NORTHERN TODAY 3 SPRING 2015 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT James M. Smith, President There is so much to share, by way of introduction, about this issue of Northern Today. However, all of these data points can best be represented in a single word: “excitement.” Our campus is moving forward with myriad enhancements that, when combined, are making life at NSU both bigger and better. The Confucius Institute is a prime example of this programmatic expansion. The new institute will allow for the teaching of Mandarin language, but it will also provide students with a unique insight into the business world of China. Given the depth of trade relations and other economic interactions that now exist between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, few can doubt the importance of this understanding, as gained by students who will truly change the world as we know it. As I think about changing the world, that brings me to Dr. Michael Bina’s commencement speech. Holding a selfie stick and utilizing his fingers to represent the hashtag, Mike captured the graduation audience’s attention as he spoke of fun, dedication, and personal/ professional transformation. Virtually no person seated in that audience will forget this talk – hard hat and all! Dr. Bina matched his words with the music backstage in a perfectly executed performance. The fight song became a backdrop for all that Mike shared with those in attendance. What a talk! With Dr. Bina’s hard hat as a continuing point of reference here, we can easily move to the article focused on the recent greenhouse dedication. A large crowd assembled to see this project start its official unfolding. What will soon be a working laboratory for our biological science faculty was seen on the day of the groundbreaking as a large structural hole with possibilities that abound. The words of Dr. Jon Mitchell, assistant professor of biology, best described how this new facility will reach many differing segments of our community: “An on-campus greenhouse additionally provides numerous opportunities to engage area K-12 students, yearlong, through interactive participation. Guided tours of greenhouse operations, plant growth and development, sustainable ecosystems – all involving hands-on and/or online activities, will promote interest, understanding and excitement for students in their future studies surrounding plant biology and their environment. Similar activities can be tailored toward adults (e.g. retirees) who are interested in home gardening, horticulture and farming.” So, please read and review the material contained here with more than a modicum of detailed attention. Our students are studying around the globe, undertaking experiments in Central America, building new lives in the medical field right here in Aberdeen, and learning the full picture of student teaching with a new yearlong approach to this age old internship model. As the world-famous lyricist, Bob Dylan, might easily say after reading this monograph, “The Times They Are a-Changin”! Enjoy the read and, of course, go Wolves! WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF NORTHERN TODAY!
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