Welcome Back

Welcome back to campus. I hope that everyone had a fun and relaxing spring break. The end of the semester is just a few shorts months away.

I would like to take a moment to commend Josh Fontanez and his planning team for their extensive programming and development opportunities on campus for celebration of Pride Week, March 26-31.

Pride Week is sponsored by The Norwich University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Allies club (NULGBTQA). The group had the idea to facilitate an educational and fun week on campus around the LGBTQ community. The events for the week were chosen to include many issues and topics which will benefit the entire Norwich community.

Pride Week activities include discussion groups, workshops, films, an arts and crafts show, and a special display in the rotunda of the Sullivan Museum. The week culminates with a prom in Milano Ballroom and a dance in Plumley Armory. Planning and coordinating an event like Pride Week is a major undertaking, and I thank Josh and his team for their efforts. It is my hope that events such as Pride Week will result in a more tolerant place for Norwich students to live and grow.

I recently made another trip to Indonesia to explore joint venture opportunities between Norwich and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. We are promoting our graduate and undergraduate programs, and trying to determine the ministry of defense's requirements for additional programs. Norwich may pursue combined research with their institution in areas such as cyber security and information assurance. We may also assist them in building a new senior military college for their army modeled after our own university. In addition to a partnership with the ministry of defense, there may be potential for other opportunities with civilian university's in Indonesia.

I am committed to integrating global education into the curriculum. Providing you with a worldwide perspective - either by studying abroad for a semester or by working side by side with international students studying at Norwich - will help you to be more effective leaders when you graduate.

Finally, I would like to congratulate our men's and women's hockey teams on their wonderful seasons. Both teams earned spots in their respective NCAA Division III Frozen Four tournaments. The men lost a tough game to defending champion and eventual tournament winner Saint Norbert, 4-1, in the semifinal game at Lake Placid. The Cadets ended their season with a record of 24-3-2.

The women's hockey team had an exciting 4-3 overtime victory over Gustavus Adolphus in their semifinal game held in Rochester, N. Y. Unfortunately the Cadets lost 4-1 in the championship game against top ranked R.I.T. The women ended their season with a record of 27-3-1.

Although neither of our hockey teams were able to bring home a national championship this year, several players and a coach were recognized for their outstanding efforts. Senior forward Julie Fortier of the women's team was chosen by the nation's coaches as the winner of the 2012 Laura Hurd Award, which is given annually to the nation's best Division III women's ice hockey player.

In addition, Julie and junior forward Jillayne DeBus were each named to the East Region First Team All-American squad while senior defensemen Amanda Wilks and Sarianne Lynn were both selected to the East Region Second Team.

For the third straight season, Norwich women's ice hockey coach Mark Bolding has been named the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III National Coach of the Year.

On the men's side, junior forwards Pier-Olivier Cotnoir and Kyle Thomas were each named CCM East Region All-Americans.

Congratulations to all of our hockey players and coaches.