Feb. 26, 2021
Dear fellow members of WCG,
What a year this has been! Our March meeting is coming up in a few days and that will mark a full year since we’ve been able to meet in person. That’s right: the first meeting canceled due to Covid was the April meeting in 2020. Looking back, I remember there were signs at the March 2020 meeting held at the 3M Center. There were bottles of hand sanitizer on the welcome desk and most of us made a point of bumping elbows or tapping toes rather than shake hands. I remember we were laughing about the awkwardness of it all. Not a single mask in sight, of course.
The decision to cancel the April 2020 meeting seemed a difficult one at the time. I’m so glad that we’ve been able to continue on virtually. At the Opening General Session of the AIC Annual Meeting this spring, Rachel Greenberg, our VP, and Anne Kingery-Schwartz, our Communications and Outreach Chair, and I will be talking about how WCG responded to the pandemic as part of a discussion on localized responses to the larger events of this past year. I hope many of you will be attending.
As part of our focus on meeting the needs of our members this year, we are making a name change to one of our committees. Previously, we had what we called “Intern Coordinators”. This was generally one to three people who provided a network for area fellows and interns, created social events and organized lab tours and workshops. This year we realized that the mission of this group intersects with a wider field of members than just interns and we want to acknowledge that.
So, I want to introduce our Emerging Professionals Committee. They will continue to do the fine work they have done but we want to make it clear that these activities and opportunities are aimed at all emerging conservators wherever they are on their journey, whether pre-program volunteers or newly minted conservators looking to grow and network. The Williston Fund will continue to support their work so I urge you all to consider donating. You can find the donation button on our website.
As always, I wish you all a safe and happy year. There is much to feel optimistic about even as we continue to hunker down. I hope to see you all at our March meeting this week. These are our popular Intern Talks and I can’t wait to hear what our area interns and fellows have been able to accomplish in this difficult year.
Yours,
Jayne Holt
President, WCG
