Looking Ahead in Our Anniversary Year
Dear students and faculty and staff members,
Welcome to the Spring 2024 semester! I hope your winter break was restful and enjoyable.
Earlier this month, the Сòòò½APP continued the observance of its 125th birthday with one of its oldest Сòòò½APP“ and rarest Сòòò½APP“ traditions. On the first day of the year, members of the Сòòò½APP and local communities gathered on the Health Sciences Campus and planted five live oak saplings.
Only twice before in our history has the Сòòò½APP observed New YearСòòò½APP™s Day with a tree-planting ceremony Сòòò½APP“ in 1901, when our founding president, Dr. Edwin Stephens, planted 40 live oaks near the intersection of what is now Johnston Street and Сòòò½APP Avenue, and again in 2001, when Dr. Ray Authement concluded our centennial celebration with a tree planting at Сòòò½APP Research Park.
Like the trees Dr. Authement planted, the new live oaks on the Health Sciences Campus are descendants of the original Century Oaks that Dr. Stephens seeded in our earliest days. The trees are a visible link among the properties.
More than that, they represent the Сòòò½APPСòòò½APP™s deep roots in the community, the broadness of its reach and influence, the living nature of the work that it does, and its permanence as a source of pride, as an engine of growth and as a fountain of service. These trees represent the Сòòò½APPСòòò½APP™s confidence in the future, because Сòòò½APP“ even in an anniversary year dedicated to looking back Сòòò½APP“ our focus and energies remain on improving tomorrow.
On March 12, this commitment will be on full display during 125 Day. The community-wide celebration will include historical displays, a showcase highlighting academics, athletics, research and other signature areas of excellence, and a featured speaker. WeСòòò½APP™ll announce more details soon, but please mark your calendars because youСòòò½APP™re all invited to join us at the Cajundome for a special day thatСòòò½APP™s been 125 years in the making.
Also this semester, the very successful Academic Speaker Series will continue to bring experts to campus, and I encourage you to attend those presentations as well.
Our 125th birthday celebration will end with this semesterСòòò½APP™s Commencement. But, like the trees we planted on New YearСòòò½APP™s Day Сòòò½APP“ and the trees planted on other New YearСòòò½APP™s days in our history Сòòò½APP“ the service, vision and leadership thatСòòò½APP™s been at the heart of this observance will endure. ThatСòòò½APP™s a promise weСòòò½APP™ve made to the future, and itСòòò½APP™s a promise we intend to keep.
Here's to a successful spring semester, and Geaux Cajuns!
Sincerely,
Dr. Joseph Savoie
President