Horseback Riding :: Open house at Emerald Farms in Bellingham

This Sunday there is an open house at Emerald Farms in Bellingham, Ma from 12 to 4. Stop by for a chance to win the "Horsemanship Package", a $150 value and see some great demonstrations.

Emerald Farm Fun Day - Bellingham, Ma

This is a little off topic, but since we the crew has not gotten together in a while, the on topic material is very thin.

Last weekend Emerald Farm Equestrian Center had a Fun Day. There were a number of classes to participate in from trail ride obstacle courses to more traditional competitions classes.

Is Gourmet Club Dead

There have been a group of us who have been getting together for over 20 years, by one of us hosting a dinner for the group. We typically have been able to get together anywhere from every few months to once or twice a year. It's been nice to stay in touch this way. However, I think it has now been over a year......Is Gourmet Club come to it's inevitable end?

There are 4 of us that live only miles away from each other, but 20 years is a long time and people go in different directions. It was a good run....maybe someone will breath life into it? Someone?

Next Year Building On The Foundation

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle had made dramatic improvements to academics her first year as president of FKCC creating a strong foundation. The second year build on that foundation.

Dr Jill Landesberg-Boyle started the year putting quality metrics into place for all distance learning classes, an important component in increasing the course offerings and enrollment. On the theme of increasing enrollment, dual enrollment opportunities were expanded and additional course offerings in the Middle and Upper Keys. This resulted in doubled the number o students served at the Marathon Center and an increase in 40% at the Coral Shores Center.

The center of excellence in Marine Sciences took shape with the new director of marine sciences position and the completions of plans for the new marine technology building. Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle also continued her focus on corporate partnerships developing a partnership with Dive Outfitter Hollis, Inc.

In addition to building on the foundation with a focus on enrollment and partnerships, Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle did not forget the social responsibility of the community to serve the less fortunate. When a local program for At-Risk Girls, PACE was forced to close it's doors, Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle, with the help of MCSD Program Specialist Carol Eisenman and other staff, were able to provide a seamless transition of the program to FKCC.

Improvement to Academics - Jill Landesberg-Boyle

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle put into place a number of academic improvements. She started with a course schedule re-design making course more accessible to the community at large. In conjunction, New adjunct faculty members were recruited to expand offerings. Ten month faculty positions were offered full time positions to further expand course availability, particular in the summer months. Of course this was well received by the faculty since it was also an increase in there salary.

She added thirteen new associate of art degree concentrations that transfer to state university sequences for bachelor degrees. This was one of the key recommendations by SACS in a 2003 visit. I think it's interesting to note that the visit was in 2003, and the recommendation was not addressed until Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle started her presidency at the college in the 2007-08 academic year.

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle revamped the Inter-institutional agreement between MCSD and FKCC and completed the Master Educational Plan Survey.

All of this was accomplished in Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle's first year as president at FKCC. Of course she did not stop there, I'll do another posting on the next year.

Quote from Bryan on Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle managed to do the following: 1) Raise student enrollment beyond anyone's expectations; 2) Reorganize degree programs, add new ones and enter into relationships with four year institutions that brought new rigor and achievement to FKCC; 3) Develop the very first $1 million dollar donation and the first ever federal procurement of over $2 million, in addition to building a true educational foundation out of what was formerly a social club; 4) Build community liaisons that contributed to the life of those in Key West and all of the Florida Keys; 5) Establish solid satellite campuses in the Keys, rather than just a class or two at a local highschool; 6) Receive a vote of confidence from faculty and students; and 7)Ttake a failing institution, and save it.

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle's departure from our campus is an unbearable loss and could be your incredible gain.

Landesberg-Boyle - Budget Minded

Quote from Gary Martin Vice Provost FKCC

I had the honor of working for Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle at Florida Keys Community College where she had the support of a super majority of the faculty, she is very budget minded and was able to increase salaries of Faculty and Staff in a Down Economy! Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle is a perfect fit for this Albemarle college, she gained hugh grants for Florida Keys Community College in Marine Science. I worked for Dr. Jill Landeberg-Boyle and I can tell you first hand, she knows her stuff. Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle increased enrollment, got funding for a new Marine Science building, brought the faculty up to standard and made FKCC a Student centered institution.

Transformation of FKCC

Quote from Saron E. Farrell, Department Head of Social Sciences and Fine Arts on how Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle transformed FKCC into a center of learning excellence.


"In two brief years she has transformed the college into a center of learning excellence, evidenced by increased enrollment, and a new student-centered curriculum and schedule. President Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle encourages grant writing and additionally brought in almost two million dollars in gifts to the college. Thanks to her financial stewardship, faculty received raises last year averaging seventeen percent, bringing the faculty to the median salary."

Social Justice

Dr. Landesberg-Boyle has a wealth of knowledge in social justice. She has led courses in multicultural education and was involved in numerous social justice experiential projects such as developing a Latino residential hall at The University of Massachusetts, teaching classes on antisemitism, racism, and multiculturalism.

