Thank you for welcoming me this past month. I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many people from NTID and RIT; external partners such as Rochester School for the Deaf, Deaf Women of Rochester; Little Theater, Rochester Red Wings, and more. We are fortunate to have such a vibrant community in which to live and work.

I am embracing listening and learning from everyone as we work together to support the success of our students. I am almost finished reading “A Shining Beacon: Fifty Years of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf,” and it has been fascinating to learn more about NTID’s history. We owe a debt to the faculty, staff, students, and administrators who came before us and helped shape NTID.

As a professor for the past 25 years, I will miss teaching a class for a full semester. So, please do invite me as a guest speaker in your classes and labs. I would love to engage with the students and faculty in this way.

As we enter a new academic year, we must maintain a positive outlook in the face of challenges. We must choose hope over fear and continue to build bridges through authentic connections. Together, we will guide NTID into the future.