An End-of-Year Message from the President

As this difficult year comes to a close, I am more grateful than ever to be a part of our PAU community. The commitment of our faculty, staff, and students to persist in their work through challenging times, and to be in service to the community and to the broader field of mental health is even more important during this time of crisis. So grateful to our faculty who have taken on national leadership roles during this pandemic -- Professor Lisa Brown and Distinguished Professor Ricardo Muñoz were among those called upon to assist in federal efforts to provide more effective service to older adults and families; so grateful to our students who have put their experience to work at community organizations and mental health agencies and to do so through tele-mental health; and so grateful to our staff who were there every step of the way to keep our campus community connected. While vaccines and public health protocols may tame the virus, a crisis is overwhelming our mental health care system. At the forefront of education, research, and training in the fields of psychology and counseling, PAU can lead the way through its excellence in research, teaching, and clinical training to address the challenges ahead. Please take a moment to rest and restore over the holidays and best wishes for good health in the New Year.

Maureen O'Connor