A Message from Jim Hesselman, Dean of Arts & Letters

To our graduates (and future graduates),

On behalf of the entire School of Arts & Letters at Indiana University Southeast, I am sending all of our 2020 graduates as well as those who supported them on their journey, my sincerest congratulations. You made it!

Walking through the empty Ogle Center lobby during finals week made it very clear to me that the School of Arts & Letters, in fact, our entire campus, is not simply a collection of buildings on Grant Line Road. Our school is you… you, your peers, our faculty and staff, and all of the things we have achieved together in your time here at IU Southeast.

The Arts and Humanities are all about communication. We teach students how to communicate creatively, effectively, with empathy, humor, and understanding, whether orally, visually, musically… or through the written word. That ability to communicate has connected you (and will continue to connect you) to the broader world and a future that has now opened up to you after years of hard work and study.

Indiana University Southeast has prepared you to make your own connections in a society that right now is facing many challenges and questions. Questions about truth and diversity. Questions about societal and personal responsibility.

I hope you all realize that in the classes you have taken, the research and creative projects you have completed, the relationships you have formed with your peers, your instructors, and all of the people you have met during your time at IU Southeast, that you have already been answering and preparing to answer those same questions throughout the rest of your life.

We are counting on you to lead us all forward in times of conflict, stress, and uncertainty – and in times of progress and prosperity. If you are wondering when the torch is going to be passed to you? It is now. And we are so proud and confident in our belief that you will succeed beyond any expectations. Congratulations!

Most Sincerely,