“The first months of this 175th year have been ones of excitement, achievement, and accomplishment, but we continue to stride forward, building even further on this momentum.”
Happy milestone year, Austin College!
We are halfway through the 175th year of this historic institution. There is so much happening on campus, it is impossible to capture it all in one letter. We have, however, tried in this edition of Austin College Magazine to give you a glimpse of the energy and excitement felt all across ‘RooNation as we remember our history and heritage, celebrate the present, and anticipate all of the opportunities the future holds.
The theme of this issue and for the celebration of this milestone year is Explore. Belong. Make a Difference. These few words sum up the ongoing experiences of Austin College students and alumni. We are proud to introduce you to some of them in the pages that follow. They are exploring new ideas and fields of study. They are finding places of connection and belonging on campus and with the larger Austin College community. Finally, as I often say, “At Austin College, we transform students, so they can transform the world;” they are making a difference.
Everything you will read about within these covers, whether it is about academic programs to explore, teams or places where students find belonging, or the many ways students, faculty, and alumni make a difference (through their work or their writing), exemplifies our theme for this milestone moment.
The first months of this 175th year have been ones of excitement, achievement, and accomplishment, but we continue to stride forward, building even further on this momentum. Perhaps, in another 175 years, historians will look back on this time and say that this was a moment of renaissance for Austin College. This was a moment when Austin College was bold, we dug in, and we took some chances. It is my hope they will say we were confident, we were wise in our approach, and we were right.
For now, we will continue to Explore, Belong, and Make a Difference! Thank you to all of ’RooNation for your support.
Enjoy this year’s magazine.
Best,
STEVEN P. O’DAY, J.D., L.H.D.
President
Austin College