Dear UTRGV Family,

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, there is a great deal that we can give thanks for. Our students, faculty, and staff are the people I am thankful for. After all, you are the people who make UTRGV the great institution it is and an incredible place to work. So many of you are making exceptional contributions to our intellectual life and our sense of community. And while there have been many successes throughout the year, I want to share some of the most recent ones emerging from our university community.

• The Association for Women in Mathematics selected our very own Dr. Cristina Villalobos as the recipient of the 2024 M. Gweneth Humphreys Award for her exceptional mentoring and impact on the next generation of mathematicians.
• Our Physician’s Assistant Program in the College of Health Professions was reaccredited for another 10 years by its national accrediting body, a crucial metric of our university’s forward progress.
• The AVE Frontera project, led by Dr. Juan Salinas, along with members of our STEM faculty and a community partner, is engaging with families (children, youth, and adults) through education.

Other examples of our vibrant UTRGV community coming together were evident on October 28, a busy day kicked off by a breakfast with our deans. This event was about building bridges with our students and their families. I met many loving, proud, and grateful parents, siblings, Tías, and Tíos who basked in the glow of their student’s successes.

After that breakfast, I went to the women’s volleyball game with a large, energetic crowd of families, students, friends, and supporters. Everywhere I went, it was festive.

There have been other magical moments that add to my Thanksgiving gratitude. While attending a lecture at a national conference on artificial intelligence (AI), Dr. Paul Sale of the College of Education and P-16 Integration wrote an email praising his department colleagues for giving “a far superior, useful, and clear presentation” on the topic than some at the conference. “I must say,” Dr. Sale went on, “that it is the best presentation on AI that I have seen to date... I am not sure most faculty understand that we have such great expertise on our campus. As the saying goes, ‘You cannot be a prophet in your own land.’ Having watched the three of you, I would say you are prophets in my land!!” Professor Sale probably did not think his words would move me so much that I would include them in this message.

Nor was he likely thinking that his email to colleagues would also serve as the perfect primer to World Kindness Day (November 13)! In case you did not know, UTRGV recently launched VKind, a new initiative to promote kindness and civility throughout our university community. VKind offers numerous resources, training, and programming opportunities, with more coming in 2024. Thanks to Nicole Englitsch, Marco Garza, and their campuswide committee for helping facilitate a kinder, more respectful workplace and learning environment.

You have your reasons for giving thanks to UTRGV. These are some of mine. May you have a safe, peaceful, and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.

Sincerely,

Luis H. Zayas, PhD
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs