Interim Dean Dr. Cynthia Y. Lester
Dear Faculty and Staff:
It feels like we kicked off the fall semester only yesterday but already are focused on ending another successful semester at Perimeter College. This is an especially exciting time for the 675 students who, next week, will receive their associate degrees and become proud Perimeter alumni on Dec. 14. Students from Phillips State Prison are also among our fall graduates and will have a private ceremony on Dec. 15. Congratulations to each of our fall ’23 graduates—and thank you to our faculty and staff who helped them reach this incredible milestone.
Next week’s celebrations also will include our traditional nurse pinning ritual, a unique ceremony that acknowledges the hard work and commitment to coursework and clinicals for our nursing graduates. I am honored to take part once again in this special rite by sharing remarks with our nursing students and extending well wishes as they prepare to fill high-demand healthcare positions in communities throughout metro Atlanta and beyond.
Looking ahead, please mark your calendar for our fourth annual Mario A.J. Bennekin Black History Symposium scheduled for Feb. 19-23, 2024, with activities on every Perimeter Campus. Watch your email for more details about the event and other activities during the week-long symposium.
Even sooner, I look forward to ‘mixing and mingling’ with those of you who RSVP’ed for the Holiday Breakfast Bash this Thursday, Dec. 7 from 9-10:30 a.m. on Clarkston Campus in the CN Building, first floor. Bring a canned good or other needed item to help us support the Panther’s Pantry.
In another calendar item, please note that our last day for fall operations on Perimeter campuses is Dec. 15. The college will re-open for faculty and staff Tuesday, Jan. 2, with the spring semester beginning Monday, Jan. 8.
Finally, as we prepare for a well-deserved break from our day-to-day at the college, I hope that you will consider just how valued you are at Perimeter. You are an important part of what makes us so special. Thank you—and happy holidays to you and yours; I’ll see you in 2024!
Warm regards,
Cynthia Y. Lester, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
Perimeter College
Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives
Georgia State University