Today marks my last day as the interim president of Florida Atlantic University, and I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve FAU in this way and my sincere thanks to everyone who helped me adjust to the demands of the position and make some of the hard decisions that come with the territory. Leadership is never a solo act. Regardless of a leader’s commitment, vision and ability, things don’t get done unless they spring from a team effort, and I’ve had a terrific team behind me these past nine months. So again, I say thank you to all the trustees, faculty members, administrators, staff members, students and friends in the greater community who have so generously given me the benefit of their advice and support.

I’ve been at FAU for nearly 27 years, and I’ve had the deepest respect for this institution from the day that I arrived in 1987, but leading the entire enterprise as interim president has made me realize how much I actually love FAU and everything it stands for. Above all, we’re all working together to help our students achieve success academically and move toward the realization of their dreams, so I’ve decided to invest in that most worthy of causes by making a gift to FAU scholarships. Please consider joining me in supporting our students by going to our Foundation Website and clicking on “Give Today.” That’s my way of “paying forward” the good fortune that came my way last May when I was entrusted with the high responsibility of serving as interim president. It’s an experience that I’ll never forget and an honor that I’ll treasure forever.