Looking back, looking ahead: A legacy of purpose and impact
The bold word I have chosen for this month is legacy.
Legacy reflects the work we have done that carries into the future. Many faculty think about their legacy through their research and their students. Research becomes part of a legacy because it contributes new knowledge, shapes understanding, and creates pathways for others to build upon. Students are also part of faculty legacy because they become scholars, teachers, and professionals themselves and carry forward knowledge and new ideas.
Legacy connects closely to last month’s bold word, impact. Impact is the difference we make in the present and how our actions shape outcomes and influence others. Legacy, however, extends that idea across time. It reflects what we do and what endures.
I will admit that legacy has not always felt like a bold word to me in the same way as others, such as courage or unstoppable, which suggest action, momentum and achievement. Legacy feels different. It feels more reflective, even a bit daunting. To think about legacy is to consider the arc of a career and to ask what has truly lasted. Nevertheless, that is precisely what makes it bold. It suggests that something we have done, often through many small and consistent efforts, has created lasting change.
This word is particularly meaningful to me at this moment. As some of you may know, I have accepted the position of Senior Vice President and Provost at Temple University, beginning in July 2026. In preparing for this transition, I have found myself reflecting on my 29 years at ASU and, humbly, on my own legacy.
That legacy includes my research, which has focused on understanding the urban environment in Phoenix and beyond. For me, my students are an especially important part of my legacy. My former students now hold positions locally, across the US, and around the world, including in South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland. It also includes the many faculty and staff I have had the privilege to support through hiring and promotion, as well as the programs, facilities, and academic structures we have built together. There are new degree programs, student awards, and spaces that will continue to serve this institution for years to come.
I share this final Dean’s Desk with as much humility as I can, but also with a sense of pride. None of this work was done alone. It reflects collaboration, shared purpose, and the contributions of many colleagues and friends who have made this journey both meaningful and enjoyable.
As I look ahead, I am both saddened to leave this remarkable institution and excited for my next chapter. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this experience and who has contributed, in ways large and small, to the legacy we have created together.
