Dear Alumni and Friends,

As I shook hands with almost 200 HES graduating seniors coming across the stage at the Spring 2023 commencement last month, I thought about how the end of their undergraduate careers also signified a bold new adventure for them.

We had another big “ending” this spring as Dr. Dale DeVoe retired after 33 years as a professor in HES. Dr. DeVoe taught myriad classes, was involved in research that had practical, real-world applications, mentored hundreds of students, and served as the associate dean for undergraduate education in the Office of the Dean for 10 years. After returning from the Dean’s Office, Dr. DeVoe taught three sections of our most iconic class – HES 145: Health and Wellness – every semester, often teaching more than 300 students in a combination of in-person and online formats. His wealth of knowledge, sincere commitment to student success, and repertoire of “Uncle Leo” stories endeared him to students for decades.

In that vein, that iconic class will be getting a new start of its own. With a grant from the Office of the Provost, we are working hard (and quickly) to make HES 145 an “open educational resources” class – meaning all the course materials will be accessible free of charge to enrolled students. Research papers, book chapters, podcasts, video interviews – all of these will be used in place of the traditional textbook to provide multiple ways of engaging students in a dynamic format.

We are also using this change as an opportunity to weave more social determinants of health and health equity and inclusivity content and principles into the curriculum. The goal is to keep our students connected with the leading edge of the field, enhance the breadth of their understanding, and better prepare them to work in a diverse health industry. These changes set us up to make the case that HES 145 be part of the All-University Core Curriculum, which has not been the case since 2008. When I noted we are working quickly, I was not kidding – the enhanced curriculum will be taught starting in the upcoming fall semester!

We have several new faces joining us this summer – senior lecturer Dr. Scott Burley, academic success coordinator Dani Lawrence, and coordinator of academic operations Rebeca Marchand. And, as always, the end of May heralded the return of Youth Sport Camps – another HES tradition that gets bigger and better every year, thanks to the magic of Dr. Brian Butki and his amazing staff.

So, there’s no moss growing on the department – onward and upward! Have a terrific summer, and go Rams!

Barry Braun, Department Head