From the Desk of Vice President/AD Brian White

Owl Family,

This is an unprecedented period in our history. Over the past few days we've gone from the uncertainty of how to handle March Madness and our spring sports schedules with few or no fans to closing down all competition and practices through the rest of the spring.

Understanding the challenge we're all facing, it is important we all realize the importance of changing the way we interact with one another. I can assure you that our main focus has been and will continue to be the safety and welfare of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the greater community.

Many of our student-athletes are currently off campus with family. Some with extenuating circumstances are still here on campus. The university has moved to online delivery of classes, while faculty and staff are being encouraged to work remotely.

I encourage you all to "Defend Paradise" by listening to public health officials' recommendations. Social distancing is vitally important and can work to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

I have so much gratitude and overwhelming pride for our student-athletes, coaches and staff. Some of them saw their seasons end abruptly. Some of them were doing everything they could to prepare for their upcoming seasons. Much of the camaraderie and esprit de corps they get from being part of a team has been taken away from them for now. There were tears. There was frustration. That's to be expected. But through it all, there has been grace and understanding as well.

We are making every effort to ensure the resources needed to transition into a different learning environment are available to our student-athletes. Sports provide some of the best opportunities for young people to deal with and overcome adversity.

In every one of our lives, we have had challenges to overcome. We can overcome this by working together, even if its remotely and through social distancing.

As I reflect on the 2019-20 year, I'm reminded of some amazing success in competition, in the classroom and in the community for Owl student-athletes, which makes it even harder to see the year come to a premature end. We won championships, we had teams in the midst of their best seasons ever. We've had nine straight semesters where our athletic department averaged a 3.0 GPA. For the last three years, FAU student-athletes have logged an average of more than 4,500 hours of community service.

I look forward to a time when FAU students, faculty and staff are all back here on campus … a time when we can all once again congregate and celebrate as the FAU family.

Go Owls!
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From the Desk of Vice President/AD Brian White

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