Dean's Messages Archive

As the spring semester draws to a close, we mark the conclusion of another academic year. For many people, the official conclusion is signified by the commencement ceremonies held in honor of our graduating students. While commencement will not look like it did pre-pandemic, we are grateful for the opportunity to recognize our College of Arts and Architecture graduates in person at Beaver Stadium on May 8, as part of a joint commencement ceremony with the Eberly College of Science, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and the College of Nursing (livestream will be available here).

As was the case for other colleges and universities, at Penn State the past year-and-a-half was defined by an extremely challenging collective shift from in-residence instruction to online, hybrid, and modified in-residence teaching modalities. We essentially had to reconfigure the merry-go-round while we were riding on it. In addition, the heightened visibility and injustice of racism compounded by divisive political rhetoric have added layers of unease, fear, and frustration. While the University may have adopted the idea of resilience as a goal—or at the very least a mantra—survival and endurance are terms I believe best reflect the daily existence of many of us.

Over the past year, we have reflected more than ever on how what we do in our college—the creative collaborations, the studio instruction and discussions, and a host of events and experiences—will inform critical conversations in the present and influence future generations. Among our many roles in the college is the responsibility to make spaces for such opportunities and conversations to empower our students to make future possibilities possible.

In the here and now, we revised and finalized our five-year strategic plan as part of the University-wide strategic planning process, Our Commitment to Impact. We staged virtual performances over Zoom, both live and streamed, and hosted workshops, symposia, town halls, and awards ceremonies. Many people and programs in the college have been recognized with awards for excellence. We have mourned the loss of friends and alumni of the college. We have sent well wishes to colleagues who have decided to move on, and have recognized others as their long careers have come to a close, with retirement plans shaping the next steps on life’s journey. These changes in turn have welcomed new members to our college community, ready to become part of this amazingly complex, innovative, and inspirational academic unit.

Of course we have also recognized our students throughout the year as they have met and exceeded our expectations, as they always seem to do. Our roles as artists, educators, scholars, designers, and cultural change agents demand we widen the views and perspectives of the students who move through our programs, readers who consider our scholarship, and visitors who experience our performances and view our productions and creations.

A highlight for me over the past year has been my conversations with numerous alumni—some captured in our “Movers, Shakers, Designers, Makers” series. For a twist, School of Visual Arts alumnus Brian Kappel and his daughter, current photography student Emma Kappel, interviewed me for the latest installment—check it out here.

Each of our alumni has had different Penn State experiences, yet they have all remained connected to the University and the college in some way, whether through vivid memories, mentoring, networking, or volunteering, to name a few. Thank you all for the many ways you have remained connected to Arts and Architecture. Best wishes for a safe and healthy summer.