Embracing Newness: Dean Stedman’s Spring 2023 Message

Dr. Nicole Stedman, UF Graduate School Dean

Dear Students, Faculty, Administrators, and Staff,

Welcome to 2023!

As we embark together on another trip around the sun, these words of Howard Thurman (1899-1981) — Florida-born Black American educator, philosopher, author, and advocate of nonviolence — come to mind:

“In whatever sense this year is new for you, may the moment find you eager and unafraid, ready to take it by the hand with joy and gratitude.”

Now that’s a wise way to approach whatever “new” we come across! And there’s a whole lot of “new” in the air at the University of Florida as Spring 2023 sets into motion: a new year, a new semester, a new president, and new opportunities that come with such change. Let’s make the most of them, as a united community of student and faculty scholars, in the spirit of Howard Thurman’s wisdom and through conscientious practice of UF’s Six Core Values — excellence, discovery and innovation, inclusion, freedom and civility, community, and stewardship.

And please do remember… Amid economic challenges, ongoing war in Ukraine, social tensions at home, and any number of other stressors, taking good care of ourselves and each other is absolutely vital. UF stands ready to help you through trying times of any kind through its Counseling and Wellness Center, Student Health Care Center, U Matter We Care and GatorWell. They’re here for you, so please make good use of them!

Lastly, don’t be a stranger! Learn more about our Graduate School services, programs, and resources on our website. Visit us at our homebase at 106 Grinter Hall. Or get in touch with us via telephone (352 392 6222) or email (gradschool@aa.ufl.edu).

I wish each and every one of you Grad Gators a forward-thinking, ground-breaking, game-changing 2023 that you can take by the hand with joy and gratitude — eagerly and unafraid!

Go Gators!

Nicole L.P. Stedman, PhD
Dean and Associate Provost
The Graduate School
University of Florida