Dean's Message

In spite of Bill Gates' comment that “Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off…,” the academic world still adheres to a calendar that provides some special benefits. The end of the academic year and the start of the summer sessions are marked by ceremonies, awards, and opportunities to recognize accomplishments of students and faculty and to take personal stock of our aspirations. Of course, commencement stands out as a transformational event for those we were fortunate to educate, and their families who entrusted us with that mission. We congratulate the 851 students who received undergraduate and graduate degrees at the May event.

The opportunity to attend various departmental scholarship award ceremonies at the end of the semester reaffirms my view that we have extraordinary students and faculty. In addition to scholarships provided by individual departments, the college is pleased to have been able to increase the amount of scholarship support from college endowments. With the generous award just received from the Helen Jones Foundation, we will be able to significantly enhance the recruitment of outstanding students.

Our faculty and students routinely receive a continuous stream of awards during the academic year, but the end of the spring semester is the traditional time for recognizing outstanding achievements in teaching and research. We are proud of this year's Arts & Sciences faculty so recognized and featured in this issue.

We also saw a record number of Arts & Sciences inductees into the Texas Tech University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Congratulations to these outstanding students. We are certain they will have careers and achievements that will make us proud.

During the summer, faculty and students are engaged in a number of research and study-abroad experiences. Archeological research in Belize, and total French culture and language immersion in Reims were two faculty-led adventures available this summer. Other faculty had opportunities to represent Texas Tech overseas, with lectures and workshops in Scotland and Spain.

Of course, summer is also a time of preparation for the start of the new academic year. Red Raider Orientation hints at the prospects of growth and rejuvenation of all that we do.

We'll be in touch again soon to let you know how things are going in Arts & Sciences.