Dear students, faculty, and staff,

Happy New Year, and welcome back to campus! I hope you all had a great break and are rested and reenergized for another great semester.

The new year promises to be an exciting one for the University of Iowa. Our campus and university community continue to grow. Iowa is a place that people are attracted to for their education and careers, thanks to our excellence and the high quality of life we offer. We have a gem of a university located in a vibrant community that easily brings new students, faculty, and staff to our ranks, making this such a great place to learn, work, and live in.

I continue to visit departments, units, and programs across campus, and I am always so impressed by the talent, imagination, and dedication of this special university community. My pride continues to grow in what we offer to our students and the people of our state and beyond. Everywhere I travel, I share what we’re doing with joy and enthusiasm. In doing so, one thing I always hear from our alumni is how much they miss our campus and Iowa City. I eagerly welcome them back for a visit, knowing they will enjoy that warm sense of coming home…and that they will be amazed by the new achievements and innovations they will encounter.

We should all be proud of our accomplishments here at Iowa and excited about our future. I look forward to working together to build on our impressive record of teaching and learning, research and scholarship, creative work, and service to society.

As engaged members of our Hawkeye community, please take care of yourselves and others during the coming months. And have a great semester!

Warmly,

Barbara J. Wilson

President