The Elm Student Newspaper
Duquette’s Depart for Future Terrain
Volume 80, Issue 25
May 1, 2009
By Colleen Duffy
Elm Staff Writer
Director of the Lifetime Fitness Center Mike Duquette and his wife, Tessa Duquette, campus events coordinator, will be leaving the Washington College faculty after this semester to start a family in Norfolk, VA.
“Leaving is definitely bittersweet, but after the growth I’ve experienced at Washington College, I am ready to move on and start a new life,” said Duquette.
After receiving a job at Norfolk Academy, (a private institution in Norfolk, VA) Mike and Tessa decided that it would be best to move back to Mike’s hometown of Norfolk, VA.
“After walking around Norfolk Academy, I decided that it would be the perfect place for raising a family,” said Tessa.
Mike will be working at Norfolk as fitness coordinator, algebra teacher, and coach of boys and girls’ varsity tennis.
President Tipson said, “Mike has done a wonderful job at the LFC. Power Hour has become kind of legendary. I did that for a while until my creaky joints just couldn’t take it any more. Everything that Mike did, he did with class.”
Tessa, however, has no plans for her career as of yet. “Ill definitely teach Zumba somewhere,” said Tessa.
President Tipson said, “Tessa has been a loyal, second in command at the Events Office. I work with Tessa and pass her five to ten times a day, and she’s just always active and energetic and optimistic.”
She does have some interviews lined up and is thankful for the skills she has learned while working at Washington College.
During their time here, Mike and Tessa contributed a vast amount of effort not only to the school but also to the student body.
As well as being the director of the Lifetime Fitness program, Mike teaches the infamous Power Hour workout session. Mike also works as a mentor to a lot of the students.
“He is like a mentor, kids come and talk to him about life and fitness all the time,” said Tessa of her husband.
Tessa, originally from Vermont, works as the Campus Events Coordinator and also teaches the popular Zumba dance class.
“What’s more important than what she’s doing at the Zumba classes is that she has a program that she developed and is her own, and that’s something I see as being above and beyond her job,” said Tessa’s boss Laura Wilson.
The College is still searching for replacements for Mike and Tessa, but should have people lined up by early June.
“It’s probably going to be a young and energetic individual because that’s what the position needs, but as of now we don’t really know anything about who is going to take over,” said Mike.
“My boss wants me to train whoever takes over my job, and I’ve already started to leave detailed notes on what to do, but I’m not really included in the process. I did encourage some of my Zumba students to get certified to teach it, but it’s up to the school on whether or not they are allowed to do that,” said Tessa.
When Tessa came to work at Washington College four years ago, she was a little concerned about how living in Chestertown would affect her dating life.
Luckily, she met Mike and things slowly started to change.
“My boss would make up reasons, like getting tennis balls to decorate for an event, just so I would have to see Mike,” said Tessa.
Tessa even started working out to get his attention!
“The funny thing is, I actually did start to pay attention,” said Mike.
After being best friends for about a year and a half, Tessa and Mike finally made the transformation from friendship to dating.
“When I met Tessa it was a piece of the puzzle that really allowed things to come together. Washington College helped me discover who I am professionally and personally, and when I met Tessa it really laid the foundation down for the rest of my life,” said Mike.
Tessa and Mike are extremely fond of Chestertown, and are really going to miss the “small town easy living” as they call it.
“I’m going to miss the people, my colleagues, my wonderful boss, how close everyone and everything is, and I’m really going to miss Chestertown,” said Tessa.
Mike is going to miss the little things, “like riding my bike to school or having a positive conversation with a student and really being able to see the positive effect it had on them.”
Their departure is definitely bittersweet, as Tessa’s boss and friend Laura Wilson agrees. “Tessa is enthusiastic and energetic, and has just been a real pleasure to be around.”