Dear Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

As in previous years, I wish to share with you the well wishes from our Deans Team to you.

"On behalf of the Dean’s Office in the College of Arts and Sciences, I would like to wish the University community a great holiday season. Thank you for a collegial fall semester. May your winter break be peaceful. Wishing you health, safety, and happiness in the New Year to come!"
Dean Georita Frierson, College of Arts and Sciences

"As a University, we spend a great deal of time reflecting on research. Faculty work to increase the quality, quantity and impact of their scholarship, other colleagues spend time promoting our researchers and their findings, and still others in our community work to raise funds to support research efforts. Earlier this year, I came across a research study that revealed a fascinating phenomenon – people consistently underestimate the power of small, random acts of kindness.  This short article provides an inspiring message to take to heart as we celebrate the joy of the Christmas season. May your holiday be filled with unexpected acts of kindness – some that you perform and some that you receive!"
Dean Joyce Strawser, Stillman School of Business

"Thanks to each of you for your commitment, collaboration, dedication, engagement, support, and work contributions to our campus, colleges, and departments. With appreciation and celebration, on behalf of the College of Communication and the Arts, we wish our Seton Hall community a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Blessed New Year. May you experience joy in your upcoming celebrations and may the new year bring peace and well-being to you and your loved ones."
Interim Dean Renee Robinson, College of Communication and the Arts

"News stories constantly remind us of the importance of servant leaders, whether it be successes where their presence has made an instrumental difference, or crises where their absence has been a glaring omission. This is why the work of the Seton Hall community, no matter our role, is so vital.  Our mission is perfectly aligned with society’s most critical need, and I am privileged to cooperate with each of you in our collective enterprise. I hope you and your families have a wonderful and joyous holiday season."
Dean Courtney B. Smith, School of Diplomacy and International Relations

"Wishing you all the happiest of the holiday season! It is my hope that you can take some time to share love and laughter with family and friends. Enjoy good food, music and more importantly put down your laptops and mobile devices and simply live in the moment as these are the days to remember. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all!"
Interim Dean Joseph Martinelli, College of Education and Human Services

"Happy Holidays to the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ full-time and adjunct faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, clinical and community partners. I am personally appreciative of your continued support and steadfast commitment to SHMS and to the University. I wish you, our students, and the entire Seton Hall community, a safe holiday season filled with good health, a period of reflection, and a well-deserved rest. Best wishes for a wonderful 2023!"
Dean Brian B. Shulman, School of Health and Medical Sciences

"I have boundless regard and appreciation for the faculty, administration and staff who created a safe environment for us all, delivered to our students the outstanding educational experience they deserve, and attended to our students’ personal and professional growth. As important, we have taken care of each other, and will continue to do so. I wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year. May 2023 bring us good health – physically, spiritually, and emotionally."
Interim Dean John Kip Cornwell, School of Law

"In the words of Dickens’ Christmas Carol, 'But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round … as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely … as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.' A heartfelt thanks to all of the Library faculty, staff and administrators on our campuses for who made our work a joy -- as well as productive."
Dean John Buschman, University Libraries

"Once again as we prepare for Christmas, I am grateful to our administrators, faculty and staff for their continued dedication and hard work to provide our students with a value-based curriculum rooted in the university mission to care for and protect the public as competent healthcare providers. It is an honor and privilege to work with all of you. Hoping you are able to spend quality time with family, friends and loved ones. Take the time during this much needed break to reflect on all of your accomplishments from the past year and goals for the coming year. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with grace, love and peace."
Dean Marie Foley, College of Nursing

"'Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God' (Isaiah 40:1). The Jewish people, our older sisters and brothers, who celebrate Chanukah, believe in the love of our God promised by the prophet. Christians believe that this love has come in the person of Jesus. We believe that he came to this earth in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit and appeared on this earth at Christmas. He gave his life, even his last breath, for us, enabling us to say, 'God is love' (1 John 4:8,16).  He rose from the dead that we might have life to the full. May all of us know the love of God at this very special time, and may the leisure of these days enable us to contemplate that love and to grow in love of one another. May we grow in gratitude for God’s many gifts to us and particularly for the gifts we receive here at Seton Hall."
Rev. Msgr. Gerard H. McCarren, Interim Rector/Dean, Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology

