Being a part of the admission process for my alma mater is one of the most humbling, yet empowering, things that I have ever been involved in. Seeing the nuts and bolts behind the process and realizing that every single member of the Middlebury community, past and present, has something special and unique to offer is amazing. Knowing that I am a member of that cohort gives me immense pride as I try my best to continue that tradition by ushering younger students through the process. I must admit that I was a little surprised by the extreme attention to detail that goes into the process, and it was a little daunting for me at first. There are so many moving parts involved in putting together a class at an institution like Middlebury, and every single member of my office gives their all to make sure that the process is fair, effective, and fun for all parties involved. A year ago at this time, I was terrified by the amount of responsibility that was handed to me once I started this job. For the first couple of weeks, I was tempted to ask if they were sure that I should have such a hands-on and autonomous role in things such as planning travel, picking high schools to visit, reading applications, and then actually having a say in what takes place in the end result. So much of this last year has shown me the other side of the Middlebury coin–the side of this institution that enables it to run like the well-oiled machine that it is. I, of course, saw this as a student, but once I became a staff member I realized the degree to which people in this community love the students that they are working with, and how they would do almost anything to make sure that their experience is one-of-a-kind with the kinds of experiences that elicite warm, fuzzy feelings all around. I am proud to be a part of that. And furthermore, I feel blessed to assert that I have had an extremely “well-rounded” experience at Middlebury because I was able to make that transition from student to staff. I feel inexplicably lucky to have had this experience, and the best bit is that I still have plenty of time to live the dream.

2. You’re a city mouse in the country. If you could bring one element of New York City to Vermont, what would it be? What would you bring from Vermont to New York City?

The one element of New York City that I would bring to Vermont is an effective, wide-reaching public transportation system. As a New Yorker, I am hard-wired to believe that a car is an unnecessary, and costly, expense. I grew up with tokens (not even metro cards) and I miss the accessibility of it all. I love traveling home because once I get there I can have access to any part of the city in a matter of minutes with my metro card in my back pocket coupled with a decent sense of direction. I didn’t even have my license prior to graduating and getting hired in admissions. All that withstanding, I am still grateful that I had to get my license because knowing how to drive is an important skill to have.

The one thing I would bring from Vermont to New York City is the importance that is placed upon having a healthy quality of life. New Yorkers work too much and it is very (very) easy to fall into a holding pattern of nothing but work all that time. Granted, that might have something to do with the fact that it is a really expensive city to live in, but whenever I go home I am left with the lingering feeling that I wish people would slow down and be still a bit. Vermont has taught me that it is important to find a balance in life that is appropriate for you. Throughout those first couple of weeks within this community I was so agitated by the fact that the stores closed at 5pm. I was flabbergasted. I always remember saying “How can you run a business like this?” I eventually learned to let go of that fixation, mainly because homework was taking up so much of my time. But after 5 years in Vermont, I realized that those business owners closed at 5pm because (more than likely) they had a family to get back to. They had people in their lives that meant more to them than getting a little extra business. Now, I must say that I am being a bit presumptuous because I don’t know exactly why businesses only stay open until 5pm, but I don’t think I am that far off the mark. The most important take away message from being a native New Yorker living in Vermont has been that I now have the perspective to choose what kind of lifestyle I want to live. I will always be a city girl, but this stint in Vermont has taught me that there is so much more to life than pounding the pavement every chance I get. It’s about the little things in life; little things like watching the seasons cycle through or catching a glimpse of the most beautiful sunset that you have ever seen. I am not suggesting that one is better than the other, but I must say that this experience has taught me a great deal about choosing a life that is intentional as well as reflective of everything that you want.

3. Not that we’re stalking you, but you’ve been spotted around campus voraciously reading. What’s your favorite book you read this summer?

As an ENAM major, that is a bit of a loaded question, but if I had to pick one book that has grabbed my attention in the recent past it would be The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I stumbled across this novel in The Strand bookstore when I went home, and I immediately was attracted to the scientific aspects of the novel, as well as the painfully human components that act as its underpinning. This novel was a wonderful representation of all of the things that I am passionate about. When I grow up, I would like to be a medical social worker, because it combines my interest in health care (particularly access to effective health care) and my drive to help people. I am well aware of the big picture that is unfolding in the world, but the most important thing to me is the individual experience. If I can make one person feeling better or have a good day, then I feel that I have done some kind of good. This novel is a manifestation of that passion. It combines the story of a woman whose cancerous cells single handedly changed the face of medicine during her time and for years to come. That’s the power of the individual and as long as we take care of each other we can enact significant change. This novel tells the story of a woman who had been long forgotten, brought her back to life, and gave her (and her family) a voice. All of these things are really important to me so I immediately connected with this novel.

4. Grab your iPod. What are the top 5 most played songs?

1. Best Love Song (feat. Chris Brown)

2. You Make Me Feel (feat. Sabi)

3. Someone Like You by Adelle

4. Countdown by Beyonce

5. Party Rock Anthem

I am a firm believer in dancing and/or singing your way through life. I was raised with music constantly surrounding me, and it’s really important that I continue that tradition no matter where I go. I feel most Zen with a pair of headphones, rocking out to the latest dance singles that are playing on the radio. Life is too short to take yourself too seriously. You might as well dance your way through it.

