Have a wonderful and fulfilling fall semester!

This academic year, the Lee Honors College welcomes more than 400 freshman students. The Fall Welcome in the last week of August allowed LHC staff members, mentors, and I the chance to show freshman students our beautiful premises and interact with each other under a tent in the surroundings of the Dinosaur Park, behind the LHC building. The 90-91 degree temperatures did not detract a bit from the festive time and the enjoyment of becoming acquainted with one another. One could sense the enthusiasm of the newcomers, mingled with a combination of excitement/anxiety for what lay ahead--a mix of emotions we all have experienced when embarking on a new adventure. But the optimism and elation of entering upon a new journey supersedes any disquieting feeling. Fall Welcome provided a chance to learn more about programs and resources and a great way to meet fellow Broncos. Laughter, chatter, and animation filled the air, while the fiberglass dinosaurs watched us all with amusement. (By the way, I learned that the dino population will be growing soon. Stay tuned!)

While waiting in the lounge for the freshmen's arrival that evening, one of our international students, who also serves as Peer Student Success Team (PSST) mentor, asked me a question, and I hope my answer will reassure our new students that they made the right decision in choosing WMU for their college education.

The student asked why I liked working at WMU. I love working at Western because the growth one experiences on campus is a constant, in all directions—whether at the institutional, professional, or personal level. I have been at this institution since 1994, when you were only a twinkle in your parents’ eyes. During these 27 years, the campus has changed a lot, and for the better. Old buildings have been replaced by modern designs and functions; the four entrances to campus have been given a distinctive WMU identity; landscaping has burgeoned all over campus, bringing beauty and grace to the walks. The major entrances make one feel connected with nature, and there is a sense of unity, balance, and proportion that put us in a good frame of mind, contributing to our psychological and physical well-being. (I have read that just looking at plants in all of their colors and varieties reduces blood pressure and prompts a sense of happiness.) The walk provides good exercise, too. Not a lot of people have the chance to spend their days in such an uplifting environment.

At the human level, professional growth at WMU is happening at all times. Of course, students grow in big leaps every semester, but faculty and staff members do too, as each year they take on new assignments, enroll in classes to obtain an advanced degree or for the pure joy of learning, participate in workshops to hone their skills, switch to other departments to pursue new careers, engage in service to the university, and much more. We grow intellectually along with our students year after year. How lucky we are to be able to expand our intellect and skills in an environment devoted to enhancing the mind and soul. 

WMU is a place where everybody, from incoming freshmen to the president, is involved in creating positive change for our campus community and beyond. That is only one of the reasons I love working here. Students, I hope that you, too, will enjoy this place and prosper during your four years at Western. I encourage you to engage in the many extracurricular activities the Lee Honors College offers so you can feel part of our community. The Mix It Up programming, which takes place every Thursday at 7 p.m. in our lounge, offers a fun and stimulating fall events calendar: scholarship night, movie night, pumpkin carving, stress relief activities, mental health care, a talk on procrastination, an honors thesis panel, and more. I hope to see you there.

Have a wonderful and fulfilling fall semester!

Dean Lopez