A Message from the Dean
Life is constantly changing whether we want it to or not. This is a moment of reflection for me but, in almost equal measure, it is a time to look forward as well. Nine years ago, I visioned an eNewsletter that would help convey the width and breadth of the School of Music both internally to Baylor and externally to our alumni, supporters and to the public. With a distribution list approaching 5,000, I feel that the newsletter has lived up to all that I hoped it would be.
On Friday, April 26, the same day that my retirement celebration took place at the Baylor Club, Wren Ivy Mortenson Matlick was born to our daughter Leah and her husband Garrett Matlick, and Kristin and I celebrated the birth of our first grandchild. As I look forward, the future holds many new rewards and challenges that will have me spending about half my time in the woods of Michigan as president and CEO of Blue Lake Fine Arts. While I will deeply miss Baylor’s incredible School of Music, I take comfort in the fact that my ties to Baylor will continue as our plans include keeping our home here in Woodway and staying active in the community and at 7th and James Church. This is what I mean when I say this is a moment of reflection and to look forward. So much of my life seems to divide itself in these two directions.
Serving as a dean at Baylor University during a time of ambitious challenges, yielding significant rewards has been the greatest honor of my public facing life. I thank the incredible people, both in the School of Music, and all through the University, who have made my life so rich and rewarding. I never could have imagined a better experience than the one I found here—working with and for—such honorable and dedicated people. May the School of Music live further into its full potential under the leadership of Dean Kevin Sanders.
Semper Pro Musica!
Gary Mortenson