Leaning into hope at the start of a new school year
One of the privileges of working in a university is the opportunity that comes with the seasons. The summer months provide space for thinking, for taking a step back from the moment and engaging with the ideas and philosophical grounding for what we do. On the administrative side, summer is a time for planning the year to come as we look ahead, with excitement, to welcoming our new students. Then our students arrive, bringing new ideas, new energy, and a spirit of hope that infuses the whole school community.
As we welcome students in 2025, I would like to take a moment to lean into hope in this Goldfish space, into believing in the mission of public health.
In doing so, I find myself thinking about an expression that has stuck with me over the years: “Keep the faith.”
It is a phrase many of us have heard — most recently, perhaps, from former President Biden, for whom it is a favorite expression. At its simplest, “keep the faith” is a reminder to not give up, to keep going in the face of adversity, to hold true to our values and aspirations. It can also have a religious resonance, reflecting a belief in the possibility of a transcendent spiritual reality to which the challenges of this world will ultimately give way.
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