Fiona M. Doyle

In my first month as the new Dean of the Graduate Division, I’ve been crisscrossing the campus, visiting the 18 schools, colleges, and divisions that comprise our university, meeting with deans, department chairs, and senior administrators. I’ve been asking for their views on how the Graduate Division serves our 105 graduate programs, their faculty and students; asking about their concerns and inviting their advice.

I’ve been doing a lot of listening! And what I’m hearing is quite exciting. Faculty rave about the excellence of their graduate students, about the quality of their ideas and innovations, about the inspiring partnerships faculty and graduate students share, whether in teaching and mentoring undergraduates, conducting large-scale interdisciplinary research initiatives, or tackling projects in our professional programs.

I’ve also been hearing directly from students — for example, at the Graduate Assembly’s first delegates’ meeting of the semester. I’m uplifted by students’ passions and zeal to make Berkeley the best it can possibly be and to publicize this excellence. I also see the quintessential Berkeley drive to have positive impacts in the greater world, from Richmond to Sacramento to Washington DC to every corner of the globe.

Within the Graduate Division, I’ve been listening to the staff in our units. These professionals work with dedication and creativity with the staff and faculty in our departments to provide financial, professional and administrative support for Berkeley’s graduate students.

In short, what I hear and see is that graduate education continues to be Berkeley’s crowning achievement. Please join me in thanking everyone involved in making this so!

Sincerely,

Fiona M. Doyle