As I approach my one-year mark of being back at HMI, I have marked a number of “firsts” in my new role: first moonlight cross-country ski, first board meeting on campus, first time on telemark skis in twelve years… The year has been full of firsts, as well as first-time-in-awhile reacquaintances. One thing that is deeply familiar to me is the incredible community at HMI, anchored by the adults who live and work here.
The theme of this newsletter is “celebrating our faculty & staff,” something I could not be more excited to do! Working at HMI is a labor of love. We employ a talented and dedicated staff, with depth and breadth of professional experience, a multitude of graduate degrees, years of experience in the backcountry, and a diverse range of skills, perspectives, and lived experiences. To say nothing of the Leadville Trail 100 race finishes, Grand Traverses, musical performances, publications, and other “extracurricular” accomplishments.
If you’ve attended, visited, or worked at HMI you know this to be true: we employ some of the most hard-working, brilliant, passionate folks around. I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about our faculty and staff, current and past, in the pages ahead.
Sincerely,
Sam Critchlow
Head of School
“Supporting our People” is a key strategic priority for HMI. Since our last strategic plan, we have made significant strides in this area, taking steps to boost employee retention and contentment. What follows are a few of the steps we’ve taken to better support our faculty and staff:
Sabbatical benefits
- All full-time employees now qualify for a one-month paid sabbatical after seven years of employment and a four-month paid sabbatical after ten years of employment. Two HMI employees are currently enjoying well-deserved sabbaticals as I write this!
On-campus housing
- With the completion of the three new townhouses this summer, 60% of our employees will live on campus, with those off-campus receiving a stipend in lieu of housing. Our on-campus residences are high-quality and energy-efficient (the same can’t be said about much of the Leadville housing stock!) On-campus housing has allowed us to build a vibrant residential community on our campus while also boosting employee compensation.
- In Fall 2021, the HMI Apprentice Program switched from a tuition model to a paid internship one. Beyond the improved equity in our community, this shift prompted a spike in Apprentice Program demand (over 90 applications for 14 spots in some years!), and has allowed us to attract diverse, highly-skilled apprentice cohorts.
Parental leave
- As of this year, HMI employees can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to provide care for themselves, a new child, partner, or other family member. HMI has welcomed two employee newborns in the past three semesters, with one more on the way this fall!
“Welcome & Culture” committee
- When I take my ice scraper out of my car for the season? (Answer: never.) Can I go cross-country skiing in the middle of the day? (Answer: yes!) New employees naturally have many questions about HMI’s culture and expectations. Our new “Welcome & Culture” committee helps to make the transition to Leadville and HMI easier, and provides a sense of belonging from an employee’s first days.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2024 HMI Newsletter.