Dear College of Engineering Faculty, Students, Staff and Alumni:
Earlier today Provost Arden shared with the university community the news that I have decided to step down from my position as Dean of our College at the end of the 2022-23 academic year to return to the faculty. I am writing to share this news more personally with you and most of all to sincerely thank you for all your support since my arrival as Dean in August 2006.
While there are a number of personal reasons that have motivated this decision, the reality is that I never would have imagined when I arrived in 2006 that 16 years later, I would still be serving in this role. It has indeed been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to have been able to serve and lead the College of Engineering at NC State for such an extended period of time and I am very proud of the many outstanding accomplishments which have driven our College’s growth and rise in reputation during these years.
Everything that our College has accomplished has been a product of the extraordinary efforts, support, and dedicated commitment that all of you have made throughout all these years. I will always be indebted to you for the way you have embraced our vision of making the College of Engineering at NC State a preeminent global leader in engineering education, research, and innovation. We are a lot closer to this goal today than we were 16 years ago so please know that each and every one of you, whether you be faculty, students, staff, or alumni, have played an important role in moving us forward.
I also want to thank you for your efforts to create a more inclusive, equitable and diverse culture and environment in our College, all of which I feel continues to move us in the right direction and enhance the excellence of all our educational, research and outreach endeavors. I also want to share my admiration and appreciation for the persistence and resilience that you have demonstrated during the many unique challenges we have all faced during the more than two years of the pandemic. I am very proud of how as a College we have persevered and emerged even stronger than before.
All this being said, I am very excited about this upcoming academic year and look forward to continuing to work with you to enhance both the achievements and reputation of our college. In particular, the challenges and opportunities provided by the engineering expansion mandate to continue to grow and enhance our College make this a unique and positive moment in our history. I am committed to dedicating significant effort to help ensure both the continuity and eventual success of this endeavor. Both the university and legislative support that are making this possible are critical and appreciated and also speak to their recognition of the very significant role that our College has played and will continue to play in the growth and success of NC State and the economic development of North Carolina.
Let me end by simply saying that we have a lot of work to do this year and since I don’t plan on slowing down, I am counting on all of you to continue to move full speed ahead. The last 16 years have been a wonderful journey for both Maggie and me and we are most appreciative of your friendship and support. We also look forward to seeing you and continuing to work and interact with you throughout the forthcoming year.
Sincerely,
Dean Louie
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