What an incredible year! As I’ve been reflecting on the past semester, I am struck by all the ways our faculty, staff, and students have shown up. In a period marked by significant challenges, our community has persevered and continued to advance our mission to radically change human-environment systems in a just, equitable, and ecological direction. 

Over commencement weekend, 13 graduate students and 359 undergraduate students officially graduated from the Rubenstein School. We had a wonderful celebration, lovingly supported by our extended community of faculty, staff, families, and friends. Congratulations to all our graduates—you are remarkable. A special thanks to our seniors, who blew me away with the loudest cheering section by far of any college or school at the UVM ceremony! 

The Rubenstein spirit is undeniable. I am particularly proud of the recipients of our community awards this year and the two Rubenstein School students who won Outstanding Student Leader Awards from UVM: Mar Wiltz, Forestry ‘25, who received the Class of ’67 Award, and Elijah Tierney, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology ‘25, who received the Elmer Nicholson Achievement Prize. 

On the faculty and staff side, it has been a busy and productive academic year. We published groundbreaking research, transported 1000+ students to and from field labs, launched new centers, delivered compassionate student care, and kept our whole school operating smoothly. We also welcomed 23 faculty and staff in either a part-time or full-time capacity, and with additional faculty searches this spring, there are more to come. 

We are bidding a fond farewell to three retiring faculty who have shaped the Rubenstein School and the lives of countless students (me included!) over their collective 97 years of service to UVM. We are honored to have Professor Clare Ginger, Professor Pat Stokowski, and Senior Lecturer Dave Kaufman join our ranks of distinguished emeriti faculty. 

We cannot predict all the ways we will be challenged in the coming academic year, or how higher education will evolve, but I am confident in our ability to thrive. The values that define us—empathy, curiosity, inclusion, environmental responsibility, justice, equity, and innovation—remain unchanged. I am immensely grateful to our community for their commitment to this work.

To our alumni, whether you graduated in 2025 or 1973, please stay in touch! We’re always here to provide support and we love hearing from you. 

I’m wishing everyone a summer of fulfilling adventures, internships, studies, work experiences, and time away.

With gratitude and pride,

Peter