I am thrilled to welcome you back for our fall semester. Like last year, the start of this semester brings a mix of excitement and apprehension.  You are now well-versed in the dynamics of avoiding the coronavirus and I encourage you to not let down your guard.  As a community, we have proven and will continue to prove our ability to adapt.  I am confident that we are ready to experience this academic year in an unprecedented, energized, and especially joyful way.

This year, we are embarking on an extraordinary journey to focus on how the Rubenstein School can be a catalyst for positive change in response to rapidly evolving world conditions. As you finish your second week in the new academic year, will you join me in considering how to lead radical change?

Ask yourselves:

How can the Rubenstein School unleash empathy, passion, innovation, and creativity to heal and radically change human-environment systems in a just, equitable, and ecological direction?

I invite all 1100+ Rubenstein School students, faculty, and staff to relentlessly pursue answers to this question. I wholeheartedly believe that by doing so, we can turn ideas into action and champion radical change to address global sustainability and equity.

As our School continues to grow in numbers, we become increasingly diverse, with the expansion of the depth and richness of our perspectives. We value this richness and ask you to help us advance our quest to answer our mission question.

I would like to close my welcome message with a brief quote from a colleague, whom I deeply respect and admire, Robin Wall Kimmerer.

“Transformation is not accomplished by tentative wading at the edge.” – Robin Wall Kimmerer, Professor, SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

With determination and excitement, I welcome you to the Rubenstein School. Be well, be vigilant, stay curious, and let’s jump in!

In solidarity, 

Nancy E. Mathews, Dean and Professor