Celebrating 2012 Accomplishments
On Friday, December 7th we held the School of Liberal Art’s annual faculty recognition party. Since its inception, over the last five years, we have celebrated nearly 150 outstanding accomplishments: books that have changed the way scholars look at their field; creative activities that have touched our minds as well as our souls; edited texts that have brought together the best in a discipline; translations that have made great works accessible to others. In many cases, these publications and artistic productions represent years of work. Scholars have spent countless hours in research, analysis, and writing; artists have labored long in their studios. Thus, while our party was all too brief, it did allow us to acknowledge the extraordinary time and effort that led to these amazing accomplishments.
In addition, the occasion provided the opportunity to thank all those who have in some way contributed to our faculty members’ successes. While artistic and scholarly pursuits frequently seem like solitary acts, they are often built on the support and insights of many. We stand on the shoulders of our mentors, we benefit from the comments and insights of our peers; we rely on our staff members for invaluable assistance; we learn as much from students as we teach. And certainly, we all know that none of this remarkable work could have been done without the understanding, encouragement, and patience of devoted family members. As such, the faculty recognition party allowed us not only to celebrate the work of individual scholars and artists, but also to honor the remarkable community that constitutes the School of Liberal Arts.
Finally, as it always does, our annual party marked the conclusion of another successful fall semester. As it comes to an end, I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to returning to campus at the start of 2013.