Ann Hartman Luban is an alumna of The Wexner Graduate Fellowship (class IV) and The Wexner Heritage Program (Pro-99). Ann is a Program Specialist in Community Services at Jewish Child and Family Services in Chicago and the Director of Recruitment for the Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies at Spertus. She can be reached at annluban@sbcglobal.net.
We all have those things that we think about but that just never rise to the top of the to-do list; the things that we wish someone else would do because they are good ideas but not our top priority. Between our jobs, our home lives and the various roles we play in the community-at-large, we all have so many things on our plates that it seems that we don’t have time for just one more. With everyone else feeling the same pressures, those good ideas that aren’t priorities often don’t rise to the top of anyone’s to-do list and don’t ever get done.
It has been years since Chicago alumni of the Graduate Fellowship have gathered together, and many of those who gathered last have moved on to other communities. Over the years several of us have expressed interest in meeting, but done nothing to make it happen. Late one night a few months ago I finally took two minutes to send an email to the alumni in the Chicago area suggesting that we meet (quite literally as none of us knew all the others). Enthusiastic response came immediately and our lunch earlier this month was a huge success. Ten out of eleven of us ranging from class I to class 20 met (and ate) for nearly two hours discussing a wide-variety of topics, including preliminary ideas on where this may lead. One email was all it took to energize the group to action. If you take two minutes now, what one email can you send to start a ball rolling?