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle was invited by Zeta Phi Beta, a historically black sorority, to be their faculty advisor, becoming the first white advisor to that organization.

Most recently Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle, upon hearing of the closer of the PACE Center for Girls, which would leave a number of at-risk girls no place to turn, including 9 which were sheduled to graduate in the spring, jumped into action. Working with MCSD Program Specialist Carol Eisenman and others worked to open a new program at FKCC which would provide a seemless transition for these Girls.

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle said, “We’re willing to do anything we can to help. We’ve been working very hard to connect the community to the college and the college to the community. This is just one more way we can accomplish that goal. It’s a way for us to make a difference in our community and the world.”

This program at FKCC, put 35 homeless students ages 18-24 into higher education.

Landesberg-Boyle brings in $2.24 Million

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle bring in $2.24 Million via a Defense Appropriation

The Defense Appropriation for
Instrumented Underwater Training Systems (IUTS), that Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle helped to secure for FKCC will enable the Jame E. Lockwood, Jr. School of Underwater Technologies and the Marie Science Department raise research to a new level. Propelling the college to new heights in research and enabling it to offer more opportunities to the students.

Some of the funds will go to new equitment, such as underwater side sonar technology and ground penetrating radar. Those items will double their use as instructional equipment for a variety of other scientific projects, one of which will be a course Dr. Rice will develop in coral reef mapping systems. However, the applications are limitless and include possibilities for training in underwater archeology, port security, and other utilities.

The appropriation was the work of Jill Landesberg-Boyle, Patrick Rice, and Bill Chalfant, working diligently with their Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who, on behalf of the college and the region.

Conservation Pays Off

As president of FKCC, Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle instituted simple conservation methods at FKCC, which not only ended up saving the college $100K a year, but of course is also good for the environment.

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle demonstrated leadership that could make a significant difference in our country if other institutional leaders were to follow suit.

You often hear environmentalist talk about the solution to our environmental and energy problems will not be through just one approach. Instead we need a plan that incorporates alternative energy sources and conservation. Dr. Landesberg-Boyle shows how much more we can do on the conservation front and how that has immediate payback, equating to real dollars.

Lets demand this type of thinking from ourselves and our community leaders.

Jill Landesberg-Boyle Brings in Millions

Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle brought in Millions to FKCC, raised enrollment, and reinviorated the college.

Quote from Dr. Susanne Woods, Provost Emerita, Wheaton COllege, MA

"I worked with Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle on a couple of projects, and can attest that she is an outstanding educator and administrator, who took our local Florida Keys Community College from sure-failure to substantial success, including rising enrollments and exciting new programs. These latter include a new partnership with the Navy for diving and marine programs, accompanied by a $2 million federal grant."

I think that sums it up nicely Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle has quite a record to be proud of.

Quote from the Key West Citizen Newspaper - Landesberg-Boyle Made FKCC Meaningful

Here are two key quotes from the Key West Citizen Newspaper:

Landesberg-Boyle accomplished a great deal in her tenure as president of the college. On her watch, enrollment was dramatically increased, instructors' hours were reshaped to fit student needs, new programs were initiated, a connection was made with a four-year college and there was a solid start on building a dormitory.

She (Landesberg-Boyle) did what was needed to resurrect the college from years of stagnation. She made FKCC meaningful, though she made few friends along the way.

These are fantastic quotes, but it is only the tip of the iceberg of Dr. Landesberg-Boyle's accomplishments. The work Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle did with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen bringing in a $2.24 million dollar federal appropriation to FKCC. Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle also brought the largest private donation, a $1 million dollar bequest from the James Lockwood estate.

Jill Landesberg-Boyle and Washington Watch

In my previous posting on Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle and the 2.24 million that FKCC will share in for the IUTS program, I missed including a link to WashingtonWatch.com. Washingtonwatch.com is a site that allows you to track the bills in Congress, along information about the bill including costs. You and see more about Dr Jill Landesberg-Boyles successful campaign to bring the IUTS program to FKCC on this site.

Landesberg-Boyle in Chair Chat

Take a look at this cute article of Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle.

Defense contract is good news for college thanks to Jill Landesberg-Boyle

Need to blog about a huge success for Dr Jill Landesberg-Boyle. Due to her efforts fKCC will share in 2.24 million of a federial defense appropriation. Can't under estimate how big this is for the college, it's a first ever for the college. The citizen a daily newspaper has had a few postings, Good News and College Counts .....

It's been a long time

The Gourmet Club has been running since January of 1993, in just a few short year's it will be 20 year mark. Two decades!! Some people have come and gone, but we have had a consistant core. Here is to a long run, great friends, and great food.

OK - who's next!!!

August 22, 2009 - Reg & Scott - Brazilian BBQ

February 28 - Vickie - Paula Deen night (BBQ pork chops, shrimp linguini, sausage and grits, orange and greens salad, broccoli salad)

2008 Events

September 27 John and Ilise's -  Italian (Meat Lasagna, Tomato & Mozzerella Salad, Garlic Bread)