Through the remarkable efforts of all of us at Purdue, we are currently in our 10th week of instruction for the fall semester. We have just a few more weeks to go before the Thanksgiving break. I urge all of you to continue to follow the practices we have in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep all of us safe. In talking with faculty, staff and students, I know there is some amount of weariness, but now is not the time to let our guard down.

Purdue Polytechnic has achieved an all-time high enrollment at our West Lafayette location for the fourth consecutive year.

Welcome back! Whether you join the fall semester in person or virtually, I know that we are all wrapping up a unique summer in preparation for a first-of-its-kind fall semester at the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. I am extremely proud of the innovative solutions our faculty and staff have implemented in order to deliver the best instructional experience to each of our students while following COVID-19 precautions.

To all of those hurting, especially those in the Black community, know that we stand with you and support your right to be seen and heard. Our actions will make it clear that Black lives and dignity matter to us. Change will only happen when we all stand together.

“Nothing endures but change.”
— Heraclitus

This quote from a 6th century BC Greek philosopher is timely and relevant to events we are all experiencing today. We had to quickly change to offer our courses online with little notice or time for preparation – and we succeeded. We had to implement social distancing and change the way we work, and we have done so well enough to keep Purdue University and the Polytechnic Institute viable and functioning in spite of the change thrust upon us.

In an unprecedented time of change and uncertainty due to COVID-19 precautions, I am amazed and delighted by the ways in which Purdue Polytechnic Institute students, faculty and staff have stepped forward to meet a new set of challenges with persistence, innovation and collaboration.

COVID-19 presents a situation unlike any that most of us have faced. Since adaptability is a Polytechnic hallmark, I have absolute confidence in our ability to rise to this challenge.

We have witnessed the launch of an updated Purdue University brand. I am thrilled to see a University-wide brand that so aptly applies to our college.

Happy New Year, and welcome to the start of a new semester and a new decade. We have all heard of making resolutions at this time of the year and no doubt have made some of our own. Our resolution for this decade should be to continue being “pioneers of learn-by-doing and use-inspired research.”