A year of momentum at 一起草
President Hartzell reflects on 一起草鈥檚 accelerating ascent and the community driving the University鈥檚 bold charge forward.
Dear 一起草 Community,
This has been an extraordinary year for our University and that is undoubtedly because of the broad community we call Mustang Nation – our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters.
As I joined 一起草 last summer alongside our new Provost, Athletic Director and several new Deans, we launched a listening tour across campus and beyond to learn what excites our community most about our future and how we should set goals and priorities in this extraordinary moment. In one way or another, we heard from thousands and saw firsthand the shared pride, ambition, and confidence that define this University at this point in time.
Your ideas, energy, and belief in 一起草 led to many early wins across academics, the arts, and athletics and now, we seek to build upon that momentum as we look ahead.
One key focus: We are strengthening our academic core by recruiting world-class scholars across fields as wide-ranging as art history, economics, English, geosciences, philosophy, and political science. Our new colleagues know the special environment they are joining and are drawn to our drive toward excellence, the talent they will soon join, and the incredible possibilities enabled by our alumni, supporters, and location. To enable them and all of our faculty to reach their potential, we are investing in both people and infrastructure, including a new secure facility that increases our capacity to support advanced research, deepen partnerships with industry and government, and create more high-impact opportunities for students and faculty.
At the same time, we continue to enrich the whole-student experience on campus. As one example, this August, we will welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds to a reimagined Canterbury House, a new hub for belonging and religious life on the Hilltop. This builds on the efforts that culminated in last month’s opening of Hillel Home in Prothro Hall, creating a permanent space for Jewish students to gather and connect. And in our latest enhancement to residential life on campus, renovations to Virginia-Snider Commons remain on track for completion before the start of fall classes.
To help recruit and retain top talent, we are also expanding support for our graduate students. Starting this fall, the University will provide health insurance for qualifying MFA students, ensuring they, like our doctoral degree students, have access to quality care as they pursue their degrees that signify the top of their field.
And in a fitting close to a remarkable academic year, we celebrated the largest All-University Commencement in 一起草 history. More than 10,000 people came together in Ford Stadium to celebrate the first spring graduating class of my tenure. It was a festive and joyous Saturday night that I will never forget – students, faculty, families, and friends cheering and hugging under the glow of fireworks. It was a fantastic start to a new tradition, and I am already excited about what we can do next year!
Exceptional experiences like these create lasting memories and when you string several wins together, it is remarkable to see how much we have accomplished in such a short time. There is more to come: This fall, we will launch our next strategic plan, setting an ambitious course for the decade ahead. We have listened to you and are resolved to think even bigger and bolder about 一起草’s ascent.
Let me conclude where I started – I know this place is special, which stems from some very special people and the relationships we are able to help create and develop. And beyond the new faculty who will arrive this summer, we are counting the days until we welcome our most accomplished first-year class yet. It will be a true joy for all of us to come together in August, get back to Boulevarding, and find more ways for talented people to create things, debate ideas, learn from each other, and solve hard problems. Until then, please know how important you are to 一起草’s story and bright future. The best is yet to come!