On the move and back to school, it's a privilege to be here again

Greetings, and a warm welcome as we start another academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
      I hope you had an excellent summer and found time to enjoy all that our community, region and state have to offer. We live in a beautiful state, and the diversity of the four seasons is part of what makes Wisconsin special.
      This is such an exciting time of year for our entire campus community – students, parents, faculty, staff and community friends. It’s a time of anticipation, renewal and possibility.
      For me, it’s also a time of privilege. It’s a privilege, and a high honor, to be appointed to lead this institution. It’s a privilege to serve UW-Green Bay, the UW System, the New North region and the state of Wisconsin.
      The past week provided me with opportunities to share the excitement of our students and families as they arrived on campus. I already knew about freshman Move-In Day, one of our great campus traditions. I heard about the way the campus community comes together to help our new freshmen move into and get settled in our residence halls.
      But the day takes on a new meaning when you’ve been part of it. You see and feel the excitement of students – many of them the first members of their families to attend college – as they move into their new homes. You sense the enormous pride of moms and dads as their sons and daughters prepare to enter a new phase of their young lives.
      That pride in these exceptional young people is something we all share. And with good reason. They are bright and resourceful, and they work hard. They understand that involvement in activities outside the classroom is an important part of their educational experience.
      Like Move-In Day, our annual Faculty and Staff Convocation reminded me of why I’m so fortunate to serve in the Chancellor’s Office. I heartily agree with Prof. Cliff Abbott, our Secretary of the Faculty and Academic Staff, who noted that Convocation is about renewal and recognition.
      We were able to recognize faculty and staff achievement with the Founders Awards for Excellence. The deserving award winners set a standard of excellence we all can appreciate and celebrate. And with all due respect to each winner, I must say that I was especially honored to be in the presence of 98-year-old Maria Hinton, an Oneida Tribal Elder (and UW-Green Bay’s oldest graduate), who has worked diligently with Prof. Abbott to preserve the Oneida language. It’s difficult to imagine a better example of “connecting learning to life.”
      I also had the privilege of announcing at Convocation that UW-Green Bay will receive its largest scholarship gift ever, a $1 million gift from the estate of the late Craig Mueller. Craig also bequeathed $10,000 for scholarships for students who have participated in the Phuture Phoenix Program.