Dear John Calhoun Baker University Center,
Saying farewell is never easy, and it never should be. My departure from Ohio University is bittersweet, and I wanted to take a moment to thank you, Baker Center, for your service to the university and the Athens community. It has been my honor to serve you and the Bobcat family.
Firstly, thank you for serving as a welcoming background to countless personal interactions. I have witnessed students falling in love and breaking up in your hallways and lounges. You host meetings where the future of the university is determined. Guest speakers and lecturers share their perspectives with our students and local community. You serve as the location where differences can be aired and common ground achieved.
The individual threads of our community are more easily woven into a beautiful fabric because you exist. The relationships and memories knit within you will last a lifetime.
Secondly, I need to thank the faculty, staff and administrators who work diligently to open your doors and fill you with the vibrant and engaging environment required to make our students successful — specifically the event services team members, consisting of professional and student staff, who are focused and passionate about their work.
They sacrifice time with their loved ones and personal pursuits to ensure that you are always ready to fulfill your role for the campus community. Without their daily efforts, the lights would be dark.
As for me, I will leave the executive director position more seasoned as a professional, more confident in my role as an educator, and firm in my belief that the best days for OU are still to come.
Baker, working together with your campus colleagues, I know that OU will continue to be one of the finest institutions of higher education as you fulfill the Promise of being the best student-centered learning experience in the United States of America.
Sincerely,
Sujit
P.S. Please let Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium and Galbreath Chapel know that they are awesome as well
Sujit Chemburkar is the outgoing executive director of Baker Center and Event Services.
