Members of the UT Dallas community:It was this time last year when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared to be a worldwide threat. Tragically, in these last 12 months, the pandemic has turned lives upside down and taken a massive toll throughout the world, including the lives of more than half-a-million Americans. Sometimes it felt as if we were running a long-distance race with no finish line in sight. I commend our faculty and staff whose dedication has kept our University operating even during the most difficult of times. Returning to our metaphor, now the finish line to our race is in sight.