Fall is a special time of year for many reasons.
Last September I remarked in this column that while it is the start of a new academic year, in my family’s personal religious and cultural tradition it is also the season of the New Year. For those who observe the Judaic tradition as I do, we commemorate the “head of the year” or the holiday known as Rosh Hashanah. As I celebrated with my family, year 5784 began.
I was thrilled to spend the holiday in Seattle at the home of my eldest son and his family which includes two of our grandchildren, Abby and Cameron. They are both growing and developing and have become incredible children. My wife and I are so proud of them.
For me, the New Year also brings many new challenges.
As previously noted, I will leave Mason next month after nearly 14 years to join Towson University as its 15th president. In working with soon-to-be interim provost Ken Walsh on a seamless leadership transition, I am reminded of author Mary Shelley who wrote, “The beginning is always today.”
This fall will be a new beginning for me as I prepare for my next (and final) professional and life chapter.
The fall Judaic holidays are also a time for celebration. This week, Mason learned it rose in the national rankings once again—and the ascension has been steep. Mason is now fully recognized as a “top tier” university by multiple outlets. Our university is ranked among the very best in the nation. As recognition of Mason continues to grow, I am reminded that we have become an “elite” university without becoming an “elitist” university. Of all our many accomplishments and achievements, this is among those that I am most proud. Mason provides access to excellence and opportunity for more than 40,000 students and we do so in our own way—a way that is special.
We must continue to look forward without turning back. Pioneering baseball star Satchel Paige once remarked, “Don’t look back, someone might be gaining on you.” Well, we must look back to recall from where we came and to not lose sight of who we are. We must also face forward as we gaze into the future, with our eyes on the horizon to what we will become.
Reflecting on my time at Mason—as a dean, provost, and member of the faculty—I am so very proud of Mason’s culture with our emphasis on inclusive excellence, integrity and ethics, high performance, and the success of every member of the university community. We must never lose that focus and as we look ahead, let us always remember what makes Mason special. It is the extraordinary nature of Mason that I am most proud. I hope I played a small part in making it so.
The Judaic high holiday season commemorates concepts such as renewal, freedom, and joy. As we consider our past year while envisioning our future, I hope these concepts are also rooted in your own reflections. For me, they are firmly linked to my thoughts as I plan for the transitions I will become engaged with over the next few months. I hope the same will be for each of you.
Life’s lessons are many. May the season that brings a new year also have special meaning for you, whatever your religious, spiritual, or cultural tradition may be.
Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Provost, Executive Vice President, and Professor