Thank you, Joanna, for that wonderful introduction. I am honored and privileged to have known you first as an undergraduate student researcher at Peru State College, then as my graduate student at Sam Houston State University, and for the past nearly 20 years as a great friend and colleague! Thank you, Dr. John Janovy Jr., for introducing me to the wonderful world of parasitology when I was a freshman at the University of Nebraska. Thank you also to the American Society of Parasitologists for the honor of serving you in this role and a big thanks to our wonderful symposium speakers, who shared with us their exceptional ideas for excelling in Big Science at Small Institutions!
Since being elected Vice President 3 years ago, every single email exchange I have had with John Janovy has either opened or closed with him asking “Have you written your presidential address yet?” Of...