Dear Alumni and Friends,

Thinking back to the 2022 Fall Commencement ceremony, I am still heartwarmed (is that a real word? Sounds like a veterinary issue …) from seeing our HES graduates walk across the stage and receive their diplomas, followed by our traditional commencement brunch for graduates and their families. It is a rare moment when the stresses of the semester disappear and leave nothing but pride, gratitude, and tears of happiness. This year, we handed each graduate a commemorative coin as they exited the stage. The coin features our patron “saint,” Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, and our department motto: Movement = Health. They were a big hit, and we plan to distribute them to every Department of Health and Exercise Science grad in the future as a tangible way to feel connected to the department and to each other.

As many of you may already know, we lost our beloved colleague Ryan Donovan at the start of the new year. It’s impossible to describe what Ryan has meant to all of us as a teacher, adviser, mentor, fellow committee member, and friend. It’s no exaggeration to say that Ryan represented the best of humanity in his generosity, sincerity, trustworthiness, leadership, integrity, compassion – the list goes on and on. In fact, the story in this issue about Outstanding Graduate Eric Meyer is a perfect example of Ryan’s deep impact on student lives and success. Read Ryan’s obituary. All we can do is what we do best: pull together, be there for each other, look out for anyone who is struggling, and pull them up. That’s exactly what Ryan would have done.

In addition to recovering from this loss, we are gearing up to take on big challenges in 2023. The most pressing one was brought to a head by the pandemic and its aftermath. To keep learning going while putting students’ physical and mental health first, faculty and teaching assistants had to be understanding and prioritize kindness over strict accountability. They created hybrid face-to-face/online classes, video-recorded lectures, designed assignments with flexible due dates, and cobbled together alternative ways to fulfill requirements. It worked – in the sense that folks generally stayed healthy, whole, and learning in the face of a massive disruption. But as we make the transition out of “pandemic mode,” it has become a real challenge to continue these accommodations while also maintaining rigorous standards and student accountability. Every university in the country is facing the same challenge, and nobody has a great solution yet. We plan to take it head-on and craft a path forward that puts student needs first while also ensuring they are challenged in a way that best prepares them for success. At the same time, we need to help hardworking faculty and staff get what they need to thrive. We want faculty and staff who are fulfilled and happy – nothing less is acceptable.

This spring will be notable in that we will be doing searches for three new faculty members – two new assistant professors doing research and teaching in the area of how exercise improves mental health (and happiness!) and a senior instructor to teach a variety of classes. Last, given the strong relationship between HES and the Colorado State University women’s volleyball team (there are always several HES majors on the roster, usually with GPAs close to 4.0!), I want to acknowledge the retirement of head coach Tom Hilbert after 26 years and welcome Emily Kohan as the new head coach. Read about three team members, below. Good luck, and Go Rams!

Barry Braun, Department Head