As we head toward the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to thank you for everything you bring to our college community. Through curiosity in the classroom, passion for teaching or efforts to support students and strengthen the College, every one of you helps make this a great place to work and learn. I hope you'll use this time to rest, recharge and reflect on what makes you feel grateful.

I'd like to share what's making me feel especially grateful these days, and that is the collaborations happening across our campus that create real-world learning experiences. I'm thinking about A&S students developing essential workplace skills in research, curation and project management through selecting and exhibiting works from the Syracuse University Art Museum's collection. Or emerging opportunities in our new Institute for Quantum and Information Science, where physicists are collaborating with engineers to explore everything from black holes to the future of computing. Those are just two examples of the many taking place.

These partnerships aren't mandated or manufactured. They're happening organically because our community is creative and committed to tackling big issues. And increasingly, these collaborations are extending beyond campus—into internships, immersion programs and hands-on projects. We're working to expand these experiential learning opportunities so that more students can graduate not just with knowledge, but with experience that opens doors and helps them make an impact in the world sooner.

When we return from break, that work will continue. And I'm excited to see where it leads. For now, enjoy your time with loved ones and a well-deserved rest.