Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, and all Members of the University Community:
As we begin this semester, I want to convey just how excited I am for what lies ahead for our University. The year 2025, in particular, will be a milestone of achievement and distinction that I have rarely seen in my career in higher education. And I want to thank each of you for being part of it.
The new year marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of the University of Rochester, a remarkable moment in our history of academic excellence and innovation as a leading research university. Also, over the next several months, we will celebrate the centennial of our Medical Center, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the School of Nursing. We have one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers and we have always been true pioneers in bringing together research and clinical care.
As an institution, we will continue the course set out by our Boundless Possibility strategic plan. The goals outlined in the plan align our outstanding history with our ever-forward missions to advance knowledge, improve clinical care, enhance cultural vitality, and develop the next generation of leaders in our professional and civic communities.
In addition, the coming year will mark our first comprehensive, institutional marketing effort. That initiative, which will evolve, will bring new energy to how we share our stories across the landscape of higher education. We will see the academic and research leadership of the University shared with our constituents and the public at large in ways that enhance our reputation and that remind us of why we’re proud to be part of this great community.
Higher education and health care are facing challenges, but we have many supporters who value our mission and our contributions to our communities. I encourage all of us to be positive and proactive in how we engage with one another—in our roles as classmates and colleagues as well as in conversations beyond the immediate University community. In all our interactions, we must model our values—the values that have enriched our 175-year history—as members of an open-minded, respectful, academic community that’s dedicated to serving the greater good.
The start of a new semester remains a time to celebrate our successes—of which there have been many—and to reflect on where we can do better. It’s also a moment to look ahead as we chart our ideas for new courses, projects, programs, and our own personal milestones. As always, we look forward to celebrating the achievements of our community during Commencement ceremonies in May.
I am confident that we will accomplish great things in the coming year and beyond. I want to thank each of you for your contributions to our success and for your engagement in supporting each other in our common endeavors as scholars and citizens. I wish you a new semester filled with opportunity.
Meliora,
Sarah C. Mangelsdorf
President and G. Robert Witmer, Jr. University Professor