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August 2023
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students in the Klingler College of Arts & Sciences,
Welcome to a new academic year! For those just joining the community, welcome to Marquette!
When I came to Marquette three years ago, it was thanks to the three P’s: Purpose,
People and Place. I was drawn to the ways in which Marquette lives out its Catholic,
Jesuit mission. I connected with the people here and wanted to work with them every
day. And I was drawn to the city of Milwaukee and all of the ways in which our university
interacts with the broader community.
The College of Arts & Sciences continues to thrive across Purpose, People and Place.
We are building upon strong momentum and moving forward to achieve our goals. First
among these is student success, ensuring that every Marquette student develops along
multiple dimensions and graduates empowered to pursue a flourishing life. Closely
related is the goal of excellence in research. Our incredible faculty and staff support
students and the broader community, often involving undergraduates in research. It’s
crucial to help students find their academic home here and to ensure that all of us
experience a sense of belonging. We need to tell Marquette’s story well and powerfully,
illustrating our commitment to Purpose, People and Place.
Underpinning the three P’s is a topic that has preoccupied me lately: our understanding
of self and world. How do we define the purpose of human life? We know, for instance,
that there is more to life than garnering the most “likes” on social media. As educators,
we need to ensure that our teaching and mentoring—indeed, all of our work with students
and others—fosters a deeper understanding of who we are and how we ought to live.
As Dr. Yohuru Williams suggested in his Martin Luther King, Jr. lecture at Marquette
this past spring, we should ask questions like: “Who am I? Whose am I? Who am I called
to be?”
These questions are urgent today in a world that seems increasingly fragmented, noisier
and filled with distractions. Reverence and contemplation can seem elusive. And yet
we must pursue them. Consider a beautiful passage by Trappist monk Thomas Merton.
After visiting a busy downtown and wondering at the beauty of each person there, he
wrote: “There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining
like the sun.” Have you ever really looked around in a group of people you don’t know—perhaps
on the first day of class, or at an event—and tried to see each person as the beloved
child of God they are? How would your perspectives on self and world change if you
did?
To all students, let me emphasize that faculty and staff want to help you shine in
your studies, your work and your life! This is just another way in which, for the
College of Arts & Sciences, the difference is in the and.
There are many programs and upcoming events specially designed to support students.
We are planning the return of our Arts & Sciences Bash on September 15, featuring a DJ and a variety of games (with prizes that include
A&S branded gear) providing an opportunity for students to connect, relax and have
fun. I hope to see you there! Returning students, consider applying to our Student Ambassadors Program or registering for the one-credit ARSC 4952 Arts & Sciences Influentials course that I’m teaching this Fall.
As always, please feel free to contact me with questions, concerns or suggestions. I appreciate hearing from you and exploring
ways we can all work together for the common good.
Dr. Heidi Bostic
Dean, Klingler College of Arts and Sciences
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