Community Welcome

Welcome back! It's a thrill to have so many of you back on campus, live and in person, for the start of fall term. It's been so great to reconnect with colleagues, welcome new and returning students, and wholly reengage with this special place we call Dartmouth.

And there's so much to be excited about … Trips and outdoor programs starting again … the return of artistic performances at The Hop … the new Indoor Practice Facility, ready for our student-athletes as they resume competition … the new Center for Computer Science that has risen in the West End of campus … the exciting new Irving Institute for Energy & Society … the stunning renovations underway at Dartmouth Hall.

It is, without a doubt, going to be a year of homecoming and celebration for all of us.

And I want to thank all of you – students, faculty, and staff, alike - for your patience and perseverance in getting us to this point.

It's been a lot to ask of each of you, but I hope you're settling into your first week reminded of how special it is to be part of the Dartmouth community, even – and especially – in these trying times.

This coming year promises to be filled with all the things that make the Dartmouth experience so extraordinary:  getting to learn from professors who are not only outstanding teachers, but thought leaders in their fields…enjoying the beauty and challenge of the outdoors…building community and lifelong friends.

So today, I simply want to wish you all a great fall term. Be happy, stay healthy, and embrace this time of teaching and learning together with everything you've got.