The Zach Family (L-R) Caitlin ’09, Bridget ’11,
Patty ’80, Maureen and Steve ’80

Parents’ Corner
Steve ’80 and Patty Zach ’80

When we took our oldest daughter to St. Norbert two years ago to start her freshman year, we experienced mixed feelings—amazement at how quickly her first 18 years went by, sadness that she was leaving us, and excitement as she embarked on the next phase of her life.

As St. Norbert alums (1980), we were comforted by the fact that we knew she was going to a community of learning, faith and love. We experienced that in our tenure on campus and her first two years have proven no different.

Despite our familiarity with the campus, we still were anxious as we left her that first day. Cell phones and e-mail now allow us to ease those anxieties significantly because we can instantly access her. It would have been easy to check up on her constantly, but we made a conscious effort to let her be the one to initiate communications. She needed time to develop her routine, when to study, how to do laundry, and when to talk with mom and dad. When the calls came, it was important for us to listen and not control.

Our second daughter embarks on the same journey to St. Norbert this fall. Notwithstanding our increasing familiarity with the College community, we have the same feelings of excitement and anxiousness. We know she, and we, will go through a period of adjustment. And we know the St. Norbert community will gradually become her second home, much as it was for her sister and us, but in her own, unique way.