Faculty, Staff and Students,

Well, congratulations — you’ve done it.

You have made it to the end of another academic year. And while I realize there are other programs in our college that will still be holding classes throughout these next few months, the end of the academic calendar is still symbolic.

You did it. As students, faculty and staff, you all reached another milestone. For some, that means graduation. For others, it means a summer vacation. Still others will take more classes (or teach them) and keep grinding.

But I hope all of you, even for just a moment, will look back on this academic year and feel proud of what we all accomplished, together. We saw struggles, from the pandemic issues to students dealing with bad weather. We saw amazing success stories, like One Day for UK and our National Champion Volleyball squad.

I think we can agree: None of it was easy. Then again, someone famous once said that nothing good comes easy, and I believe this is true. This semester, and this academic year, challenged us in ways we are still realizing only now.

But it made us stronger. It made us value our relationships more. It made us appreciate things we may have taken for granted, like a trip to a sporting event or concert. Or even a night out with friends.

So, I offer this one request: As we wrap up the end of Teacher Appreciation Week, I ask all of you — students, staff and faculty alike — to make some time for yourselves, if you’re able. Take your time off. Recharge those batteries and come back to our College with a renewed sense of mission.

It is because of your determination, and the fact we stayed together throughout these challenging times, that we were able to succeed. And it is that spirit and effort that convinces me we will also thrive in the upcoming year.

I thank you all — you made our world better, every single day of this year. And we’re better because of it.

Best,

Scott