Dear students,

I hope you have been enjoying the incredible fall weather. As the semester’s midpoint approaches, I am writing to check in. Everyone needs to follow their own path through college, but I’m sharing a few things I hope you will think about. 

Academics

The faculty and staff at UVM are committed to your academic success! Please do not hesitate to go to your professors’ office hours or to reach out to the Center for Academic Success, the Undergraduate Tutoring Center, the Graduate Writing Center or the Undergraduate Writing Center, your academic advisor, the Student Services Office in your dean’s office, and your faculty members. It is never too early, or too late, to engage more deeply with your academics.

Get involved

There are so many lifelong skills you can learn outside of the classroom. If you haven’t already, think carefully about how you will craft your Catamount Experience. Joining undergraduate and graduate student clubs, conducting undergraduate research, participating in or supporting our intramural and NCAA teams, participating in the creative arts, and connecting with an intercultural center are all wonderful ways to find friends and build your networking, academic, and leadership skills. You can also explore global opportunities, innovation and entrepreneurship, and career connections.

Take care of yourself

It is easy to overdo it! Think carefully about the balance between your academics and social life, and make sure you include healthy behaviors in your routine: hydrate, eat right, get good sleep, exercise, express gratitude, find ways to manage your stress, and take a social media break every now and then.

If you need health and wellness support, reach out to the Center for Health and Wellbeing—you can schedule an appointment online using your Mywellbeing health portal. If you want 24/7 peer support for mental health, click here to download Talk Campus. Once you download, you only need to enter your UVM NetID and password.

Build our community

We all share in the responsibility for building and sustaining our vibrant campus community. I hope you are living our Our Common Ground values and that you are participating in lectures and other programs that promote productive civil discourse and dialogue, and help all of us better understand a variety of perspectives.

Whether your first few months of the semester have been smooth or a bit bumpy, you belong here. Take a moment to reflect on how you’re doing and what you need, and reach out for help and support. We are here for you and we are invested in your success.

All the best for a wonderful rest of your semester,

Linda Schadler
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President