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Welcome back, Huskies!

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

Whether you’re a newcomer to the UW or, like me, a long-time member of the community, I hope you feel the excitement of the start of school. It is a great time for our city and our region!

Annual President’s Address

Join us to hear about topics of interest to the campus community, followed by Q&A and a reception at:

This quarter we welcome more first-year students to our three campuses than ever before along with those of you who have joined us as transfer students or to pursue graduate degrees. You join talented peers from across the state and from around the nation and world who are returning to campus. Thank you for pursuing your future with us and for your determination to make a difference. We believe in you, so be undaunted in pursuing opportunities. But, remember risk-taking involves facing challenges, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

To our faculty — including more than 260 new faculty members — thank you for the inspiration and mentorship you provide to our students and the impact your scholarship and creativity have on our world. What unites our students is the desire to learn from the world’s best: you. They also want to learn in a supportive and welcoming environment, and I want to thank our staff across the University for all that you to do create these surroundings and support the UW’s mission.

For all of us, the fall offers a fresh start and I encourage everyone to get involved in the many and varied activities across our campus — there’s something here for every interest. I’d love to see you join in the vital discussions we began last spring with the Race and Equity Initiative. Next week, we’ll host student discussions and a lecture as part of our efforts around making the UW a more welcoming and inclusive place to learn and work.

We have much to celebrate — for example, UW was just named the most innovative public university in the world — and our momentum is increasing because of you. You make the UW a place of boundless opportunities. Thank you for all that you do to make our world better, and best wishes for a great start to the year!

Let’s make it a great year — together.