On any team, it’s important to leverage roles and expertise of the different members in the best possible way, and part of this issue celebrates one of these accomplishments. The Graduate College is unique among the 10 colleges at UD because we have to work closely with the other colleges and many other non-academic units toward a unique purpose: excellence in graduate education and research. We offer a university-wide perspective on graduate education, and we do not try to be all things to all parts of the university.

On my morning bike ride to work this week, I received a refresher course on a lesson that I have learned many times in the past, so I thought I would share it with you. It was not one failure, but a series of mishaps that made me late for an important meeting. As a cyclist, I always check the weather forecast. I build in extra time for the occasional flat. I carry an extra tube, a patch kit, an inflator and a mini-tool. Many things can go wrong, and I’ll still meet all my commitments at work.

One of the most rewarding shared experiences in life is being on a good team whether it is playing a sport, helping someone move or writing a paper with many authors. Working together toward a common purpose feels right. There is no question that being a successful graduate student is a collaborative effort for a pair of important reasons. First, the most challenging problems require approaches that bring together expertise from different areas. Second, working within a functional team provides the emotional support that everyone needs when dedicating the long hours needed to advance a field.