A quick blog post from sometimes sunny and sometimes stormy Orlando, Florida. I know what you're thinking, but no, we did not travel here to visit the mouse. My eldest, Zack - the braniac National Merit Finalist - was honored to receive a full scholarship to the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Their mascot is "The Knight." He'll be attending the school's outstanding Honors College, Burnett Honors College.
We've been in Orlando for a two-day orientation called, "The Knighting." It is now complete, and my son has registered for classes for the fall, pursuing an engineering major. He wants to go to Law School - like Mom. His Mom advised him to major in a "real" undergrad discipline where he could get a job. That was a 'do as I say and not as I do' bit of advice. I majored in English. Many of my Law School classmates majored in either history or poli sci. With engineering, my son will have a leg up on construction, products and other very technical litigation. He can also get a job as an engineer and right now that would be easier than finding a job as a lawyer.
Zack is a smart kid and I'm very proud of what he's accomplished. I'm also very grateful to the outstanding educators at UCF who saw enough potential to give him a full scholarship. I'm confident he will achieve wondrous things and make UCF proud.
The orientation was very well orchestrated. What we found so astonishing was that every single student and every single staff member from professors, to clerks, to Ryan Woods (the phenomenal scholarship director) - everyone, throughout the process has been unfailingly kind, courteous and helpful. Keep in mind, I'm not just talking about the folks working at orientation. My hubby and I aren't organized joiner types, so we left the family seminars a bit and wandered the (beautiful but huge) campus. I can't tell you how many times we got lost. We got stranded in the rain. So many small things that made us a little out of sorts and a little tense, but each time we asked a student walking the campus, a staff member toiling out in the sun, for directions or help or whatever - we got it, always with a smile.
I'd encountered this attitude before at Disney on a prior vacation, but seeing it now in Orlando, far away from the mouse, makes me say hmmmm. The world needs more of whatever they're putting in the water in Orlando, Florida.
So, I will conclude this rambling post by saying -- "Go Knights!" Including, of course, one of the newest, my eldest son, Zachary.
I'm proud of you son, but I warn you and my readers that a very tearful post is on the way -- right around August 21 or 22nd -- the move in days for college. Then again, if my downsized computer programmer hubby gets an Orlando area job, we'll just drink lots of the water.
While we're at it, maybe we can ship Orlando water to Washington, the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan..... etc. etc.