Dear Southwestern University Community,
Welcome everyone to our 184th year!
On
Move-in Day, I watched as emotional families moved their students into our residence halls and hugged them goodbye. Our Pirate football team has been training with Coach Kriesel for over two weeks, our residence assistants are well prepared to work with all students, and our dedicated faculty are looking forward to teaching. The campus is clean and ready for the year, thanks to our facilities and custodial staff, and offices are open. The parking lots are filling.
These familiar rituals and traditions are well in place, and there’s comfort in seeing them. I attended the Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace on Sunday and was heartened by the audience of faculty, students, and staff, and the multiple faith providers who spoke. A message that was impactful was how unity can celebrate diversity, in particular diversity of opinion, yet be united in advocating for a peaceful world. This is a moment to reflect deeply on the learning environment we share, the core values that define us, and the challenges we will face together.
Yet this year will bring its own chapter, and I expect there will be much that will test us as a community. In conversations I have had over the summer with faculty, staff, and university presidents, there has been a shared sense of nervousness and uncertainty about what the coming months might bring.
Southwestern University is dedicated to pluralism, diversity, and meaningful dialogue. Our commitment to academic freedom means faculty will explore and discuss complex and controversial topics with their students. As we navigate the complexities of the 2024 Presidential election and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, it is essential to approach debates with curiosity and a willingness to listen.
In line with the
Kalven Committee’s reflections on the role of the university, we recognize that our institution plays a unique and crucial role in fostering the development of social and political values within society. We cultivate an environment where a multitude of voices can express themselves freely. Their report says: "Let 1,000 arguments bloom; the university is the garden, not the gardener." This philosophy emphasizes our commitment to institutional neutrality, ensuring that our campus remains a place where the full freedom of dissent can thrive without the University itself adopting a collective position that might inhibit this freedom.
New Initiatives and Programs
To support our commitment to open dialogue and respectful discourse, we are introducing several new programs and initiatives this year:
- Courageous Conversations: Starting in September, these conversations will offer a dedicated space for students, faculty, and staff to engage in meaningful dialogue on important and often challenging topics. These facilitated discussions are designed to foster personal and community growth through open and respectful exchange of ideas.
- Kirk Walker Constructive Discourse Lecture Series: This series will feature speakers who will equip our community with the tools and knowledge needed to engage in meaningful conversations on complex issues. Dr. Peniel Joseph kicked off this series last week, and Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli will join us in October.
A special thank you to Dean of the Faculty Sergio Costola for his work over the summer. He compiled classroom readings, curated lists and resources, and helped source a comprehensive list of
all discourse and open dialogue programming available here. Additionally, he is actively gathering new programming ideas from the community.
Welcoming New Team Members
I am pleased to welcome several new members to our Southwestern community:
- Steve Kitchen, Interim Associate Vice President for Facilities Management, started his role on June 30. He comes to Southwestern with 35 years of experience in facilities management.
- Maria Macik, Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, began her role on July 1. Maria has extensive experience in faculty development, curricular renewal at the program level, and programmatic evaluation and assessment.
- Manda Witebort, Director of Public Engagement, also joined us in July. Manda is a brilliant collaborator and facilitator with extensive experience in community-engaged teaching and learning, local partnerships, faculty-student work, curricular development, and assessment.
- Casey Duncan, Director of Director of the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center joined us on July 8. Prior to SU, Casey served as associate dean for legal services at the Bounds Law Library at The University of Alabama School of Law, and has held prior library positions at the University of Wyoming College of Law and The University of Texas School of Law.
- Joe Barragan, Chief of Police, will begin his role on September 3. He brings a wealth of experience in campus safety.
- Gerald Jones, Associate Vice President for Student Life, will join us on October 1. He brings over 20 years of experience leading student life and will help enhance the student experience on campus.
I also welcome all the new staff and faculty who joined us over the summer. For a complete list of new hires, please visit the link provided
here.
Academic Affairs
Our partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital was a highlight of the summer. Thirteen students participated in the Summer Research Internship Initiative (SURI) and interdisciplinary internships, gaining valuable hands-on experience. Additionally, Professor of Communications Bob Bednar led a one-week experiential learning component as part of a summer class in "Organizational Communications," further enriching our students' academic experience.
We are excited to announce a new grant from the Cullen Trust for Higher Education that will bring together Southwestern University and two Georgetown ISD schools, Annie Purl Elementary and Mitchell Middle School. This partnership aims to provide Southwestern students with paid community-engaged learning opportunities while supporting elementary and middle school students who are struggling academically. Through this program, Southwestern student mentors will work closely with underserved and diverse students to improve their skills in reading, writing, and other subjects. This partnership not only enhances the educational experience for these younger students but also offers our own students a valuable, high-impact learning opportunity.
Our students also shined abroad this summer, studying in over 16 countries, including South Korea, Belize, and Greece. Eleven students participated in a
study abroad experience in Paris, France, coinciding with the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. This unique opportunity allowed them to explore the intersection of sport, physiology, and culture on a global stage.
