Update from the Dean- Oct. 2018

October 1, 2018

October is upon us, and the perfect time to “fall in love” with Liberal Arts. Take a minute to stroll around the South Wing construction – bricks are being laid as the exterior of the building gets finished off in a style to complement our original structure. In spite of wet weather, the project remains on schedule and is shaping up to be an impressive set of spaces to enhance the Liberal Arts experience both in and out of the classroom.

We do boast a wonderful array of student and faculty-generated activities this month, from lectures to roundtables and from CJ Day to Mass Comm Week! Please take a few minutes to check in on those two featured programs, with updates on faculty and student undertakings and recognitions that make the whole College look good. I look forward to taking part in their big events and hope you will take part and encourage your students to do the same.

I do want to especially invite you to join me at some special presentations: First, at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 5th in 206 Old North, please come meet our College Alumna of Distinction, Alyssa Green; she founded our local Dress for Success non-profit that makes an important difference in and around OKC. Her dedication to the local community serves as a wonderful example of our alumni presence in the region; the vast majority of our graduates do remain here and add their talents to the vibrancy of the Metro.

Then, on October 8th, the College will host both a noon-time book signing and our annual Sherman Chaddlesone Lecture. Both promise to engage us with authors whose work enriches and enlightens. Fiction, theater, and poetry resonate in meaningful ways and we are proud to invite an author to campus (at noon) and to celebrate one of our own (at six).

Finally, I want to extend a special thank you to those who were able to attend the Hour for an Hour event at the Boathouse. It provided a remarkable opportunity to meet several of our recent Finney Scholars, connect with alumni and friends of the College, and take a moment to understand how $216.05 can change the life of a student. We are nearly half-way to our goal of 100 credit hours and it’s not too late to contribute; please visit https://www.centralconnection.org/hourforanhour — the Foundation has made it much easier to make your gift! If you have questions, please feel free to be in touch with our still-new Development Manager, Karisa Rollins, at krollins3@uco.edu.

With my best for Fall break and beyond,

Cathy Webster