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Show THE FORUM - SEPTEMBER 7 4, 2013 faces iK J if market- 'ifice in the School of :hmitt, as- f-a-kind. wall, every with ob- lities of her I part of ile fice is her beverage Her book- - wall of with hun- da, energy water and tire around have con- - ction, she its, trustees members, minify and hat Panos her ig the way reflects 'become a ion. :an in par- - hats espe- s heart be- -' rs brought primage to ere you are illy impor- i your life nbled. Its that kind of thought- fill giving that has encouraged Panos Schmitt to continue ex- panding her collection, Sometimes I have no idea whos given me certain things because they just leave it in my mailbox without even a little note, she said. That really puts it into perspective for me. Im very appreciative of every-o- f one. Panos Schmitt started her collection over 30 years ago as a way to provide visual examples for her international marketing class. But over time, her collec-i- m tion has become much more than a teaching aid. Im really an introvert, said. she So I love to collect un- usual objects to engage conver--f sation. Her collection is not limited to bottles and cans. Her office is home to many relics, includ-abo- ut ing two of the first Macintosh computers ever released, an ip assortment of historical old-ust minster photos and an fashioned copy machine, Panos Schmitts collection West-ownersh- is certainly extensive, but that doesnt stop her from choosing her favorite pieces: photos of her husband and son, and her Green Bay Packers cheesehead hat. People are so engaged with the collection, I have to leave it to somebody, she said., The office has become sort of bigger than life. Assistant Professor of psychology, Jen Simonds, has been teaching at Westminster for eight years. She has been in her current office, located on the fourth floor of Foster Hall, since the summer of 2009. Simonds said her previous office was much smaller and was windowless located in the basement of Foster. There are two things she loves about her office: the first is her picture window. She enjoys the amount of light that she gets through her winfourth floor, west-facidow. She said the view rivals any other in the state, which allows her to enjoy sunsets, weather patterns and an ng Sociology professor Mark Rubinfeld has been teaching at Westminster since 2003. Dur- ing his 10 years on campus, his offices have had a recurring theme: theyve all been painted bright blue. About four or five years ago faculty were given the option to have the school paint their office, Mark said. I had no idea from the little sample tile I was shown just how blue it would turn out to be; It was much too much blue. After a while, Rubinfeld got used to the color. But a few years later, he moved to a new office. I was looking forward to having normal white walls again, he said. Only to find out afterward, that my new office was the same blue color as my old office. While the blue color is not necessarily Rubinfelds first choice, his students have come to appreciate the distinct quality of his office, even fondly nicknaming it as The Blue Room. Some students told me white was boring and institutional, he said. They mostly like the bright blue. But theres more to Marks office than the color. One of his favorite things is the layout. His office, located on the southeast corner of the third floor of Foster Hall, has two large windows that look out over campus. I worked a long time in my life to reach a point where I could get a corner office, he said. If my mother was still alive, shed be awfully proud. Having a corner office also allows Rubinfeld a certain amount of solitude that he finds peaceful. When I go to restaurants I always want the back booth in the corner, he said. Marks office is also home to his own personal library. His bookshelf takes up the entirety of one wall and floor-to-ceili- ng boasts a collection of books from a wide variety of topics. One shelf is full of books for his sociology of love class. Another holds his social theory book collection. But his favorite shelf is home to an unexpected combination: The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin, a copy of the Holy Bible and a collection of poems by Walt ever-changi- ng canvas landscape of the Salt Lake valley. Some sunsets are spec- tacular from the view in the office, she said. Although it usually means I am here too late. Another reason she enjoys spending time in her office is the amount of room she has. With her space, she is able to fit many different pieces of furniture, which makes the area homelike and comfortable. Among the traditional furnishings, like an desk, two floor to ceiling bookshelves and some filing cabinets, there is also a sleeper sofa she says she can use if her nights get too late or she has to stay overnight due to a typical Wasatch storm. There is also enough room for a small table offset dining room-sty- le by a pantry and a beverage station which she opens up for faculty and student meetings. Simonds said her office is like a social hub. When the appropriate time comes, she has the capability to host office parties. She said her office only missing one thing. If this office had a bathroom, it could be a studio apartment in New York that could rent for a couple thousand dollars a month. She said that the layout of the space is set up for comfort and functionality. Things can get a little messy, but I always know where everything is. The walls do not have any type of decoration. She said it allows people to be welcomed into the space without seeing posters or decorations. She said, I find the blank space relaxing. But after seeing changes in Kristjane Nordmeyers officer, she said she has Kristjane envy and is looking to change her office around. In the future she hopes to get a more modem desk installed color will be added to the walls which, as she says, will enhance the atmosphere. Whitman. I probably did that purposely, he said. Marks future plans for his office include the repainting of at least one wall to a more neutral color as well as adding some more personal touches. He said hes been inspired by his colleague Kristjane Nordmeyers office and would either like to steal some of her ideas or plan a coup detat. We are sociologists, said. So revolution is nice. he Do you have a professor with a cool, fun or quirky office? Send us your nominations for the best office on campus by email to forumeditorwestminstercollege. edu, subject line"proffices." |