Dean Ed Adams Reflects on His Time as the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications
As I complete my tenure as dean, I want to express my appreciation to everyone in the College of Fine Arts and Communications. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served.
When I became dean, I didn’t have many aspirations beyond improving our facilities and fostering a healthy, collaborative relationship between the dean’s office and the academic units and support organizations of the college.
These past ten years have been the most rewarding of my professional career. I love the work of the college and I have enjoyed witnessing the difference everyone makes in the lives of our students. I will miss our daily interactions and the continual opportunity to learn from you.
Over the years, I have loved working with many department chairs, directors, and college leaders. Each brought unique perspectives, talents and gifts to their roles. And, again my opportunity to learn from them.
I have also developed meaningful friendships with many alumni, donors, and patrons. I deeply appreciate their dedication to our college and I am grateful for their generosity.
I am especially thankful for my associate deans and our support team in the dean’s office. We are blessed with dedicated college administrators and staff. Eric Gillett’s work on the Arts Building and Rory Scanlon’s work on the Music Building have been invaluable. We have been blessed to have such talented faculty with design expertise serve as liaisons on these complex projects.
Most importantly, I could not have done this job without the support, counsel, and dedicated hard work of Amy Jensen and Jeremy Grimshaw. We began this journey together ten years ago, and we now conclude it together. They have performed their respective roles as associate deans with extraordinary dedication, long hours, patience, perseverance—and, thankfully, a healthy sense of humor. I saw only joy in their work. They supported me fully and were instrumental in the planning and design of three major buildings: the Music Building, the West Campus Office Building, and the Arts Building. They accomplished all of this in addition to their regular assignments as associate deans. The hours they devoted to the college are incalculable. I hope you take time to thank them for their remarkable contributions.
I will still be around. I am eager to return to my colleagues in Communications and contribute as a teacher and scholar and with whatever work they assign me.
Thanks again for your support during my time as dean. It has truly been a wonderful journey.
