End of semester wishes

Dear campus community,

As the academic year draws to a close, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for all the ways that we deliver on our mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research, and clinical excellence.

In the midst of finals and celebrating commencement, I am proud of our 6,000 students who will receive their UIC degrees in the next few days and excited for their promising futures and limitless potential to make a difference in the world. Our graduates make us optimistic for the world’s future.

Each of you contributed in some way to several recent milestones that have enriched our university community. From the memorable visit with Dr. Anthony Fauci, to the creation of the George Crabtree Institute for Discovery and Sustainability, to the winning UIC Speech and Debate Team receiving the 2024 National Speech Championship team title, your efforts have helped to shape and strengthen UIC’s reputation as a leader in research, innovation, and academic excellence.

The impact of these achievements can be seen through students such as Puranjay Gupta, who was recently named a Goldwater scholar, and faculty such as Barbara Ransby, who was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Nemat Oliver Keyhani, Deepak Shukla, and Alexander Mankin, who were elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

To our faculty and staff, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your dedication to the success of our students. I am also delighted to see the hallmarks of excellence in all that you do – from research and scholarship to health care and community service. You are advancing our equity-focused mission in ways that are truly transformative – for the students that we mentor and for the diverse communities that we serve.

We remain deeply concerned about the well-being of all affected by the tragedy in the Middle East, and we are focused on maintaining a safe and inclusive campus for all members of our community. We will continue to uphold our values of inclusivity, tolerance, and respect for one another to ensure we can live, learn, and work together in a safe and welcoming environment.

I know it is a bit cliched to talk about how quickly the year has gone, but honestly, it’s hard for me to believe that my first academic year with all of you is already coming to a close. This community has taught me so much and welcomed me so warmly. Thank you for that.

I hope you have a wonderful summer – please take some time to refresh and renew. I highly recommend spending some time with honeybees! I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming academic year. Thank you for making UIC a place where access and excellence are both flourishing.

With my very best regards,

Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor

For more information, please contact:
Marie Lynn Miranda
chancellor@uic.edu