Summer 2005 |
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Letter from the Dean
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Several years ago I was reading Built to Last, a book about successful companies and their visionary leaders. Among the profiled leaders was Donald Petersen, who returned Ford Motor Company to profitability after a period of decline. He did so by focusing on the company’s core values: people, product, and profit—in that order. I knew Don was a UW engineering alumnus and a tireless volunteer, co-chairing the University’s first capital campaign. As a recently appointed dean, I decided to contact him for guidance on leading a large and complex organization— the College of Arts and Sciences. That meeting proved fortuitous for me personally and more broadly for the College and the University. Within a year, Don had agreed to chair the College’s Advisory Board. Don has chaired the Board since 1999, helping the College clarify its mission and refine its core values. He has been a totally committed volunteer, fearless about taking on challenges and inspiring to those around him—especially me. Don has challenged us to do things differently. He has emboldened us. In 2004, he received the Gates Volunteer Service Award from the University, an honor he richly deserved. In September, Don will step down as chair of the College Board, but he has generously agreed to continue as co-chair of the College’s current campaign and as an active board member as chair emeritus. I cannot thank him enough for all that he has done for the College and for all that he continues to do. As the academic year comes to a close, I would also like to celebrate the successes of our exceptional students. And there is much to celebrate! In June, the College honored four graduating seniors, one from each of its four divisions, with the Dean’s Medal. As in past years, the pool of candidates worthy of such recognition was overwhelming. The students selected for the Dean’s Medal have impressive grades, of course, but they also demonstrate a passion for learning. They enroll in the most challenging courses, take advantage of research and internship opportunities, and tutor their peers. They have exceeded our high expectations in every regard, and I salute them. Arts and Sciences students have been recognized nationally as well. This year they have received a bevy of prestigious national honors, including Goldwater, Truman, Udall, Gates Cambridge, and Churchill Scholarships, and a Jacob Javits Fellowship. Then there are our academic teams. For the fourth consecutive year, an undergraduate team from our Department of Mathematics took top honors in the highly competitive Mathematical Contest in Modeling, outpacing such math powerhouses as MIT, Harvard, and the University of California at Berkeley. And an ethics team from our Department of Philosophy won first place in the National Ethics Bowl, a competition limited to 35 invited teams brought together to present and defend their positions on some very thorny ethical issues. Students do not participate in such competitions for a better grade, although the skills they learn and practice make them better students. They participate because it is a challenge and it is fun—as an education should be. And that, I believe, is something worth celebrating. Sincerely, David Hodge [Summer 2005 - Table of Contents]
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