Dear Faculty,

Thank you to our faculty and staff who participated in Commencement this past weekend. It was a busy two days but a tremendous reminder of the fruits of our labor, and it is always a joy to see our graduates complete another step in their life’s journey.

Our Commencement speaker, Erik Weihenmayer, provided an inspiring address—one all of us can relate to as we ponder our roles as educators, scholars, and leaders. Erik challenged us to question whether we should remain comfortable as “campers,” staying in safe and well-known territory, or whether we should push ourselves to be “climbers” and live a “no barriers” life. Erik urged our graduates to use the alchemy of optimism and determination, and to expect and, in fact, own the inevitable adversity we all encounter as we strive to make change and to grow. If you missed his address, I urge you to view it on the commencement website. It can be found about 2 hours into the ceremony.

I hope the information below is useful to you. 

• The implementation of our new learning management system, Brightspace, has begun. A transition team comprised of faculty, staff, and student representatives will be convened and a project core team has been established. Early next fall, you will be invited to getting-started workshops, you’ll have access to a “sandbox” to test drive Brightspace, and consultations will be available to address your questions. Stay up to date on the transition and sign up to be an early adopter.
• Please save the date for the Sixth Annual Campus-wide Faculty Event scheduled for August 22, 2022. Additional information will be provided throughout the summer.
• Summer is a great time to sharpen core skills for your professional and academic success. Check out the NCFDD Core Curriculum, a ten-part series of live webinars also available through recordings. You must activate your free membership to access the curriculum.

Another busy semester has ended, and I want you to know how grateful I am for your efforts. It is true that it was again a year where much of our attention was diverted to discussions and decisions about masking, vaccinations, and boosters, but it was also a year of significant progress. I want to acknowledge that progress and thank you for your contributions to the University’s advance. Thank you for engaging, for asking hard questions, for having faith in science, data, and our students. Thank you for your continued creativity, dedication, and hard work in the face of the continuing-but-we-hope-almost-over pandemic. And most of all, thank you for being there for each other and for our students.

Before you begin to prepare for classes in the fall, I hope you will find some time to refresh and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. Take some time for walks, bike rides or boating around Lake Champlain; do some hiking along our beautiful mountains or just “hang out” with family and friends. You might drive up to Lake Willoughby in the beautiful Northeast Kingdom, or if sweets are a favorite, maple creamies and apple pie at Allenholm Farm are popular summer traditions as are the free concerts at the Snowfarm Vineyard in South Hero on Thursday nights. Visits to Shelburne Farms, the Shelburne Museum, the Echo Center and a Lake Monsters game are also special treats for our grandchildren, nieces and nephews who come across the country just to be in Vermont for the summer.

There are so many beautiful places in Vermont. We are fortunate to have an ideal vacation spot in our own backyard. So, enjoy this special place in which we live. Take good care of yourself, stay healthy, and when we regroup, be ready to “climb mountains” as we reach for greater student success, new discoveries, and deeper engagement with our community!

Warmly,
Patty