As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to reach out and thank you for your contributions and responses to TIGERs GPS. In a world seemingly increasingly polarized and more complex, it is important to create a space for us all to have open and civil dialogue with each other. One of the things to reflect on in this space is the word “public” in our degree program.
Public comes from the Latin word “publicus” which means “of the people; of the state; done for the state; common,” and from the Old Latin “poplicus,” meaning “pertaining to the people.” These words historically and today remind me that we are all really in this together. We do not have to agree and we can even strongly disagree, but if we respect each other and value the communities we create for each other, we can find a way forward.
As I reflect on the Holiday season and my own gratitude, I am grateful for the good fortune we have and for all of you who make it possible. I am especially grateful for the hard work that you all do in making our communities stronger – because we are all in this together! Cheers!
Happy Holidays! Dr. Lori Dickes