I’m not usually a betting woman, but I would wager that I am as excited as any of you are about the new academic year. About 3,400 of you are new students, ready to dive into your graduate studies. I welcome you warmly. Almost three in ten of you are from California, four in ten come from across the U.S., and about three in ten hail from elsewhere in the world. Incoming students join about 7,000 Master’s and doctoral students who are continuing their studies, research, and professional development. Each of you contributes to what makes Berkeley so distinctive. I’m excited to announce an initiative that will help both new and continuing graduate students, at every point in your academic progression, to reach your goals. Our new Graduate Professional Services (GPS) Center will offer a connected array of resources and activities to help you develop professional skills as an integral part of your studies, and to help you learn about and prepare for a diverse range of careers, whether in academia, public service, or the private sector. The GPS Center will coordinate new partnerships among many student, faculty, and staff projects. The Center features a new multi-purpose space in 309 Sproul Hall for many professional development activities. A new online calendar will show relevant events and workshops wherever they occur on campus, and flag how they help with skill-building and career planning. A new online Graduate Student Professional Development resource will point to specific competencies every graduate student needs, and ways to develop skills during your time here. You will hear more about all this in the coming weeks. I’m confident that each of you can gain great benefit from taking advantage of these offerings. Meanwhile, I look forward to welcoming many of you at the New Graduate Student Orientation on August 25 — a not-be-missed introduction to resources designed to help you thrive at Berkeley. And I will be glad to see more of our diverse and engaging graduate student body at various exciting activities over the coming academic year. Fiat lux! Fiona M. Doyle Dean of the Graduate Division Donald H. McLaughlin Professor of Mineral Engineering
I’m not usually a betting woman, but I would wager that I am as excited as any of you are about the new academic year. About 3,400 of you are new students, ready to dive into your graduate studies. I welcome you warmly. Almost three in ten of you are from California, four in ten come from across the U.S., and about three in ten hail from elsewhere in the world. Incoming students join about 7,000 Master’s and doctoral students who are continuing their studies, research, and professional development. Each of you contributes to what makes Berkeley so distinctive. I’m excited to announce an initiative that will help both new and continuing graduate students, at every point in your academic progression, to reach your goals. Our new Graduate Professional Services (GPS) Center will offer a connected array of resources and activities to help you develop professional skills as an integral part of your studies, and to help you learn about and prepare for a diverse range of careers, whether in academia, public service, or the private sector. The GPS Center will coordinate new partnerships among many student, faculty, and staff projects. The Center features a new multi-purpose space in 309 Sproul Hall for many professional development activities. A new online calendar will show relevant events and workshops wherever they occur on campus, and flag how they help with skill-building and career planning. A new online Graduate Student Professional Development resource will point to specific competencies every graduate student needs, and ways to develop skills during your time here. You will hear more about all this in the coming weeks. I’m confident that each of you can gain great benefit from taking advantage of these offerings. Meanwhile, I look forward to welcoming many of you at the New Graduate Student Orientation on August 25 — a not-be-missed introduction to resources designed to help you thrive at Berkeley. And I will be glad to see more of our diverse and engaging graduate student body at various exciting activities over the coming academic year. Fiat lux! Fiona M. Doyle Dean of the Graduate Division Donald H. McLaughlin Professor of Mineral Engineering