Letter from the Dean

Dear Graduate Alumni and Friends:

We hear a lot about globalization these days and its impact on economics and  trade.  At the UW Graduate School, we are exploring what this concept means for graduate education and our future, while reaching out more than ever to a global audience of prospective students, faculty, donors and friends.  This issue of the Alumni Newsletter presents some of these wide-ranging efforts and results, from alumni success stories to student recruitment, to on-campus events and more.  I am proud of the Graduate School's growing global focus and our collective leadership in creating meaningful forums for dialog and problem-solving, where the complexities and tremendous potential of cross-cultural graduate education can be addressed. 

With that focus in mind, the 2007-08 theme for the Graduate School is  "Internationalizing Graduate Education."  Our year-long series of activities features the perspectives of UW graduate students and their counterparts from around the world, widely acclaimed experts and authors, and corporate partners.  Together, we will address such timely issues as the role of graduate education in nation building; increasingly globalized labor markets; and related, relevant trends in enrollments and research.  I invite you to join us, as you are able, on this journey and let us know what you think.

In my own recent travels to Shanghai, China and Bangkok, Thailand, I was struck by the amazing stories—geographically and intellectually—many of our graduate alumni have to tell as they have journeyed far beyond the Seattle campus.  Their studies may have originated at UW, but their work is helping build a better future for people everywhere, with success stories too numerous to mention.

I hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter and that you find the content inspiring for whatever you are doing, in any corner of the world.  I look forward to receiving and sharing more news with you throughout the new academic year.

Suzanne T. Ortega
Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School