The Spring semester brings much excitement every year. From Mardi Gras to the President's Open House to graduation, the entire Loyola community gets involved. As we move towards commencement and the culmination of so many student-careers, we here at the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences feel the joy and rewards alongside our soon-to-be graduates. 

Our students motivate us to go the extra mile, and our College's creative, productive, and committed faculty, staff, and students have had a banner year. In today's newsletter, you can read about the many recent achievements of our outstanding community. We are particularly proud of the stories featuring undergraduate research and student-faculty collaborations. The fine work of these students and faculty is made possible through on-going contributions from alumni and friends of the College. To lend your support to HNS programs like these, please see our College's Faith in the Future campaign page here. 

I also encourage you to click around our freshly updated website for other news. As a mathematician, of special interest to me is the new field of study available in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Starting in Fall 2015, students will be able to work towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems. Loyola offered this concentration pre-Katrina. The restoration of this interdisciplinary program, created in collaboration with the College of Business, reflects our commitment to student-needs in this technical and career-oriented area. As New Orleans continues its dynamic expansion, we are excited to be reintroducing this subject where we will prepare graduates for meaningful lives of service in fulfilling professional positions.

PHOTO: Dean Maria Calzada with Math graduate Leah Birch. Birch, class of 2012, is now pursuing a doctorate in applied mathematics at Harvard University.