The thermometer is just now beginning to catch up with the calendar and the tulips and other spring flowers have made their presence known throughout the flower beds that dot the beautiful Baldwin City campus. Perhaps spring is really here.

While the Baker campuses were blanketed in snow, a few staff members and administrators enjoyed the opportunity to visit alumni and former students and their guests during a series of gatherings in Green Valley, Sun City West and Scottsdale, Ariz., and San Diego and San Francisco, Calif.

March 2, a bit of Hollywood visited Baker. The 5th Annual Scholarship Gala was held in Overland Park with nearly 400 in attendance.

Usually winter is a time when we in administration can try to recover from the activities that have taken place in the fall. However, this is not such a winter. And it all has to do with an announcement Dr. Pat Long made during the Founder’s Day event on Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Over the Christmas break, while tending to a stack of items on my desk, I found a copy of a Baker University News Bulletin from the fall semester of my sophomore year. I enjoyed looking back through its contents and have used some of what I read in this issue of the Arbor.

The intent of the Arbor has always been a communication tool to inform, perhaps entertain and further engage you with the University. That being said, I feel it is important here at the end of 2012 and in the face of potentially detrimental legislation to present information not only in favor of financially supporting this institution but also in favor of supporting philanthropy in general.

Every month I get a question or two about how the Arbor is produced. So I thought I would provide details about how this special newsletter comes together.

During the recent Athletic Hall of Fame Induction and Student-Athlete Awards Banquet, I was deeply impressed and inspired by the student-athletes being honored and all they have accomplished both on and off the playing field. Eighty-two Baker students received designation as NAIA Scholar Athletes, first team all-conference in their individual sport or as NAIA All-Americans.

On the Baldwin City campus and in Topeka at the School of Nursing excitement abounds as new students arrive on campus as they have since 1858, at least in Baldwin City, to begin classes and to take the place of our former students who graduated last May.

During an extended drive after Alumni Weekend I began recounting the year in terms of contacts made with alumni and other “Bakerites.” And those who know me best know that meeting with alumni, former students, friends and donors of Baker has always been the true joy of the several positions I have held here at the University.