Dear friends, alumni, colleagues and students, As you read these lines, I will have completed my first year as the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at the Daytona Beach campus. When I interviewed for the position in Summer 2022, I immediately felt that I belonged here. I was attracted by the mission of the university as the leader in aerospace education, the central role of COAS within the educational journey of our students, the emphasis on providing a world-class education, the dedicated and talented students, the excellent faculty, our impressive alumni and the incredible growth potential in research, scholarship and the creation of new programs. With my background as a scientist and engineer, and my experience in the arts and sciences, coming to Embry-Riddle has been a dream come true. Now that I have spent some time here, my expectations have been far surpassed. I am amazed by the dedication and creativity of our students, faculty and staff. The sky is not the limit at Embry-Riddle. What is the mission of the college? As the primary home of our general education program, classes taught at COAS provide a foundation for the Embry-Riddle academic experience. Through our classes, students acquire the skills to communicate clearly, assess information from multiple viewpoints, deal with complexity and lead diverse teams. They understand the world around them and anticipate trends and new directions. Our alumni, who are accomplished leaders in their fields, tell me their confidence as leaders was fostered by personal interactions with our faculty, often in connection with a general education class, an undergraduate research experience, a project or a study abroad opportunity. COAS provides excellent degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our programs prepare students for successful careers in industry, government and public service. We also strive to advance research and scholarship. Our faculty are scholar-teachers, meaning they stay up to date on the latest research, create new knowledge and are involved in scholarship. And they translate their scholarship into mentorship of our students. My vision for COAS is to create more opportunities for students to get involved in projects, research, internships, engaged learning and study abroad. I want to build resources to support students through scholarships and project funding, as well as support faculty and research labs to advance research and scholarship. And most of all, my vision is that you become a part of this exciting and unfolding story.
Peter M. Hoffmann Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
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