Message From the Chancellor (COVID-19 April 7, 2020 7:33 p.m.)

First full moon after the spring equinox

Dear TWU Community,

I hope this message finds you well on today’s first full moon after the spring equinox.

Celestial events such as today’s carry meaning in various cultures and religions, giving a bearing to holidays such as Passover in Judaism or Easter in Christianity. They also give perspective: 1) of humanity’s significance and 2) of a recurring theme that meaning is derived from one’s worldview. It should also be a call for unity, reminding us that we are all under the same big sky.

Whatever existential meditations that this week may hold for you, I find words often give way to music and poetry.

Dr. Vicki Baker, professor of music, shared her experience with the transition to teaching online: “We are seeking to be creative in our approach to teaching, in order to keep our students engaged and motivated, yet using a medium that is largely unfamiliar and is not easily adapted to many of our performance-based classes.” In her personal life, she is part of a “Musicians Making Masks Ministry.” The group supplies material to individuals who can sew facial masks, and then collects the finished masks for use primarily by senior-living communities. Her story is a testament that musicians can inspire through more than their transcendental performance on stage.

Chair of chemistry and 2019 Cornaro Professor Doc Sheardy sent me his poem inspired by the times, one stanza (full version in the postscript) of which weaves particularly well here:

On a day like today, I can’t help but ponder
All of the Beauty and all of the Wonder.
On a day like today, I can see forever
As I search for the Truth in my endeavor.
On a day like today, I understand the goal
Of living a life with heart and soul.

Rather than quiet time in reflection, others like to celebrate holidays in community. Dr. David Rylander, professor in marketing, shared with me the joy he finds attending “virtual happy hour” with friends and colleagues. Others invited me to a virtual Seder dinner tomorrow.

However you celebrate holidays during these times, I will close with undergrad Stephanie Wesson’s call to action: “With all that is going on, I think we should reflect on what’s really important to us, and whatever that is, make that a priority.”

With a pioneering spirit,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.
Chancellor and President

P.S. For the latest information, check out the TWU COVID-19 webpage.

“A Day Like Today”
—by Doc Sheardy

Just another rainy day in Texas —
A day like today the mind perplexes.
It is cold and it is chilly
Like a late winter’s day just north of Philly.
The rain hits my window as I quietly sit
But I’m not complaining, not in the least bit.

Friends will come and friends will go
And there are times when I just don’t know
What I can do or what I can say
To someone like me on a day like today.
And the words come harder each and every time
There is no reason — there is no rhyme.

Just another sunny day in Texas —
A day like today the mind complexes.
It is warm and it is bright
From the dawn until night.
The warmth feels good on this aging skin
And I still feel the fire from deep within.

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