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May 2024
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students in the Klingler College of Arts & Sciences,
Greetings in this season of celebration! Congratulations to all of you for completing
the academic year and especially to those who are graduating. I am thankful for your
dedication and for all of the faculty and staff who have challenged, guided and supported
you along the way. This month marks my fourth anniversary as Dean. I’ve experienced
Arts & Sciences at Marquette along the same time arc as an undergraduate student’s
four-year plan of study. What an adventure! The highlights have been many and memorable—particularly
as I have seen you excel in research and scholarship, teaching and learning, and collective
efforts to help our communities thrive.
While reflecting upon these highlights, I was drawn to a passage from Pope Francis’
The Joy of the Gospel: “An authentic faith—which is never comfortable or completely personal—always involves
a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow
better than we found it.” The words in this passage that hold my attention are “comfortable”
and “personal”: when we are authentically pursuing our mission, we take risks and
step beyond ourselves. This teaching by Pope Francis could become an encouragement
for our new graduates and indeed for all of us: how will we transcend familiar self-interest
to pursue our deepest calling, personally and collectively? These insights remind
me of our college at its best. Time and again, I have witnessed examples of A&S faculty,
staff and students going beyond the narrow strictures of what is required, to make
a transformational difference in others’ lives, driven by the desire to care for one
another and to make the world better.
We are called to ensure that our choices and actions conform to our priorities and
values. You may recall the hymn “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” No
matter your faith tradition, and indeed no matter whether or not you identify with
a particular faith tradition, an observer should be able to tell by your words and
deeds what you believe and what matters to you.
Our Marquette community abounds in excellence. There was ample evidence of such excellence
in teaching this month at the annual Père Marquette Dinner, where honors included the Robert and Mary Gettel Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence
to Dr. Allison Abbott of the Department of Biological Sciences. Congratulations to
Dr. Abbott and to all of the winners! This month we also celebrated the life and legacy
of the late Dr. Todd Hernández through a launch party for a fund established in his honor to support community engagement and high-impact learning
opportunities for students of Spanish at Marquette. Inspired by the example of these
outstanding colleagues, let’s all remember those who have made a difference in our
lives. Let their example inspire us to do likewise for others. Students and graduates,
let your life reflect what you have learned during your time at Marquette, showing
why and how “the difference is in the and.” Please follow the college on LinkedIn and stay in touch!
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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