Students, faculty get chance to share final farewell

Members of the Fullerton College administration made sure that Dr. Kathleen Hodge knew how much she meant to them and the campus by throwing a going-away party in her honor Thursday, Sep. 24.

The event, which was held in an upstairs conference room in the 200 Building, featured numerous speakers telling stories of the times they shared with Hodge in her six years as president, as well as a one-song performance from the Chamber Choir program, under the direction of John Tebay.

Speakers included Adam O'Connor, director of budget and finance, Marcus Wilson, president of faculty senate, Ericka Adakai, Rajan Vaidya, student trustee, Peter Cornett, A.S. President, Bob Jensen, dean of fine arts and Janet
Portolan, vice president of educational support.

Whether it was Wilson mentioning that no matter the situation, Hodge was always right, or Vaidya claiming that it was Hodge who taught him the importance of style, every speaker presented fond memories of the president, whose term will officially end today.

However, the most animated speaker was Jensen, who used multiple references to the arts to help illustrate his thoughts, to which Hodge responded with, "This is a compliment, but hat's so Bob Jensen", a phrase she came up with to describe Jensen's personality.

"The event was a heartfelt, entertaining, and honest celebration of all the things Dr. Hodge has meant to Fullerton College," Jesnsen said in a statement.

Some of the gifts given to Hodge included a hand-made quilt and a painting of what she metioned was her favorite spot on campus, looking south from in between the 300 and 500 buildings at the small courtyard outside the performing arts department.

The quilt was made by Toni DuBois, vice president of student services and the wife of Scott McKenzie, dean of the technology and engineering department.

"The group was working on ideas and had taken note that she had always liked the Fullerton College scarves," McKenzie said. "They worked on it for three to four weeks leading up to the party.

Overall, the event allowed students. faculty and members of the administration to share their memories with Hodge one final time before her term is set to end today.

"No single person I have ever met in my tenure here at Fullerton College has ever been a stronger proponent of community college education, an advocate for the values and programs of our college, or a better architect of so much change in the physical look and feel of the campus," Jensen said.

Peter Cornett, AS president said he admired Hodge for always being approachable and always willing to meet with anyone who needed to talk to her as well as the fact that she always put FC first.

"She would always fight to keep the choice on budgetary matters in the hands of FC, instead of the district," Cornett said. "She always fought for the school."

Hodge, a licensed marriage and family therapist, will now take her experience to the district where she is sent to begin her duties.

Sam Schauerman, FC's interim president, will begin tomorrow.