2021 has seen something of a return to normalcy. This past fall, it was so refreshing to see groups of students on campus again and more faculty in the hallways, even if everyone was masked. The masks started to disappear after the mandate was removed mid-October, and although concerns remain about the effect of the omicron variant, we are hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our students and faculty members have continued to do outstanding work through it all.

 

We also have much to celebrate this year. Dr. Sheppard was named the inaugural Christensen fellow, the first faculty fellowship in the humanities and social sciences at S&T, funded by a very generous donation from department alumnus Cordell Smith. Our new digital humanities center, the Collaboratory, is open for business with a gallery space named for Dr. DeWitt! She provided a generous donation to help our students get the most of the new space. Dr. McManus and I both published new books this year. And Dr. Gragg continues to be in high demand throughout the celebration of the campus’s 150th anniversary, and he was the featured speaker at the December commencement!

 

We have had many other things to celebrate this year as well. Our faculty members continue to win teaching awards at rates that far exceed the campus average. For 2020-21, Dr. DeWitt, Dr. McManus, Dr. Schramm, and Prof. Ketcherside all won Outstanding Teaching Awards. Dr. Sheppard and Dr. DeWitt also recently learned that they have won Faculty Service Awards.

 

This will likely be my last letter as interim chair, for the provost recently announced that we will finally be doing a search for a dean of the college, which means that we will probably soon be getting Dr. Fogg back as chair! She has been serving tirelessly in the important but mostly thankless job as interim associate dean for the last three years. For me, it has been a privilege to serve this department and its outstanding faculty, staff, and students. And I am so grateful for the generous support for the department by our alumni.