Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2019

This is not only my last fall as the president of Southwestern University, but it is also my last semester teaching one of my favorite courses, Effective Thinking through Creative Puzzle- Solving. The goal of the course aligns with the mission of the University: to o”er a meaningful, life-changing, and challenging intellectual experience that will enhance students’ ability to contemplate, understand, think, create, and connect and to do so joyfully beyond the course itself. Each semester, I look to my students to improve my courses. I try to model and live that which Iwant to inspire and teach: becoming better. I have received some brilliantly creative ideas from my students, and I think theymademy classes, me, and, ideally, themselves better still. Just as in life, change is the only constant in a high-impact education. As the world around us continues to move at a dizzying, constantly accelerating pace, we cannot rest on our laurels and trust that what works for our students today will continue to meet their needs tomorrow. We must remain vigilant about transforming the educational experiencewe o”er our students sowe can lead themon a genuine intellectual journey.We must embrace change so our students can grow into better versions of themselves and live richer, fuller lives. By stepping away from the presidency of Southwestern, I am allowing new energy and ideas to take us to the next chapter of our University’s story. I remain profoundly grateful to all the students, alumni, colleagues, parents, and friends of the Universitywho have been so supportive and oppor- tunity focused aswe haveworked together tomake our beloved institution an even better place to fostermeaningful humanflourishing. Iwill always love Southwestern, and itwill remainmy academic home for the rest of my life, but the quintessential element of life is change. We should focus on making meaning and making a difference—no matter where that noble calling carries us. With optimism for our shared future, Edward Burger President and Professor Dear reader, If you think about it, higher education and transformation go hand in hand. College is a nurturing space where undergradu- ates shape their identities, becoming independent adults as they explore new interests and opportunities. In the sciences, we learn about oxidation, changes of state, evolution, and climate change; in the humanities and social sciences, we examine historic andartistic revolutions, andwediscuss thedevelopment and decline of languages, philosophies, behaviors, beliefs, and economic or political systems. And in the face of evolving demand in an increasingly competitivemarket, universities and individual disciplines are adaptingwhile preserving academia’s mission of supporting e”ective teaching, innovative research, and lifelong learning. At Southwestern, positive change is afoot, but theUniversity continues its long-cherished mission of changing students’ lives for the better, which is why transformation is the theme of this issue. In our features, Debbie Ritenour explores how the landscape of our historic campus has undergone significant changes, including a newscience center that reflects the evolving culture of scientific research and teaching. ClaraMcMichael ’17writes about three young alumni who converted internships into post- graduate jobs, and Barbra Rodriguez shares how SU English professors are helping students dispel a pervasive culturalmyth of the humanities major. We also recount the many ways that Southwestern has progressed under the leadership of President Burger, who, after 38 years in higher education, is embarking on a life-changing career transition of his own. Elsewhere in the issue, you’ll find SU parents’ thoughts on Georgetown’s exponential growth in recent years. Meanwhile, our alumni profiles showcase an executive vice president and corporate attorney who broke the glass ceiling in the energy industry, an artist who depicts her personal transformation on canvas, and a yoga instructor who learned how to change her mind by changing her body. A few neuroscientific and psychological studies in recent years have suggested that reading fiction can rewire part of the brain and improve our empathetic responses to others. We hope that these nonfiction stories, too, will transform you by capturing your imagination, opening your heart, and broadening your perspective. Meilee D. Bridges, Ph.D. Writer and Editor Southwestern University E D I T O R ' S L E T T E R With Apologies to Ovid and KaŽa 7 SOUTHWESTERN