August 29, 2025

Greetings Staff and Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences, 

I hope you’ve had a great first week of classes. The energy on campus is contagious, and it’s been great getting back into the swing of things.  

Last Friday, we welcomed our new faculty with a dinner at the Train Depot. The setting gave us a chance to connect outside of campus in the Laramie community, and the downtown Farmers Market happening at the same time added to the atmosphere. It was wonderful getting to meet everyone and their families. We have a great group of new faculty.

Earlier in the week, I met with a freshman student who came to me to discuss career opportunities. We had a great talk, and I was struck by his eagerness and curiosity—qualities that many of our students possess. One of A&S’s many strengths is our students’ curiosity and our faculty’s willingness to work with them and help them launch their careers.

Our Saddle Up ice cream social was another highlight of last week. It drew a great crowd, and it was good to see students, staff, and faculty together. I played a round of cornhole, and a few students even invited me to play a couple other lawn games with them.

On Thursday I travelled to Casper to tour Disa Technologies, a start-up company by UW alumni Greyson Buckingham. Among many topics, we discussed student internships and career placement after A&S. Helping our students launch their careers was a focus, and I look forward to working with Greyson in the future.

Looking ahead, A&S is hosting several major events soon.

• On Friday, Oct. 3, the Buchanan Center is welcoming country artist Chris Janson to perform in the Arts and Sciences Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The evening will kick off with lawn games, live music, and more on Prexy’s Pasture. Learn more here.
• The Department of Visual Arts has announced Caledonia Curry, known as Swoon, as this year’s eminent visiting artist. Swoon is an artist and filmmaker recognized for her pioneering vision of public artwork. There will be many events throughout the next several months. View the schedule here.

Thank you for the important work you’re doing to make the beginning of the semester a success.

Sincerely,

 J. Scott Turpen