What do you buy for the beloved department chair who has everything? Nothing. You just wrap everything he already owns.
When Paul Thurston, Ph.D., department chair and professor of management, returned to his office following winter break, he found the door to Colbeth Hall office covered in gift wrap. That was a bit of a surprise, but it was nothing like the shock he experienced when he opened the door.
"I was speechless ... in a good way. I think I sat in my desk chair with my mouth wide open for several minutes, before writing an email to my Management Department colleagues and accusing them of having way too much free time on their hands. I really did appreciate their effort. We have a great team, and I'm happy they were able to enjoy themselves and create this wonderful surprise. This was obviously a labor of love."
Jessica Salmon, Ph.D., associate professor of management and Natasha Adams, teaching professor of management, were the ring leaders (Laura Paul, Ph.D., teaching assistant professor of management and Adam Pfleegor, Ph.D., associate professor of management were also involved). They described the prank in a way only management professionals would:
"Like department chairs before him, Paul has invested time, energy, emotional labor, and professional mentorship to help tailor our skill sets to be impactful teachers for the unique Siena student learning experience. This is reflective of a behind-the-scenes departmental norm, as is camaraderie, fun, and a sense of community which Paul has continued to actively support.
The input stage included so, so, so many rolls of wrapping paper that we lost track but estimated it to be about 120-140 linear feet of wrapping paper and four rolls of tape. During the conversion stage, we maximized our skills and labor sources over 10 total person-hours with six people. The final output stage was signaled through the completed service of wrapping Paul's office, reflective of our deep appreciation for all he does, holiday merriment, and the establishment of a new departmental tradition."
The gift wrap bandits give this advice for anyone inspired by this holiday mischief.
- A minimum of six people and some good seasonal tunes required
- Be sure to document the process
- "Breaking and entering, okay on Christmas!" - Olaf, from Olaf's Frozen Adventure
- Leave a note in a reallllllllly obvious location stating that this was a labor of love
