As we approach the holidays where we express thanks and appreciation, I'd like to take a moment to share with you some of the things that I’m particularly thankful for here in the College of Education at Penn State.
The college includes faculty, staff and students who work hard and in many ways to improve the field of education. We work together remarkably well given how different our perspectives and roles can be. We also hold ourselves to high standards and find ways to overcome the impediments we sometimes encounter. We achieve a remarkably successful balance between our commitments to research and our responsibilities for developing and delivering first class educational experiences for our students, including our students in online environments. We genuinely care for each other and take seriously our responsibilities as members of a community to hold each other up during difficult times. I am very thankful for all of these features of our lives together.
We are in a period where we are seeing a significant number of retirements. These are bittersweet moments as longstanding and highly regarded faculty and staff members move on to new activities. It is hard to let go, and I am very thankful for what these individuals have done to build strong programs and to put the college on the map as a major center for educational scholarship. But these departures also provide opportunities for us to recruit new members of the college with their ideas, energy, and talents.
Within the past few months, we welcomed nine new tenure-line faculty members, 27 new fixed-term faculty members, and five new staff members to the college. I am thankful for the extensive training and expertise these new members of our community are bringing to all parts of the college. With the addition of this talent to our ranks, we will continue to be leaders in the ever-changing field of education.
You can read more about our new tenure-line faculty members at http://issuu.com/pennstateeducation/docs/2015_new_faculty and learn about what some of our existing faculty members have been doing at http://ed.psu.edu/news. In addition, our development and communications staffs are entirely new, and we also welcomed new staff in the dean's office and in all four of our departments. These new colleagues have brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise with them, and I am thankful to have them join us.
I am also thankful for the emphasis we as a community place on collaborations and partnerships. We take pride in creating teams that include colleagues inside the college as well as those in other parts of the University. Our collaborative efforts also include other universities, government agencies and community groups at local, regional, national and global levels. Some of these partnerships are highlighted in this year's theme report, which you can read at http://issuu.com/pennstateeducation/docs/2015_theme_report.
I am particularly thankful for our high-achieving and highly dedicated students, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We have among our ranks 37 Schreyer Honors Scholars; 30 varsity-level student-athletes; 15 members of the Penn State Blue Band; and countless students involved in co-curricular activities within our college, including the Education Student Council and Education Ambassadors, and within the larger University, including THON. Academically, our students are presenting at national conferences, and our graduates continue to be highly sought-after by school districts throughout Pennsylvania and beyond, as well as by major universities and research centers throughout the world.
I am thankful, too, for our alumni and friends, who support us in so many ways. Our graduates go on to do great things, and their reputation for quality continues to pave the way for future graduates to be sought-after by employers. They also are generous and provide much needed financial support for our programs and initiatives, as well as for student scholarships.
I encourage you to reflect on the things you are thankful for as well. I hope you enjoy relaxing and fulfilling holidays surrounded by family and friends, and that you return to Penn State refreshed and ready to tackle the challenges of the new year with its many opportunities. For those of you who will be traveling, please travel safely.