Note from the Dean

Crisp autumn temperatures promise a profusion of campus activity that complements the work unfolding in our instructional spaces. After a month filled with events welcoming parents, trustees, and alumni to Lexington, November turns our attention toward internal campus communities.

The weeks before Thanksgiving abound with lectures, talks, interviews, conferences, performances, sporting events, and symposia headlined by invited speakers, visiting artists, and our own faculty, staff, and students. Check out the University Calendar (here), Campus Notices, and departmental announcements to stay abreast of all the activity. The sheer density of programming has campus reverberating with the smart ideas and creative vitality that embodies our educational dynamism. Here's to being rejuvenated by attending a lecture related to your research or rooted in a completely unfamiliar field; energized by our talented students performing on a stage, field, or court; and inspired by stimulating concepts emerging from panel discussions, keynotes, and workshops.

Of course, these events do not materialize out of thin air. A great deal of time, effort, and passion goes into planning and administering all that unfolds on our campus, and more often than not, the only compensation organizers desire is a good audience! Remind your students to take advantage of the rich range of opportunities offered whether this means supporting peers, attending faculty presentations, or becoming acquainted with visiting thought leaders. If you can give students an extra nudge by connecting programs to course material or providing a frame for interpreting events, all the better.

We have much to be grateful for at W&L, and I hope you revel in the intellectual and artistic feast our community is serving up this month.