Enrollment Services
Despite the challenges posed by the FAFSA fiasco, our Enrollment Services team secured an incoming class of 379 first-year students and 55 transfer students. They were recently recognized with the
2024 Leading Colleges Award for Recruitment, honoring their ethical, fair, and transparent recruitment practices.
Equity, Accountability, and Inclusive Excellence
As part of our
2021–2026 Tactical Plan, our new Vice President for Equity, Accountability, and Inclusive Excellence, Dr. David Ortiz, will join us in September. His office will be located on the second floor of the Cullen Building, which will also be the new home to staff from the offices of Spiritual Life, the JEDI Center, and Title IX. We are excited about the positive impact David will have across campus.
Marketing and Communications
Over the past year, our Office of Marketing and Communications has achieved success in earned media, gaining regional and nationwide coverage in 43 states and 11 countries. Recently, Southwestern University was featured in
USA Today for our partnership with Houston Methodist.
This summer, the team also launched a brand new
Parent & Families Webpage to help our students' families stay connected with Southwestern. Additionally, they will soon launch a new Campus Notices system to keep our campus informed of daily activities.
Student Life
Student Life started the year with over 180 students participating in Pirate Adventures. These adventures included more than 19 activities, such as trips to a waterpark, the Waco Zoo, a pickleball tournament, a Taco Tasting Tour, and other exciting outings, providing incoming students with friend groups and adventure. Thank you to everyone who participated.
A new partnership between Student Life and Athletics has resulted in
Grub & Gameday, an initiative aimed at bringing the campus community together. Grub & Gameday will bring brunch to athletic events throughout the semester, replacing the usual dining at the Commons on those days.
Stay tuned to the
Southwestern calendar and download the
Southwestern app to learn about other exciting events happening in Student Life this year, from kayaking with Campus Recreation to Friday Night Live with Student Activities, there is always something enjoyable happening on campus.
University Relations
This academic year will mark the successful conclusion of our
Thrive: Campaign for Southwestern with $148 million of our $150 million goal already secured. Thanks to generous philanthropic support, a variety of initiatives have been funded, including endowed chairs and research funds for our faculty, scholarships that have opened doors for students, high-impact learning experiences, and significant capital enhancements.
Finance & Administration
This summer has been a period of significant progress on campus, with several important construction projects underway:
- Mood-Bridwell Renovation: We saw significant construction on Mood-Bridwell, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work, insulation, drywall, and the framing of the annex. The project remains on track for Spring 2025 completion.
- Residence Halls & Welcome Center: We’ve officially broken ground on the new Residence Halls and Welcome Center, with site preparation and initial construction activities well underway. The project is on track for completion by Fall 2025, with students expected to move in for the Spring 2026 semester. These new residence halls will support our transition to a three-year residency requirement, set to take effect in Fall 2026.
- Campus Store: The Campus Store has a new home in a beautifully remodeled space on the first floor of the McCombs Campus Center. This new space offers all the academic resources you need and showcases a wide range of stylish Southwestern University merchandise.
- Chilled Water Loop: Phase 1 of the Chilled Water Loop was completed over the summer. These updates will help to improve the consistency of heating and cooling in our campus buildings, though we will continue to monitor and adjust as necessary to ensure optimal performance.
- Library Upgrades: We have enhanced and repaired the windows on the Cody Memorial side of the library to protect our Distinctive Collections. Additionally, we made cosmetic updates to the 2nd and 3rd floors of Cody Memorial and added new graphics to the Distinctive Collection windows. Also, the newly completed Professor John Score II Learning Commons now serves as a vibrant hub for academic support and collaboration. I strongly encourage students to take advantage of this innovative space for their studies, group work, and tutoring.
- You can stay up to date and see progress updates on all construction projects on the Construction Projects webpage.
This summer, we also added a set of Amazon Lockers to campus. When purchasing items from Amazon, students, faculty, and staff will now have the option to have their packages delivered to Amazon Lockers located in front of the Robertson Center.
Pirate Dining had an exceptional summer, earning a Silver Award in the Renovation of the Year category from the prestigious Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. This recognition adds to their
growing list of accomplishments. Through its unique blend of high-quality meal options, dedicated staff, and top-notch facilities, Pirate Dining continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing the student experience.
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, auxiliary revenue is becoming an increasingly important component of revenue for institutions of higher education. Thanks to the success of our new Conference Sales team, our campus hosts a variety of camps, events, and film crews throughout the year. We’ve also embarked on strategic partnerships to thoughtfully develop our land holdings, which will bring substantial benefits to our community. A new restaurant is set to open in 2025 on land that will be leased—reflecting our commitment to preserving our assets while generating income. This model will be applied to the development of the acreage adjacent to campus, where we plan to introduce a range of amenities, including housing, restaurants, retail, offices, a music venue, and a 70-acre Eco Gateway, all designed to align with our
land value statement. This development will enhance the quality of life on campus, offering both current and future faculty, staff, and students an environment that meets their living, academic, social, and recreational needs. At this time, we anticipate that the first building on the 560-acre development will be completed by 2027.
I am excited to return to the classroom this year, teaching a First-Year Seminar. Thank you for your dedication to making Southwestern University known for its academic excellence. I look forward to seeing you on campus.
Sincerely,
