A Message From Dr. Vernis Welmon
Smeal Celebrates The End of Another Great Semester!
This fall proved to be one of our most exciting semesters yet, as we successfully introduced two new initiatives to the Smeal community. The first is “Art in the Atrium,” which helps to satisfy the college's strategic goal of fostering a community “that welcomes differences in people and ideas." By focusing on a different diversity theme for each showing, the project is designed to foster awareness and appreciation of diversity while growing the sense of community at Smeal around the talents of the entire college—its students, faculty and staff. This semester, students have enjoyed two exhibits; one in September as part of “Hispanic Heritage Month” and another, which is currently on display, celebrating “National Disabilities Month.”
We also launched a major Smeal for Life initiative with “Integrity Awareness Week,” which was held from November 1 through November 5. This weeklong event was originally designed to focus on undergraduate students, concerning their knowledge of the Smeal Honor Code. Each student is exposed to it at the beginning of the academic year, as professors mention it in every course introduction and include it in the syllabus. But, we wanted to ensure that students keep the Honor Code top of mind throughout the year, and thus created some buzz around the matter mid-term. The focus of the week was the “Smeal Honor Scroll,” which included an inscription of the Smeal Honor Code at the top, and we invited undergraduates to sign it as an affirmation of their belief in the importance of fostering a community that prioritizes honor and integrity.
We quickly learned that this initiative grew into something much larger. Although we began with a focus on the undergraduates, all members of the Smeal community embraced the concept and began participating in the signing of the Honor Code. Faculty, staff, administrators, and graduate students came together and joined the undergraduates in showcasing their support for an upstanding learning environment, and this proved to be a unifying moment for all of us at Smeal. We received nearly 2,000 signatures in five days and one scroll is currently on display in the Atrium. We are still working on framing the other completed scrolls, so that they can be displayed next semester in the Business Building. It is our hope that the seeds planted during “Integrity Awareness Week” will grow and manifest in positive ways throughout the academic year and beyond.
Apart from sharing Smeal’s current events, I would also like to express my appreciation for the support of the many alumni who helped our current graduate students at both the National Black MBA Career Fair and NSHMBA. Our receptions received great turnouts in both Los Angeles and Chicago, and Paul Poissant and I look forward to continuing this tradition again next year in Atlanta and Anaheim.
Lastly, it is also important to note that during such difficult economic times, our minority alumni network becomes even more valuable. I urge each of you to please contact us if you are aware of any internship or job opportunities, so that we can share them on our website.
Best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season, and a prosperous New Year!
