As is the tradition at UM, in preparation for the fall semester, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of the newest members of our Canes family. During kick-off events, we welcomed more than 2,800 new students to the University of Miami.
I have also met many of our new faculty— world-renowned scholars whose passion for their fields is palpable. The quality of our faculty and staff is part of what attracts our students.
I shared with our trustees and the entire UM community this week how pleased I am that, as I begin my fifth year at the U, our trends in student recruitment are positive. We have become significantly more selective, and each year, more highly qualified students are ultimately deciding to make the University of Miami their home.
Our new students include more than 2,200 first-year students and nearly 600 students transferring to the U. They hail from every corner of this nation— all 50 states— and include international students from 57 countries spanning all parts of the globe.
Among them are top athletes, activists, researchers, policy wonks, artists and inventors. Many know the language of hardship and sacrifice. Many are the first in their families to attend college.
As we welcome them, let us remember that each of us at the U is part of a community where we can grow, not only as individuals, but as members of teams involved in addressing tough challenges and solving big problems. Just as each of you will build on your experiences and interests during this new academic year, so too will the university continue to deploy the resources at our disposal to improve your experience and contribute to the world around us.
For instance, we will provide opportunities for students to develop expertise in particular subjects, along with the life-long skills that are key to achieving professional and personal goals.
We call this the “Cane Commitment” and it is one of the strategies we are pursuing as we advance on the Roadmap to Our New Century— the plan guiding us as we approach our 100th birthday in 2025.
On Sept. 12, I hope you will join us as we gather for our second annual State of the U Town Hall, where we will take a closer look at where we are on accomplishing our collective aspirations. The ability to look both inward to the ways we are developing and outward to how the world needs us to use our talents is one of the hallmarks of the University of Miami experience.
Insight and commitment require determination and drive. As a new academic year gets underway, I encourage you to look beyond daily to-do lists.
Let us be mindful of the context in which we go about our lives. The energy, insight and determination we bring to bear on the big and small tasks before us will not only propel us toward our greatest aspirations but inspire others to strive for theirs.