Words from the Senior Associate Vice-President

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Dear Friends and Colleagues, 

As autumn’s brilliance gives way to the quiet grace of winter, I am reminded that every season carries its own kind of renewal. The fall equinox marks balance, the equal sharing of light and shadow, and as we move toward the winter solstice, it calls us to reflect, to give thanks, and to prepare for what is to come. This moment in our journey as University Outreach mirrors that natural rhythm: a time of deep accomplishment, gratitude, and resolve. The stories in this issue of the OU Outreach Gazette capture our spirit of innovation, resilience, and service. From the Southwest Prevention Center’s historic $50 million grant to lead the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center, a profound recognition of nearly four decades of life-saving work, to the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies’ leadership in building communities of learning around civic discourse, each accomplishment affirms the extraordinary reach and purpose of our college. Across Outreach, our colleagues continue to light the way forward: EDUTAS celebrates a decade of preparing educational leaders through new virtual learning models; the Center for Public Management’s Forge Your Trail program empowers fathers navigating the digital age; E-TEAM’s receiving 1st Place at the Oklahoma Early Childhood and Research Symposium, and KGOU Radio once again earning statewide recognition for its excellence in journalism. These achievements, and so many others, demonstrate what it means to serve not only with skill but with heart. Yet we also know that this season brings its share of challenges. National, state, and local uncertainties, economic pressures, policy shifts, and changing expectations. These changes continue to test higher education and the public institutions we hold dear. Outreach is not immune to these forces. We are being asked to do more, often with less, while holding fast to our values of access, equity, and lifelong learning. But it is in these very moments that our shared purpose shines most brightly. We adapt. We innovate. We persevere. Through collaboration, creativity, and courage, we continue to extend the university's reach to every corner of the state, the nation, and beyond. That is the hallmark of Outreach and the heart of who we are. As we approach the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, may we also remember that it marks the turning point toward light. Even amid uncertainty, there is hope. There is progress. There is community. Together, we carry forward the unwavering belief that education transforms lives and that our collective work continues to shape a brighter tomorrow. With gratitude, admiration, and hope, 

Warmest regards, 

Belinda Biscoe, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Vice President for 
Outreach/College of Continuing Education
The University of Oklahoma