As I reach my first hundred days as Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, I find myself at a meaningful milestone. The number 100 is more than a measure of time. It is a symbol of a full cycle, a moment to both reflect on where we’ve been and envision where we are heading.

Welcoming Governor Tony Evers for a tour of Polk Library on July 8. The library’s $137.5 million transformation in Polk Learning Commons was approved in the latest state biennial budget process.

These first days have been a period of discovery, connection, and affirmation. From the moment I arrived, I have been embraced by the generosity of spirit, the strength of purpose, and the unity of our Titan community, the city of Oshkosh and the Fox Valley region. What I have witnessed is a university that is more than a campus. UWO is a living ecosystem—a convener, a partner, a force of opportunity for the region and state it serves.

Universities, by their nature, are timeless institutions. They hold both memory and promise. In these first 100 days, I’ve looked into the rearview mirror and seen the strength of a legacy that dates back to 1871—a history of educational excellence, community uplift, and civic leadership. I’ve also gazed through the telescope of imagination toward a future as bright as a galaxy of stars, one that we will shape together.

I was honored to join our Football student-athletes on their march into Titan Stadium on Sept. 20.

My journey so far has been filled with listening and learning, whether visiting classrooms, residence halls, or community boardrooms. I’ve sat down with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders, elected officials, nonprofit partners, K-12 educators, and sister institution presidents and chancellors. Each conversation reinforced the same powerful truth: the success of UW-Oshkosh and the well-being of our region are deeply intertwined.

Whether meeting with Oshkosh Corporation, ThedaCare, the Oshkosh Area School District, TitletownTech, Gulfstream, Miron Construction, or the College of Menominee Nation—whether speaking with Governor Tony Evers or Speaker Robin Vos and dedicated senators and legislators—one thing is clear: there is shared hope, pride, and a deep desire to collaborate. Our partners need talented, adaptable graduates and our communities, engaged, giving citizens. We are proud to help prepare and graduate them. And in return, our partners and neighbors stand ready to co-create opportunities through internships, research, innovation, volunteerism and workforce development that keep talent right here in Wisconsin.

I joined UWO international students for a special dinner on September 10.

This fall, UWO welcomed nearly 12,500 students, including more than 2,000 in our residence halls and thousands earning credits across the state. We celebrated our largest incoming class of graduate students and our highest number of honors students. Retention rates rose. Budgets stabilized. Our Day of Giving surpassed all expectations, raising over $200,000, far beyond our goal. These are not just numbers; they are milestones that speak to confidence in UWO’s future, our mission, and the extraordinary people behind them.

Even amid challenge, our momentum is undeniable. In these few months, we have launched new academic programs, grown enrollment, strengthened reserves, and deepened our identity as an institution that blends access with excellence. From women’s flag football to new local business partnerships, from the classroom to the field, from local impact to global reach, Titans are rising.

This spirit of forward motion will carry us into our next great endeavor: the launch of our new strategic plan. The shared vision for the university and its role in community building will be co-created, through open houses, roundtables, and surveys with faculty, staff, students, alumni, employers, and community leaders alike. Together, we will define what UWO stands for and where UWO must go to thrive and lead into the next decade.

UWO alumni at Oshkosh Corporation joined me for a group picture after a talk I was invited to give at the company headquarters on Friday, Oct. 3. The company is now home to more than 400 Titan alumni.

We will listen deeply. We will act boldly. And we will stay grounded in the values that define us: educational access, regional stewardship for building prosperous communities and a stronger nation, innovation, and the belief that every student has the right to lead a life of meaning, impact, success, and dignity.

One hundred days is only the beginning. But in these few weeks, I’ve come to realize something special about us: the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a place of grit and heart, of strength and unity, of people who are bold and ready to shape a promising future for all—together.

Here’s to the Titans and to the next 100 days and beyond. The best chapters are yet to be written.

Go Titans!