5. What do you miss most about being a kid?

As I grow older (yikes that’s so very adult of me) I keep on having more and more “hindsight is 20/20” moments. There is so much that I wish I knew then that I know now. That being said, if I had known everything then I wouldn’t have had any room to grow, and that would just be boring. The one thing that I miss the most about my childhood is constantly being surrounded by my family. I have a very large extended family and all of my favorite memories are colored with their beautiful faces. Being adventurous and leaving the shelter of NYC has also removed me from my family. Not having them as readily available has shown me that what I have in my family is not a given. Feeling filled up with all of the wonderful food, music, and conversation that my family provided me is a blessing. I run back to their welcoming arms every chance I get because it reminds me of how far I have come and all the support that I have standing behind me as I continue to move forward. I am a lucky girl. And if I ever forget that, I have a wonderful group of people around me who will thankfully never let me get too far removed from where I come from.

The Five Questions series returns this week with Jeff Stauch ’05, Assistant Director of Principal Gifts. Check back throughout the year for more Five Questions posed to our staff and faculty colleagues.

1. As Assistant Director of Principal Gifts, you get to travel around the country and to other parts of the world to ask alumni and friends of the College for their support. How do you get over the awkwardness of asking others for money?

I’m not going to lie: part of me gets enjoyment out of the discomfort engendered in fundraising, and I think that helps me professionally. By the nature of my work, I am always, at some level, bringing people out of their comfort zone by asking them to engage in a significant philanthropic relationship with the college. The other thing to keep in mind is that when you’re actually in front of the donor, they know why you’re there, at least on some level, so it’s easier just to address it. Believe me, I still get the jitters sometimes, but I take that as a sign that I care about the outcome of the conversation. You also have to remind yourself that fundraising on certain days is the art of getting rejected, and that while you are responsible for making the best case for giving, you cannot control how the donor will respond. You have to remember that when the donor says “no,” they aren’t saying, “No, and I hate you,” they’re just deciding that now isn’t the right time to give to Middlebury. The awkwardness part, though, that’s actually kind of fun. It’s like dating: both nightmarish and exhilarating. And generally uncomfortable for both parties at different points in the conversation. And both parties leaving the conversation somewhat bewildered at what just happened.

2. Next spring, you will demonstrate for your shodan (first-degree black belt) in Aikido. Why do you practice Aikido?

Dangerous question, if only because I could talk about Aikido for hours. I got into Aikido completely by accident, actually; it’s been an interest path since I randomly showed up at a dojo in Paris, France, in 2003, during my year abroad. I really fell in love with it in 2005, during my graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where I used it to keep my life in balance. I continue to study it for a lot of reasons, the least significant of which is the ‘practical’ reason of being able to hold my own in a fight; if anything, the more one studies the art, the less we seek out conflict. Aikido brings with it a code of ethics and an opportunity for spiritual exploration. You often find yourself stuck in any technique, and it’s a matter of finding out where you are erring, not your partner. It teaches you about the body, both your own and the body of others. Mitsugi Saotome Sensei, one of the great practitioners of the art, called Aikido, “a philosophy of action,” which I think hits the nail on the head. It teaches you both how to move and how to channel your own desires to respond to conflict violently in a more productive manner. Another teacher, not my own, said that for him, “Aikido is about the chipping away of the ego, not fueling it,” which is another great way to summarize the beauty of the art.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to my two teachers, Jonathan Miller-Lane Sensei right here in Middlebury and Kagan Arik Sensei in Chicago who have both encouraged and challenged me in my training. It is impossible to overstate the importance of good teachers in Aikido and I’m very fortunate to have two of them.

Lastly, I should note that I find myself using the lessons of Aikido in professional settings, too. That’s not to say that I end up throwing a colleague or a million-dollar prospect across the room or break their wrist, but rather I use the principles of centeredness and calm resolution to stand my ground if a donor (or colleague!) is particularly riled up about something. It’s been of great use to me in non-martial situations that are nonetheless conflictual.

3. You have been known to ask first-year students during orientation, “What’s your favorite part about college so far?” What’s the most interesting ice-breaker question you have ever been asked? What’s the answer?

Well, in Boston, when I was managing a canvassing crew that raised money for political non-profits, we had a question of the day every day before we went out to canvass for five hours, so there are a few different ones that come to mind.  The one that backfired on me big time was “What was the name of your first pet,” which turned into a sob session in which everyone told us the name of their first pet, all of its relevant and endearing features, and then how it died.  So we all went out onto the streets that day thinking about the death of puppies, kittens, parakeets, and guinea pigs.  I’ll also make the suggestion that you not ask what someone’s nickname was in high school, as not all nicknames, I learned, were necessarily terms of endearment.

4. Tell us about Pamplemousse.

Ah yes, Pamplemousse. Pamplemousse, or Pampy for short, is my pet rabbit. And whenever I tell people I have a rabbit, they always seem to think it’s a euphemism for something far more sinister; sadly, or happily, the Pampy is an actual, literal rabbit. I’ve had her since March of 2009. I made the decision to get a rabbit while on a business trip with severe food poisoning, which is when all important decisions should be made. She is a mixed breed, all black number who continues to expand. She is excellent at many things, including eating, quickly excreting what she has eaten, chewing wires, cardboard, windowpane envelopes and rubber bands, looking bewildered, and washing her face. I have tried to teach her math and ASL, but to no avail. Singing lessons have also gone unappreciated. I’ve told her she won’t improve without practice, but her passions seem to lie more in eating parsley and tipping over her small, wooden house. On occasion, I take her outside for walks (sporadic hopping, really); she has a bright pink harness/leash. She’s good to have around in my life; she tears around the apartment when I’m home in the evening and before I go to work. She guards the place during the day. I catch myself talking to her a little too often sometimes. Also, I’m of the opinion that all things manly that I do in life are instantly discounted when I tell people that I have a pet rabbit.