It was so much fun seeing alumni and friends at the return of in-person St. Pat’s celebrations on campus, and I hope those of you who were able to participate had a wonderful time. The energy and enthusiasm of students and alumni alike were amazing, and we were all thrilled to be able to enjoy face-to-face events this year, instead of relying so heavily on remote access as we’ve done before.
As I pack away my green sweatshirts for the season and look back over the past year, I want to thank all the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Rolla community members for their help and support as we celebrated Missouri S&T’s 150th anniversary. This year-long celebration, which recently came to a close, was a great success and a fine testament to this university’s rich history. CASB faculty participated in many ways, including hosting talks on St. Pat’s history and Missouri’s famous generals; creating a cantata and plays; and sharing tips on how to teach STEM at the elementary school level.
I’d also like to point out the work our college’s Dean’s Leadership Council has done to support new CASB students and highlight resources available to help them succeed. Ted Kelly, Econ’77, recently sent a letter directly to all first-year CASB students letting them know the council members are available to help answer questions they may have about their academic and career paths, and to provide networking opportunities and mentorship for current students. If you would like to connect with DLC members, please send an email to casb@mst.edu.
Finally, as I shared in my last letter, next semester the department of economics and the department of business and information technology will transition to the new Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development along with the department of engineering management and systems engineering. With this change, our college’s name will also change. When you next hear from me, it will be when we have become the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, or CASE for short. I admit that I’ve become accustomed to the acronym “CASB,” but I’m excited for our new identity as “CASE” and for the chance to bring increased visibility to our growing department of teacher education and certification. The college’s name will change officially on July 1.
As always, I hope you will not hesitate to reach out to me if there’s anything that I or my colleagues in the CASB office can do to help. Best wishes for a safe and healthy springtime!
