To Our Alumni In every issue of the College of Arts and Sciences alumni magazine, I write a letter to our many alumni and friends. My challenge is to draft an insightful letter that motivates and encourages. This year I thought we’d try a new approach. In this issue, I will address three questions regarding our centers, featured on pages 14–20. The college is home to nine centers focused on interdisciplinary activities and six interdisciplinary programs. Many of the most exciting new developments occur at the interface between different disciplines, and the centers provide a means to bring together a group of faculty with complementary skills to tackle exciting new areas. Most of the centers include both an undergraduate and graduate student component. The college plans a new “front office” for these centers on the first floor of Life Sciences East in 2011. and Friends, Q. What excites you most about the centers? Shortly after I came to OSU as dean, I encouraged faculty across the college to submit proposals for new centers. I was delighted by the response, and it was a tough task to select the initial group of centers for seed funding. I am excited that our faculty have come together to form centers that embrace new areas where OSU can be in a strong leadership position. These areas include the fine arts, humanities, social sciences and the sciences. Some of our centers have been around for many years, such as the very successful Cimarron Review, which in 2007 celebrated its 40th birthday. Others such as the Center for Oklahoma Studies and the Doel Reed Center are very recent. While our centers reside in the college, its role as the intellectual core of the university has meant that faculty and students from other colleges have been welcomed. Q. One of the newest centers in the college is the Center for Oklahoma Studies, which has real potential in reaching alumni and parents of future students. What does this mean for new students? Oklahoma has a unique history, and the Center for Oklahoma Studies will not only play an important role in researching and documenting this history and culture but also in contributing to the development of a creative vision for the state’s future. The core faculty consists of two senior members from the college and one from the library. We anticipate other faculty with an Oklahoma interest to become involved in the center that will become the link for all Oklahoma-related activities. We are working to establish Oklahoma support for students, especially graduate students working toward a Ph.D. degree. Q. What are the benefits of the centers to students, faculty or alumni? The centers are poised to place Oklahoma in a leadership position in a number of important areas. I am delighted by the support the centers have received from federal and state agencies, corporations and donors. The support of our alumni has been key to developing the centers. For example, the Doel Reed Center has become a reality because of the generous support of our alumni and friends. The centers have provided faculty with new research opportunities and collaborations. Our students have received opportunities in very diverse areas, such as helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, learning how we can minimize the effects of future natural disasters, studying about exciting fields of art in beautiful Taos, N.M., understanding the operations of literary journals, and appreciating the importance of peer-reviewed journals in disseminating academic research. The centers represent an important developing area in college activities, providing additional opportunities to partner with alumni and an important vehicle for enhancing the college and OSU. Thank you for encouraging our growth and providing us with opportunities. Your support and enthusiasm play a pivotal role in serving the college, Oklahoma State University and our state. Peter M.A. Sherwood, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Message College of Arts and Sciences
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