July is summer at its best. July claims fame to significant historic events from our country’s independence and signing of the Civil Rights Act to the first man walking on the moon and Louis Pasteur testing an anti-rabies vaccine. Closer to my Rennebohm home, July marks completion of my first year as dean. July is also the beginning of a new fiscal year.

The sense of beginning renews my optimism for what is ahead. There’s a familiar saying, “challenges are opportunities in disguise.” This maxim rings true as I reflect on the past year. There’s been no shortage of challenges—curriculum changes to align with reaccreditation; Pharm.D. program changes including class size expansion, a tuition increase request, and rolling admission process; increase of new pharmacy schools in the region; reduced research funding; faculty and staff recruitment and retention—to perhaps none larger than the impact of our State budget process.

These challenges have served as a catalyst for the School to reflect, do better, do more, and continue to identify new opportunities that we will champion for our students, the campus, the State, and the profession. I’m thrilled to embrace new opportunities related to a new Medicinal Chemistry Center, strategic plans for each of our divisions resulting in an updated School-wide plan, donor generosity by way of a new professorship, and continued support of our students through scholarships—whether via participation in the recently unveiled Nicholas Family scholarship matching program or the annual Pharmacy Alumni Association golf event.

We are leaders in the field. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, colleagues, peers, and our competition all count on us to remain nimble, confident, and steadfast as we chart our new course—just as those before me have for the past 133 years.

On, Wisconsin!