From the Dean | November 2021
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Dear Arts and Science community, The Thanksgiving holiday offers a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends. It also offers a chance for reflection on the many things we should be thankful for. While the past 20 months have been beyond challenging on so many fronts, we have also witnessed moments of caring, perseverance, bravery, and selflessness. I have written previously about the dedication of our faculty, the resilience of our students, and the commitment of our staff, all which allowed us to continue pursuing our three-part mission of teaching, research, and service during this global pandemic. A&S parents near and far supported their children so they could succeed during this challenging time. Alumni stepped up in ways large and small to ensure that A&S continued to move forward, when many other universities were struggling. Our community came together, worked countless hours, looked out for each other, and helped those in need. Looking beyond our own bricks and mortar, I also feel deep gratitude for educators everywhere. School teachers nationwide faced unprecedented hurdles over the last year and a half as they innovated to ensure that our children continued to learn. Some taught remotely, some in-person, and some hybrid, the format often changing week-to-week. They had to figure out how to virtually engage students, from kindergarteners to high school seniors, while also managing their own physical and mental health. Teachers also frequently played the unexpected role of counselor, as they helped their students navigate anxiety, stress, and isolation. Impressive, to say the least. Health care workers had no break, no opportunity to adjust their work schedules, and no option to work from home. They risked their own well-being every day to keep us healthy and safe and treat those who were ill. Health professionals of all stripes were taxed in a way they had never been before, supporting so many who were affected by this deadly pandemic. Their actions are nothing short of heroic. Finally, I am thankful for scientists and science. The investment by universities in basic and translational sciences made it possible to develop highly effective vaccines that saved lives and allowed our communities to start functioning normally again. The researchers who spent nights and weekends in the lab working to generate these vaccines were literally lifesavers. Science has allowed us to return to fully in-person learning this fall, connect with others in a way we so desperately missed, protect the most vulnerable among us, and continue to understand more about this evolving virus so that we can continue to fight it. Let me close by thanking each and every one of you. The truth of the matter is that we do have a lot to be thankful for. I hope that this holiday season brings you a chance to rest, reconnect with loved ones, reflect on the many challenges we have faced (and will continue to face), and appreciate all we have as we approach the new year.
My best,
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