Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Welcome back.  I hope everyone enjoyed the break last week.  With spring officially starting this Wednesday and outdoor temperatures beginning to climb, I’ll be glad to say goodbye to the winter we’ve all been through.  I’m also eager for numerous campus events that are coming soon: the 2019 Literary Festival (March 25-29), Pride’s Drag Show (April 4), Relay for Life (April 5), Student Symposium (April 9), Day of Service (April 13), and still more.

As I look forward to the weeks ahead, though, I remain preoccupied – as many of you must be – by the horrific murders in New Zealand last Friday of 50 men, women and children as they said their prayers.  The racism, derangement and cowardice that propelled the gunman on his vicious anti-Muslim shooting rampage are more than I can comprehend.

Although my words are far from adequate, I am sending letters of condolence and support to the two mosques in Christchurch where the murders took place.  I have also learned that donations to help the families of those killed may be made through the website victimsupport.org.nz.

I wish you all the very best as we begin the second half of this spring semester.

Stephen D. Schutt
President
Lake Forest College