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Dear Lynx community,

Welcome back! As someone who thrives on the energy of a college campus, it’s a joy to see both new and familiar faces abound. I hope you had an enriching and rewarding summer and feel recharged as we embark on the 2025-26 academic year.

Last Friday, I attended my first University New Student Welcome alongside our first-year students. It was a much-needed reminder of the power of our community. I found myself immersed in the joy of the moment—grateful to serve a university so deeply committed to the success of our students.

I wanted to share with you the piece of advice that I shared with our new students: Find what you enjoy.

I invite you to reflect on what brings you joy and consider the ways you can lean into it. I know I’m at my best when I’m supporting our students, faculty, and staff. Whether that is direct engagement with our campus community or supporting our excellence behind the scenes as chancellor, this is the work that matters the most to me. As we begin the new year, I hope that we can all work to rally behind a common vision and purpose, moving intentionally and acting creatively to maximize the success and well-being of our community members.

I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to four new leaders who joined us this summer, each of whom brings vision, experience, and an enterprising mindset on the future state of higher education:

• Karen Marrongelle, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
• Zina Evans, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success
• Tammy Ewin, Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications
• David Rifkind, Dean of the College of Architecture and Planning 

The scope of our institution’s work and how we operate has grown and evolved to meet the moment since its inception. But, at its core, our public service mission remains unchanged. We prepare our students not only to thrive academically, but also to succeed after they graduate and contribute meaningfully as engaged citizens.

As we reach the midpoint of our , stay tuned for more information on the opportunities we’ll have to gather, reflect on our progress, and prepare for what is to come. 

Here’s to a year filled with purpose, growth, and curiosity. I hope to see you all at the this Thursday and at all of our events throughout the month.