Summer in Champaign-Urbana, particularly on the Illinois campus, has a different pace than the fall and spring semesters. However, as many in education know, summer is not necessarily a three-month vacation—which is certainly the case in our building this summer, along with many spaces on campus, where transformation is taking place.
Here, we are all hard at work planning for the year ahead. Students may not be filling the hallways, but those in the College are making steady progress on long-term initiatives, new research projects and papers, and major milestone events that launch during the upcoming academic year.
Positive change and transformation do not happen purely by accident. Rather, moving the needle in the right direction is more often the result of clear purpose, defined goals, passion, and dedication. Thank you to everyone in the College of Education for your hard work during the 2018-2019 academic year toward making positive change happen.
Looking ahead to the fall, the College has three events happening that celebrate our reputation as a leader in innovation and recognize transformation. Save the dates for our Celebrating Innovation events, happening September 26–27, 2019. The 15th Annual Goldstick Family Lecture in the Study of Communications Disorders begins the festivities on Thursday, September 26, featuring former Illinois vice provost and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dr. Ruth Watkins as the keynote lecturer. Watkins now serves as president of the University of Utah.
Then on September 27, the much-anticipated O’Leary Learning Center Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening event happens at the Education Building. We look forward to showcasing this new collaborative and technology-focused space to alumni and donors, campus administration and partners, and more.
Finally, this year the Bureau of Educational Research celebrates 100 Years of Education and Social History, and we’ll give special recognition to this unique part of the College and hear from thought leaders on the direction of future leading-edge research and advances happening within the Bureau.
Again, I want to express my gratitude to everyone in the College of Education for your daily commitment to driving inquiry, leading research, creating opportunities and access, bridging differences, shaping policy, preparing leaders, and supporting communities to transform lives through education. May you have a rejuvenating and rewarding remainder of summer.
Yours in Orange and Blue,
James D. Anderson, Ed.M. ’69, Ph.D. ‘73
Dean and Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor of Education
