Coleman’s presentation was part of a daylong program, hosted by the Graduate College, designed to ease the students’ transition to UD. The attendees were provided with additional recommendations for success, words of support and other relevant information from faculty and staff representing various segments of the University. They met the Graduate College team, were apprised of essential community services, heard from experienced graduate students and participated in a resource fair.

In his welcoming remarks, UD President Dennis Assanis told the new students that the University has continued to grow its research enterprise in both size and scope over the last few years and, because of its discoveries, has done some amazing things to help communities and society during the pandemic. Assanis said he wants the graduate students to do research that matters in the world.

“Whatever way possible, we expect you to use your knowledge to serve others and to make the world a better place,” Assanis said.

Louis Rossi, dean of the Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and professional education, told the attendees they are joining a very diverse community of scholars spanning nations from Algeria to Zimbabwe and every inhabited continent except Australia. As a microcosm of the world, with some of them coming right out of undergraduate preparation and others having extensive experience working in their field, Rossi said there is almost nothing they all have in common except for now being Blue Hen graduate students.

“If there is one thing that characterizes our community it is not that we are only a diverse group, but we are a community that values these differences,” Rossi said. “We learn from one another and are better for it. Study after study shows that diverse groups make better decisions, they make fewer mistakes, and more importantly, a Blue Hen recognizes our common humanity in all the different forms it takes. We respect others, and we insist on respect in return.”

Along with Coleman, representing the faculty was Saleem Ali, Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment at UD. Ali spoke about his new book, Earthly Order: How Natural Laws Define Human Life, and said the one-line summary of it is “to meet contemporary challenges of human sustainability we need to meaningfully connect political notions of ‘world order’ with natural constraints of what I call ‘earthly order.’’’ Hoping to improve environmental education, Ali, who is the chair of the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and holds a secondary appointment in UD’s Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, is donating all of the royalties from his book to environmental literacy programs either in developing countries or in the United States.

The participants heard from some of their new classmates via six concurrent panels assembled by type of degree being pursued and discipline. Master’s students Rajani Shrestha, Shivali Nadupalli and Catherine Hughes addressed a variety of topics, such as their motivation for graduate school, making use of UD resources, formulating a strategic plan, handling negative feedback and what they wish they would been told when they began their graduate school journeys.

“People are your ally here,” Hughes said. “Everyone wants to help you. I didn’t know that coming into grad school, but people are your biggest resource. I have never reached out to someone who has not responded and been interested in my work.”

Laura Carlson, UD provost, told the students that only 3% of Americans hold a doctoral or professional degree and fewer than 9% hold a master’s degree. As Hughes did, Carlson let the students know they are not on their own.

“The reason that you were admitted is that we see promise and potential in each and every one of you,” Carlson said. “We have an expectation that every one of you will succeed, and we are here to support you as you work hard to successfully complete your degree and assume the type of career you aspire to.”