Welcome to the spring issue of our e-newsletter. I hope you are doing well, staying positive and optimistic during these uncertain times. It is a great honor to connect with you as the new Dean of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and am excited to begin this journey with you in pursuit of success for the College.
History has taught us that in moments of crisis, good and prudent leadership is warranted and needed. Our University’s senior leadership anticipated the challenges we are currently facing and put in motion processes to get our University ready to respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. This plan has allowed us to swiftly ensure the continuity of learning our students by converting all in-person classes to online delivery to continue serving our students with minor interruptions.
Fortunately, the College is well-prepared to heed this call as we have a legacy of demonstrated success delivering online programs for many years; our Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Finance and Economics, Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics, and our Bachelor of Business Administration are some examples that have received recognition. Even though the College is prepared, I recognize that this situation presents challenges and opportunities for all of us as students, faculty, and staff as we face a great degree of uncertainty.
The foundation we have laid for the effective and successful delivery of online education presents an opportunity to provide unity and focus. In mutual support, we can grow, learn, and live together in pursuit of academic excellence. I am proud to report that faculty and staff are putting an extra emphasis on accommodating each students’ needs in the face of our shared adversity. Registration for Summer and Fall 2020 is underway, and we value the opportunity to support our students as they pursue their education moving forward.
Notwithstanding the challenges that the COVID-19 virus has presented, we start 2020 with an abundance of opportunities and accomplishments, which reflects a vibrant college that I am proud to now lead. In this issue, we celebrate the continued success of the College by thanking and honoring Dr. Neil Terry, who has led us through an important era in the College. Dr. Terry’s dedication to the success of the College, and its constituents, is evidenced by over a decade of building upon the core strengths of the College, and fostering new capabilities to take us forward. We are proud that Dr. Terry now serves the University as the Executive Vice President and Provost. Dr. Terry’s legacy in the College will remain through his contribution to the burgeoning academic partnerships, which extend not only to our home campus but around the world.
Additionally, in this newsletter, we highlight a profoundly fundamental strength of the College, which is the impact we have on the lives of the students and families here in the Panhandle of Texas. The impact often spans generations of students, and we share such a story in this issue that I hope will resonate with you. The benchmark of our success and worth will always lie in the degree to which we provide for our students; supporting student organizations, investing in technology support, and by attracting, developing, and retaining dedicated faculty who share a passion for students and their education. We continue to diversify and improve the programs in the College to ensure that many more generations, both in the Texas Panhandle and around the world, can make a home in the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and join our family.
As strong as our College is, we must also be prudent in delivering what is best for our students. As we navigate this situation, in accordance with senior leadership guidelines, we have decided to pause all student events, including the Student Symposium, which is always a highlight of the year, particularly for students. This was not an easy decision, but at this time, we believe it is in the best interest and safety of our students, faculty, and their families. I am proud to work with an outstanding team of faculty and staff and will rely on this foundation to support the College as we monitor this situation daily with our student’s best interests in mind, and I am confident we will emerge stronger from this than before.
I am pleased to share the news of the College with you in this issue and look forward to keeping you posted on our progress and on the remarkable accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni. I want to take this opportunity and invite you to reach out to me with your comments and feedback on how we can best continue to pursue excellence at the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business. I am eager to work with each of you to build a sustained culture of excellence and achievement.
I look forward to our next newsletter to share more exciting news about our College. Thank you, stay safe, and God bless.
Best regards,
Dr. Amjad Abdullat
Dean of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business
If you have a story that you would like to be considered for future newsletters, contact Lynsee Bjork.