"PEACE ON EARTH.
This is a gift that we can give to each other, as sisters and brothers, every day."
Rev. Forrest M. Pritchett, Ph.D., Senior Adviser to Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

"As we embark on this holiday season, on behalf of the Executive Committee and all the members of the Faculty Senate I’d like to thank all who have supported our work during the past year. Whether you served on a Senate committee, attended our meetings, or offered words of encouragement and appreciation, you helped to advance shared governance at the university. May this holiday season and the new year bring you and yours peace, happiness, and an abundance of things for which to be thankful. Happy New Year!"
Dr. Mary Balkun, Chair, Faculty Senate

Please accept my sincere gratitude to each of you for your determination and hard work this past semester and year. I pray each of you can find joy, relaxation, and contentment during this much-deserved break. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a very healthy 2023 to you and your families. Together, Hazard Zet Forward to 2023!

Sincerely,

Katia

Recognizing the strength of Seton Hall University's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Bryan Stevenson, American attorney, social justice activist, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author of Just Mercy, invited representatives of the University to participate in an Educational Leaders Workshop. On November 17 and 18, two Seton Hall representatives joined a gathering of educational leaders at the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. The Education Convening included a tour and study of the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, followed by participation in facilitated programming about teaching the history of racial injustice in America. Read more about the Workshop.

The Office of International Programs recently received a generous gift of $1 million from Bruce Tomason ’69, alumnus and former member of the Board of Trustees and Board of Regents. The Office of International Programs looks forward to continue growing Seton Hall's international presence - the gift will help support the development of more study abroad opportunities for students. You can learn more about Mr. Tomason’s Seton Hall roots and his passion for study abroad experiences in the full story here. We are so excited for this new era of study abroad at Seton Hall and the incredible support of Mr. Tomason. This past year has witnessed the biggest lead forward in study abroad operations since our university’s founding and there is much more to come!

The 27th Petersheim Academic Exposition, "Share, Honor, Unite" will take place this spring semester from Monday, April 24 – Friday, April 28, 2023. Throughout the five-day exposition, students and faculty from various disciplines will present their work and celebrate the community’s scholastic accomplishments. The Petersheim Academic Exposition planning committee encourages faculty members to support the exposition by incorporating presentations within course syllabi in the coming semester. Further information regarding the exposition and a call for participation will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, please feel free to direct any questions to the planning committee co-chairs, Dr. Sulie L. Chang at sulie.chang@shu.edu or Dr. Jose L. Lopez at jose.lopez1@shu.edu.

The Center for Vocation & Servant Leadership and the Center for Catholic Studies are sponsoring an upcoming conference: “Civilizational Prospects: Engaging Wicked Problems.”  Proposals are due by January 31st, 2022. Individual or co-authored papers or posters from faculty or graduate students are welcome, and interdisciplinary panel discussions are especially encouraged.  Conference will be held Tuesday, April 11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Bethany Hall.  More information about the Conference.

As the fall semester draws to a close, the University is welcoming a new cohort of graduate students for spring 2023 and beyond. Last evening, the Office of the Provost hosted its latest New Graduate Student Meet & Greet, a wine and cheese mixer held in the Jubilee Hall atrium. While overlooking the University green, attendees and guests were afforded the opportunity to engage with Deans, Chairs, Program and Graduate Directors, and members of the Office of Graduate Affairs, as well as current students and alumni. In addition, all in attendance were serenaded with beautifully performed holiday classics by students from the University choir.

We appreciate the efforts of so many faculty members, administrators, and staff members whose dedication and expertise were the reason for the success of the program, and whose outreach throughout the year is more necessary than ever to bolster our graduate recruitment efforts.

Follow the CFD blog to find out about upcoming events and initiatives. We also welcome your suggestions for workshops, speakers, and other events.

Winter Writing Retreat 2023
9 a.m. - 3 p.m. each day
Beck Rooms and Teams
Registration through the Events Calendar is required:

Please indicate if you will be attending in person or virtually each day.

TLTC’s Spring Workshops for Faculty
The Teaching, Learning and Technology Center has released its spring faculty workshop schedule. From optimizing Blackboard to best practices for engaging Gen Z in the classroom, these workshops cover a wide variety of topics designed to support the use of technology and explore strategies for infusing technology into the curriculum.  Participants can attend the sessions in Space154, located in Walsh Library, or virtually on Teams.  January workshops include:

View all upcoming faculty workshops.