I didn’t set out for this to be interview season.
What began as a deliberate pause—stepping out of my previous role to reflect, recalibrate, and listen—quickly turned into a season of conversations. Interviews. Reconnection. Unexpected offers. Doors opening not through force, but through alignment.
There’s something quietly affirming about that kind of momentum. When you stop chasing outcomes and start honoring clarity, the right work has a way of finding you.
Choosing Alignment Over Accumulation
Out of the offers that came my way, one stood out—not because it was loud, but because it felt right. I’ve accepted a role with the University of Massachusetts Global, and I’ll begin in March as Associate Professor of Operations and Project Management.
This role brings together so much of what matters to me: meaningful teaching, applied leadership, systems thinking, and the chance to reconnect with colleagues I respect and admire. It’s work that feels both grounding and expansive—rigorous, relational, and deeply human.
That combination is rare. I don’t take it lightly.
A Pilgrimage of Service
Before stepping fully into that next professional chapter, February holds something profoundly sacred.
I’ll be making a pilgrimage to Apple Oak Grove, where I will be named a 3rd Degree High Priest and Successor High Priest. This is not a title I sought for recognition, but a responsibility I accept with humility and gratitude.
Leadership, in any context, is ultimately about service. About holding space. About tending community. This moment feels like a deepening of that calling—and I’m honored to step into it with care.
Sharing the Work With the World
March will take me even farther afield—traveling to Dubai to present at Social Capital 2026. Standing in a global space to share research and insights on human connection, trust, and social capital feels like a culmination of years of inquiry and lived experience.
At the same time, I’m continuing work on my next book, Starving for Connection: Social Capital in a Hyper “Connected” World, which I expect to complete later this year. This project has been living in me for a long time—and it’s finally beginning to take its full shape.
The Fire Horse Rises
All of this—new roles, sacred commitments, global sharing, creative work—feels like the Year of the Fire Horse moving from symbol into lived reality. Fire brings clarity. Motion. Courage. It burns away what no longer serves and illuminates what remains essential.
And I’ll be honest: I feel ready.
Ready to teach.
Ready to serve.
Ready to write.
Ready to lead with integrity and heart.
This isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing what matters—fully.
The fire is lit.
And I’m stepping forward.
— The Social Capitalist
The Official Author Page of Dr. Rick L. Mask (The Social Capitalist) and the Home of Social Capital 2.0 