Dear Students,

Today we begin the academic year here in Ann Arbor and I want to welcome you to campus.

Whether you are heading off to class for the first time or nearing the final stages of your degree program, I hope you share my enthusiasm for the exciting year ahead.

At Michigan, we share a desire to do the things that make a difference to people, both locally and globally. You’re well on your way to joining the over 500,000 University of Michigan alumni who populate all walks of life as “leaders and best.”

The beauty of studying at a research university like Michigan that cares about education is that the professors you will meet in the classroom are the scholars who are blazing new trails on the frontier of knowledge and understanding in their disciplines. And because of the breadth of our university’s academic reach, there isn’t a topic or an interest that you cannot pursue here at a serious level.

I want to encourage you to take full advantage of being a student in an academic community with countless opportunities in the classroom, in the residence halls and research labs, and within the student organizations that are so plentiful.

It is through these many and varied experiences alongside diverse and talented classmates, and with the help of committed faculty and staff that you will learn and practice lifelong skills that will not only help you grow as an individual, but will also raise us up as a society.

Have a wonderful academic year! I look forward to seeing you on campus.

I invite you to watch this welcome video, and, of course, Go Blue!

Mark S. Schlissel
President