ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ

Friday Focus: A time of celebration

April 25, 2025

— By Dan White, chancellor

Next Saturday is one of my favorite days of the year – Commencement! As I reflect on what commencement is and what it means, I am reminded of the opportunities that come with closing one chapter in life and beginning a new one. The ceremonial walk across the stage at commencement signifies that transition for every graduating student and family of a graduate. It is also a time of transition for each of you who have supported these students as faculty, staff, and administrators. As you participate in commencement events this week, please reflect on the ways that each of you impacted the journey of these graduating students. And in doing so, be proud. Their accomplishment is a reflection of the work of many.

And so with the semester coming to an end, I want to thank faculty and staff for their hard work leading up to this celebration. I especially want to thank recruiters, advisors, mentors, coaches and counselors who supported students along the way. I thank our janitorial contractor ABM, food contractor Chartwells, and bookstore contractor Barnes and Noble for making sure the students received nourishment in a clean and safe environment. My thanks to facilities, power plant, and grounds crews for preparing the campus on snowy, cold days so everyone else can do their jobs with light and heat. Thanks to our police, fire, emergency services, environment, health and risk management, and the office of rights, compliance and accountability for working to keep everyone safe. Thanks to the UA Counsel for helping navigate a complicated legal landscape and thanks to the members of our Board of Regents who volunteer for the full-time job of steering this big ship. Next weekend is the cherry on top of the student’s transformative experience that you helped shape.

Joining the celebration and attending commencement further reflects on everyone’s commitment to the success of students, programs, and ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ as a whole. The students are celebrating the completion of a degree, and you are celebrating their (and your) hard work in reaching this milestone. Attending and showing support for our graduating class further amplifies that ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ is the go-to place to get your degree. Commencement is the case in point that we are all in the enrollment business.

And speaking of enrollment, we have a unique opportunity at this moment in time to grow enrollment. More students than ever before – and from all across the country – are raising their hands to learn about the opportunities available at ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ. Capitalizing on this unique opportunity will take all of us being intentional with our actions. While there are many opportunities available, offering more in-person classes and increasing the caps on classes are great starting points. These actions allow us more opportunity to provide an amazing education to more students who have chosen ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ for their education. And if you don’t know what you can do to boost enrollment, talk to Vice Chancellor Guthrie. He will have a bunch of ideas to get you started. It doesn’t take long to find your unique role in growing enrollment and vibrancy at ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ.

As many of you have heard, Provost and Vice Chancellor Anupma Prakash announced her retirement from ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ after 23 years. In those 23 years she led with unquestionable passion, integrity, and care for people. And even while she begins to write the next chapter in her life we are grateful to have been part of the last. I encourage you to read Provost Prakash’s Friday focus from last week. Her writing was a reminder to me that we are all on this journey together. I am grateful for her expertise, advice and leadership during her tenure as provost and executive vice chancellor. Congratulations Anupma.

I look forward to seeing you all on May 3, 2025, for our 103rd commencement ceremony to congratulate and celebrate the ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ graduates for 2025.

Thanks for choosing ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ!

Friday Focus is written by a different member of ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ’s leadership team every week.