Dean's Welcome
It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Graduate School of the University of Notre Dame. You have chosen well in seeking to pursue a graduate degree at one of the finest and most distinctive research universities in the country. We are looking forward to making you a part of this exciting academic and intellectual community. Our graduate students come from nearly every continent; from public and private universities; from careers in public service, the military, business and industry. In short, you are joining an extremely talented group of students with a diversity of experiences that, if shared, will enrich one another and this campus community.
During your years as an undergraduate, you discovered who you are as a person. The task during your years as a graduate student is to discover who you are as a scholar, researcher and professional. Course work that was essential to the definition of success as an undergraduate is now merely a foundation for the important work of demonstrating your capacity and performance as an independent scholar and researcher. Graduate education is intense and challenging because it needs to be. There is much to learn in order to contribute to your chosen field. Many talented individuals are eager to assist you or help enrich your graduate experience. Faculty in your program and related programs; staff in the Graduate School, colleges and departments; and fellow students will all play their part in helping you reach your goals. Your success is our success.
While the coming years will likely be filled with many long days, they should also be deeply satisfying. You will make friends who are as intensely passionate about your field as you are—but, perhaps even more important, you will make friends who are passionate about academic fields other than your own and are eager to share their enthusiasm for their work with you.
I hope that I will have the opportunity to meet you personally before I have the pleasure of shaking your hand at graduation. I wish you the very best in your studies at Notre Dame and in your career beyond.
Sincerely,
Christine Maziar
Acting Dean of the Graduate School
Vice President, Senior Associate Provost
Professor of Electrical Engineering