Last week marked the end of an era as Dr. Heather Coltman stepped down as dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. Heather is leaving FAU after more than 20 years. She served as dean for the past six years and previously was chair of the Department of Music for nine years. Heather has been recognized for excellence in teaching and research, as well as performance as a concert pianist. She also made her mark on our community by leading the effort to develop FAU’s Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative and founding the Teaching Outstanding PerformerS (TOPS) Piano Camp to enrich the lives of young Floridians through the arts. We thank Heather for her dedicated service to FAU wish her the very best as she embarks on a new adventure as provost at James Madison University in Virginia.

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Horswell was named the new dean of the Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. He is an associate professor of Spanish and Latin American literature, a published author, and previously served as associate dean of the College. Michael joined FAU in 1997 and served as chair of the Department of Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature, as well as director of the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies program. He also assisted with the development of FAU’s Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative. Michael is committed to community engagement though the arts, and I am confident that he will lead the College forward with great vision and enthusiasm.