Colleagues,

As we all rush to finish up our exams (reminding us it IS better to give than to receive) and wrap up our semester, I want to take a moment amid the hustle – admixed with the bustle of the holidays in general – and wish you all a safe, peaceful, and restful holiday break.

Whether you celebrate Christmas (Merry Christmas!) or one of our world’s other great faith traditions, or whether this is simply a time for a bit of respite, I hope you enjoy time with the people and traditions that matter to you.

Before we know it, we’ll be gathering for our annual MLK March on January 15, an event that seems to take on special significance this year with the rise in race- and identity-based hate speech that has troubled us throughout 2017.  I hope you’ll join us as we send a strong signal that this community is no place for hate and that we will always stand together so that none of us stands alone.

I, for one, am hoping 2018 brings a renewed focus on what we can do for each other and what we can do together.  I believe that a place dedicated to unlocking the potential of the next generation and advancing knowledge to leave this world better than we found it can, in fact, be a part of making such a change in focus and making such a difference.  I hope that you are as proud to be a part of this community as I am to work alongside each of you.

A warm congratulations to our Fall 2017 graduates, thanks to all of you, and happy New Year (just a bit early)!

Sincerely,

-tony

Dr. Tony Frank
President