Office of the Chancellor

Welcome to a Bold New Academic Year

August 21, 2023
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

A new academic year gets underway today, and I’m delighted to be among the first to welcome everyone to Purdue Fort Wayne!

If you’re new to the university this fall as a first-year, transfer, graduate, or international student—or if you’ve joined us as a new member of the faculty or staff—we’re so glad you’re here. You have joined a vibrant university community, and we are committed to helping you settle in and get off to a great start.

We are especially pleased to welcome a talented and accomplished group of faculty members who are joining us this fall. This includes two tenured faculty, 13 tenure-track faculty, five clinical faculty, one lecturer, and 17 new or returning visiting faculty. Our new colleagues possess outstanding credentials, having earned experience and degrees from respected institutions around the country. I trust everyone will make every effort to help our new colleagues get acclimated to the university, as well as to Fort Wayne.

To our returning students, faculty, and staff, welcome back. You’re already part of the wonderfully diverse fabric of this incredible university.

We have much to celebrate this fall, not the least of which is that we have 1,599 students now living in campus housing—the most ever! Thanks to everyone who, undeterred by a little rain, helped our students and their families during move-in days last Thursday and Friday. Likewise, thanks to all members of the faculty and staff who worked so diligently to focus on enrollment this year. We are optimistic that we will meet or exceed our enrollment goals once the final numbers are determined.

We take great pride in the wealth of events and activities we offer throughout the year—events that fuel our curiosity, entertain us, and contribute to our sense of community. I’d like to call your attention to a few that you’ll surely want to add to your calendar. First and foremost, Campus Kickoff is being held today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Science Mall. We hope all students will be able to stop by in between classes. On October 1, we will host the second annual Mastodon Family Picnic for faculty and staff and their families. This will be a great opportunity to mix and mingle with colleagues in a relaxed and family-friendly setting. And keep an eye out next week for an announcement about the impressive lineup for this season’s Omnibus Speaker Series. You can always visit our comprehensive Events Calendar to learn more about what’s happening throughout the year.

We have made tremendous progress implementing the university’s strategic plan during the past few years. On October 30, we are setting aside a full day devoted to reviewing our progress and charting the next exciting phase of our university’s growth and development. We invite faculty, staff, and students to join us, roll up your sleeves, and participate in an active planning session. More information on this critically important university initiative will be forthcoming.

As you’ll quickly come to realize, we place a high value on communications within our university community, and we share important campus news and information via several communications platforms. Inside PFW, our official faculty and staff newsletter, is delivered via email every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Don Life, our official student newsletter, is delivered to all students, including Indiana University Fort Wayne students, via email every Wednesday morning. A new email communications vehicle, What It Takes, which is sent to students via email on Thursdays and Sundays, includes important information and advice on what it takes to thrive and succeed at Purdue Fort Wayne.

You’ll also hear from me from time to time on matters of interest or importance through messages like the one you’re reading now.

As a matter of fact, I’ll be in touch with you next Monday morning with an important message regarding how we work to keep our campus community safe and secure and what you can do to help ensure your own safety and well-being. A first step for anyone who hasn’t done so already is to sign up for emergency text alerts. It’s simple and easy. Just log in to goPFW to register for text-message alerts that are delivered directly to your registered mobile devices in the event of a campus emergency. You’ll also find a wealth of relevant information on our new Campus Safety and Security website that launched last week.

News and information also are available in real time via the university’s official social media platforms: Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. We encourage you to follow and friend us now so that you don’t miss out.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to wish each of you every success as we begin this year of new and exciting experiences. As we like to say, “There’s strength in the Herd.” Please know we’re here to encourage and support you every step of the way.

I look forward to seeing you around campus very soon!

Sincerely,

Ron Elsenbaumer
Chancellor