Letter from Gregory Dunaway

Dear Eberly College alumni and friends,

As we wind down the academic year – a year like no other – it is appropriate for us to reflect and take stock. For more than a year, the world has grappled with a devastating global pandemic. Closer to home, so many people have coped with this insidious health crisis which has led to more than half a million deaths in our nation. Given that nearly everyone’s lives have been at minimum disrupted, we can take solace that WVU provided much-needed support and stability.

The state of West Virginia and West Virginia University have provided strong leadership to both curb infection rates and provide access to vaccinations. Thus, as we conclude a most challenging year, we can take pride that things are improving and our everyday lives are beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy. A case in point is that we will host our commencement ceremonies in person with our graduates receiving their well-earned recognition on campus. To be sure, things will look different at this spring’s graduation. It will be outside at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, the attendees will wear masks and practice social distancing. Nonetheless, this time-honored tradition of celebrating the crowning of achievement of our students’ educational effort will occur but be a little different as it will be with many things in our lives going forward.

We have learned much over the past year, albeit at a very high cost. We have learned that we can overcome major, even existential threats, when we work together, apply our knowledge for a common goal and open ourselves to doing things differently. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of many difficulties our nation and world face. Because of this, higher education and institutions such as WVU will be more necessary than ever to help our communities meet the next challenge.

I am grateful and hopeful that the Eberly College is leading the way in innovating learning experiences and providing an environment for both students and faculty to apply their education and experiences to help solve problems and create opportunities for others to succeed. The Eberly College community is strong, diverse and compassionate. We have had to be flexible and resilient in ways that we could not have imagined at the start of 2020. We will use this experience to reaffirm our values and to gain momentum to do bigger and better things.

This issue of the Eberly Magazine is devoted to highlighting our alumni and students who are applying their knowledge to take on real-world problems in meaningful ways. Having our students, past and present, apply their education to help those around them is what the Eberly College is most proud of. Going forward, we need to be committed to keep providing opportunities for our students and encourage them to take advantage of them. What we do and how we do it will change and adapt to a dynamic world, but the tradition of excellence in the Eberly College will always remain a constant.

Thank you for being a part of this wonderful community and thank you for all you do for Eberly and WVU!

Dean Gregory Dunaway