Dear Fellow Artists, Humanists, Colleagues, and Friends,
All of us in the College of Arts and Humanities hope that you and yours are doing well!
At this moment in time, there is no doubt that the arts and humanities allow us to seek a deeper understanding of ourselves and our world. Our faculty and students have been grappling with the question of what it means to be human in their mostly virtual classes, while the medium through which they are teaching and learning truly puts the quest for enlightenment into new perspective. As this newsletter attests, our College’s talented faculty have dedicated their careers to transforming the lives of our students by providing an excellent, innovative education, and they are forging ahead this fall with the same commitment.
Our alumni and friends have also been vital to the success of our students and programs, as it is through your support that we are inspired to create art and envision a peaceful, prosperous society guided by humanistic values. Our Arts and Humanities Advisory Board has been integral to our success, as has the stalwart support of two rising leaders, President Joseph Castro, whom we shall miss when he becomes Chancellor of the CSU in January, and Provost Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, who will become Interim President in January. All of us are very excited that our College’s former Dean will be guiding Fresno State towards a bright future!
Imagine, as former US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera writes, how wonderful it will be when we all can “gather in a flourishing way” again. In the meantime, do join us online for a variety of Arts and Humanities events found on our College of Arts and Humanities calendar. For instance, there will be three Theatre productions available for online streaming starting this month and three more in Spring 2021.
Please join us in celebrating the College’s creative gifts by supporting our disciplines. We hope you enjoy this issue of the College of Arts and Humanities newsletter!
Sincerely,
Honora Chapman, Interim Dean
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 