This will probably mean more to me than to you (but then isn't blogging often so? -- one of these days I may need to get me one of those t shirts that reads "More people have read this shirt than read your blog")...

At the end of a long, at times weird, but interesting day (the fact that they all are makes it worth coming to work in the morning) I had the pleasure of spending a collective hour or so with several of the faculty leaders in our college.  This, on top of other such interactions scattered throughout the day.  I would be quite ineffective in this job without being able to access the knowledge and insight of the faculty leaders in this college, and to count on their willingness to spend their time offering their knowledge and insight.  I have always known this of course, but it really was striking for some reason today...What a godsend.

Part of what made this so striking today, I think, was that I also had the good fortune to spend more than the usual amount of time with both veterinary students and graduate students...tomorrows leaders.  Knowledgeable, caring, engaging, insightful...

What a day!

Well it happened again...

Late August, which seems so far away in early May when we graduate a class, always sneaks up on me.  Every year I think I have plenty of time to enjoy a summer and get ready for fall.  And, every year it goes so fast.  You would think someone people trusted to be their dean would eventually learn not to be surprised at how fast it goes.

The good thing, though, is that this is such a great time of year.  As I write, 98 enthusiastic members of the Class of 2013 are circulating outside in the hallways and around Bustad 145 with the energy and excitement that only the start of a new adventure can generate.  This evening, we begin the Cougar Orientation and Leadership Experience (COLE), which carries on through mid-day Thursday.  This is a fantastic launching pad for these students, and a good way for the dean to get to know the incoming kids.

And...hopefully there'll be some down time to get that Embryogenesis lecture ready for 10:00 next Monday. 

Yesterday, May 10, we held our college's commencement ceremony for the 97 most recent veterinarians graduated from WSU and sent out into our profession.

Although I have not missed a commencement in 17 years, this was my first as dean and so it was special to me.  The way the ceremony unfolded also reaffirmed to me how important it is that we hold our own, separate commencement.  This allows us to focus on each special class without having what is so special about our context buried in the graduation of 800 other students by participating in one of the three general Pullman graduations held the day before.  Don't get me wrong, those graduations are special in their own right.

But, the community sense that studying together as a cohort for four years, and the closeness that faculty and students develop in our educational context really call for a special, separate ceremony.  How else could we see the slide show where each graduate gets to present to the rest of us in one slide what is special to them about the past 4 years?  Or hear Dr. Bryan's fabulous commencement address.  Or have our own commencement program booklet graced by three of Gudrun's paintings.  Or, in a rare occurrence, enjoy a musical performance by Josh and Todd, who have regaled their class with such performances over the past four years -- sort of the Weird Al Yankovics of the class of 2009; this time it was I Am a Vet (imagine this sung to Neil Diamond's I Am I Said, and with words like "debt" that rhyme so well with "vet").  Perhaps someday they'll let me share their lyrics with you.

Commencement is such a special occasion, and a serious one -- but as is the case in our daily work lives, even serious work and events can be treated as such, and with respect, while adding in some fun.  Balance...

So, with the mix of anticipation, hope, pride, and regret at seeing them leave us that all parents feel, we now send another 97 of our above average children out into the world as our newest colleagues, and we had great fun in celebrating this milestone achievement with them.

As a College of Veterinary Medicine, our contributions to education tend to be viewed through the lenses of the professional DVM program and our graduate programs.

As proud as I am of those programs, I must also say that I am proud of the involvement of our college's faculty, staff, and students in the lives of undergraduate students at WSU.  This ranges from our leadership of the undergraduate major in Neuroscience to our mentoring or research experiences for undergraduates who are studying in many life science majors across WSU.

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