It’s so hard for me to believe that my first semester at Vista is coming to a close – and what a semester it’s been! Thank you to each and every one of you who have made me and every one of our students feel welcome, supported, and successful on this beautiful campus. I hope your semester has been successful and that you are looking forward to the next few weeks for rest, renewal, and time with loved ones. I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family and friends – and I have so many fun stories to share about all that is happening at Vista!
When we return in January, we will gather for a Spring Convocation to officially launch our new strategic plan. The next few years for us will be consequential as we offer our first baccalaureate degree, move through the process of our decennial affirmation of accreditation, and develop a master academic and workforce program plan. All of that work will be structured around the strategies outlined in our plan and we are excited to share it with you. Convocation will be held on Thursday, January 11 in the morning and more details will be shared in the next few days. Of course, we’ll have breakfast!
For two minutes on April 8, 2024, our college will be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse. We are gearing up to host a big community event where our friends, neighbors, and all the people who have reserved every single hotel room in San Antonio for that day will join us to see this amazing spectacle. I want to share this with you now as we will not be able to hold classes on campus that day and if you are teaching on Mondays, you’ll want to plan a virtual activity for your students that day. When I was a faculty member, I always planned my spring schedule before I left for the winter break so I could really not worry about work… so I’m sharing now in case you are a planner like me. For those of you not in the classroom, this is just fun information for now. We’ll have a lot more to share as we get closer to this incredible event.
As you wrap up this semester, please do so knowing that you are deeply appreciated and that you make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and our colleagues. We will have another big group of students ready to go in the spring and know that you’ll be here, ready and willing to help them transform their hopes into reality. I am grateful to join you in that journey and look forward to seeing you all in 2024!
