After 10 years with UCI, I am retiring. Most of you reading this blog have heard me ‘preach the gospel’ of disaster preparedness: Have a kit, Make a plan, Get involved. But please indulge me as I take a few sentences to offer bit of personal reflection.
Emergency Management is a team sport and I want you to know how much I appreciate so many of you for being on the team. You have contributed to the robustness of our plans and the resilience of our campus community. We’ve come a long way together and yet the journey has just begun. Zone Crew, CSAR, the H1N1 season, EOC training, Chancellor’s cabinet meetings, DOC development, Wellness Fairs, myriad outreach efforts… the list is endless. When I started, I was told that UCI was ‘the hole in the doughnut’ of Irvine and we didn’t have much to do with our neighbors. Today, our ‘town and gown’ relations are strong and we continue to integrate more fully with all of our County partners. I’m proud of so many things that we’ve done together. There are few assignments with the breadth and depth of the Emergency Services Manager. It’s no wonder that the motto of Emergency Services is “Semper Gumby” – Always Flexible.
Here at the University we do important work day in and day out. We are a land grant university, charged with educating the next generation of leaders of the State of California and, ultimately, the country and the world. As staff members, it falls to us to set the stage and create the environment to allow students to learn, professors to teach and researchers to innovate, explore and discover. Do not underestimate the essential services you provide day in and day out. We do important work here.
When I was in Grad School, we had to develop a personal mission statement. At its essence, my mission statement is to help people get better at what they do. My goal is to help you improve, to get one step higher. If, through our interactions, I’ve been able to get you better at what you do, especially as it relates to emergency preparedness or emergency management, than I’ve been a success. And yet, I feel it’s now time for new energy. Someone with new ideas and new ways to innovate. I know you will continue to support the incoming Emergency Services Manager with the same eagerness and energy we’ve shared over the years.
There’s a saying that goes: “lead, follow, or get out of the way.” I’ve lead, I’ve followed, and now it’s time to get out of the way. Thank you again for your kindness and support. These years at UCI have been a great experience for me. I couldn’t have done it without the strong support and endless contributions of so many folks, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Warmly,
Linda M. Bogue
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