This semester we started welcoming our students back to campus.  I have been so impressed with how students have returned with such enthusiasm.  It is a joy to move through campus and see clusters of students gathering, sipping coffee, greeting each other, and making new connections.  Vibrancy is palpable as you walk through the walkways.  Booths are erected, balloons sculptures billow in the breeze, music of all genres fill the air.  SJSU has come back carefully and cautiously, but it has come back strong.

The College of Health and Human Sciences at San Jose State University developed a new mission statement and four strategic pillars a year ago.  Our mission is to advance health and well-being for all, through preparing effective practitioners, developing transformative leaders, as well as generating and translating impactful knowledge.  The new strategic pillars include:  1) Promoting health equity and social justice; 2) Building capacity for interprofessional and collaborative practice and research; 3) Generating and applying health technology and innovation; and 4) Building community capacity and wellness through community engagement and partnerships.

We are taking time in each of our newsletters to share with you updates on our college’s innovation and progress on each of the strategic pillars.  This newsletter will focus on our second pillar “Building capacity for interprofessional and collaborative practice and research”.  Our many excellent faculty and staff are working hard every day to advance health equity through their interdisciplinary work and collaborations.  I invite you into the stories presented in this issue of Collaborating for Connections. Despite all the exciting work being highlighted here, it is important to remember that this is a mere sampling of the impactful research, innovative teaching, and life-changing community work being done.  I welcome you to reach out if you wish to learn more about anything presented here.