While the above song title from George Gershwin’s legendary folk opera Porgy and Bess may describe our more relaxed modes of energy and spirit as we move through the Summer 2013 Trimester, the title does not characterize current activity around the Yo San University campus. Much has been happening! First, students and faculty were welcomed back to campus to enjoy the benefits of several recently completed remodeling projects. The projects, which have greatly enhanced our facilities, include a brand new third floor classroom (The Meridian Room), a greatly expanded student lounge, and a new faculty/staff lounge. With its “hard” floor surface designed specifically for needling practice classes, the new Meridian classroom is bathed in light with windows on two of its walls. Besides being doubled in space, the remodeled Student Lounge was also refurnished with items chosen by students and paid for with YSUSA funds. The new student lounge boasts two complete kitchen units, space for three café tables as well as a more casual rest and conversation area. Faculty and Staff members welcomed their new third floor lounge space with its granite countered kitchen unit, custom built in mail slots and floor to ceiling shelving that spans one wall of the room.
On the programmatic level, an important and exciting component has been inaugurated in the MATCM Program. A new “pairing” supervision arrangement was implemented for Level One clinic interns. The new system, which was piloted in the Spring of 2012, organizes students to work in pairs for two of their five Level One shifts. The arrangement provides increased emphasis on the functions of collaboration and communication, essential elements in the formation of effective TCM clinicians and practitioners. So far the new system has been working smoothly according to Albert Vaca, Dean of Clinical Education.
With the start of a new Trimester the most important changes are the many new faces on campus. As usual Yo San University oriented a new group of eager and motivated MATCM students who began their journeys to become TCM healers. By mid-May those new personalities were joined by the initiation of Cohort #3 of the YSU doctoral program. This DAOM cohort is the first YSU group in the specialty area of Integrative Medicine/Healthy Aging. The cohort includes individuals from Santa Barbara, the Bay area, and as far distant as Minnesota and Colorado. Several members of the cohort are YSU alumni. All are eager to be a part of the YSU Community. We extend a very special welcome to all of the new members of the Yo San community and a hearty “welcome home” to those who are returning to continue their studies. “Life can be like Summertime” and it is good at YSU!
