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With a top-notch education, year-round warm weather and a close-knit community, the students at Occidental will have a lot to be thankful for when Thanksgiving comes around next week. But easily forgotten in the stressful last weeks of the semester are the strong relationships students forge with the faculty and staff. On our small, residential campus, it is important to acknowledge the role these relationships play in maintaining a positive atmosphere.
A ubiquitous source of wisdom and support, the Occidental faculty and staff give the school continuity, despite constant student turnover. In addition to teaching and publishing their own research, professors are involved in almost every aspect of campus life: advising clubs, assisting student activists and even counseling the administration. Some faculty members even go the extra mile, risking their own careers in order to advocate for their pupils and ensure we get the best college experience possible. Most importantly, the professors care—about their specialties, their students and the college as a whole.
A quieter presence on campus is the staff, which ranges from the administrative assistants who keep their departments running to the facilities staff who help us loft our beds. Although they are often under-appreciated, students interact with these staff members even more than with professors. From the Marketplace, to the library, to the dormitories, their familiar faces help make this a home away from home. As many of us are separated from our own families for eight months of the year, it is the Occidental staff who make us feel comfortable.
So during this holiday season, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Occidental faculty and staff for everything they do. This school would not be the same without you.
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