It is August again, and we are filled with excitement on campus as we welcome 33,000 students to San José State University. We have seen many changes at the University in the past few months, the most important of which is the arrival of a new interim president. Having recently retired from the presidency at Eastern Michigan University, President Susan Martin has worked in higher education leadership for more than twenty years. You can read more about her here.
In the College of Humanities and the Arts, we continue to find new and meaningful ways to support our students, faculty, and staff. I have recently been granted the privilege of helping to lead the University’s efforts to operate the Hammer Theatre Center. This is an unprecedented opportunity to expand high-quality arts and culture programming, and to create a destination-worthy artistic facility in downtown San José. The sky is the limit for the opportunities we can create for our students in and around the Hammer!
There will be many opportunities for sponsoring programs, upgrading facilities, and improving technology in the Hammer. We will rely on our wonderful network of supporters, donors, and alumni to ensure success in this partnership. Please stay tuned for updates as the agreement with the city is finalized and we start to activate the facility.
I am pleased to welcome eight new tenured and tenure-track professors to campus this fall. With these new faculty, we are better positioned than ever to help students develop their creativity, compassion, and critical thinking skills. I also am thrilled to welcome our new Associate Dean, Kathleen McSharry. With more than a decade of experience in higher education administration, Dr. McSharry brings integrity and enthusiasm to the position. You can read more about the talented new members of the College in our Profiles section.
As you read Expressions and learn more about the accomplishments and dreams of our students, faculty, and staff, I invite you to think about what role you might play in helping to support the Hammer 2.0 efforts. It will take an entire village to make this city-university partnership successful. The College of Humanities and the Arts is at the center of those efforts, but we need our entire community of supporters to help us make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring an iconic facility back to life while taking educational and artistic excellence to the next level.
With gratitude,
