Welcome to the start of another academic year at Alfred University!

We are excited to continue strengthening our partnership with the families and friends of our students and to encourage you to be a supportive part of their journey. It is one of the best times of the year on a university campus as we welcome back returning students and embrace new members of our Alfred University family. The energy levels are rising and the hope of a new academic year is in the air.

Alfred University is a special place. It is a community where meaningful connections are easily made, and friendships and partnerships are fostered. Our commitment to our three pillars of Mentorship, Inclusivity, and Intersections guides everything we do. We know that students achieve more and are more successful when they are highly engaged. Our promise to your student is that we will create opportunities for engagement. We ask that you encourage your student to take advantage of those opportunities.

The opportunity for mentorship comes in many forms. We encourage your student to engage with faculty and staff outside of the classroom. We ask you to encourage your student to reach out, go to open office hours, go to the career development center, attend events on campus and engage in conversations. The connections made will open doors for discussions about career plans, academic performance, research opportunities, or deeper exploration of academic topics. There are many opportunities for interactions and mentorship.

I also value Alfred University’s commitment to inclusivity and intersections. The more we engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, the more we can see the world in new ways. Alfred University’s Common Ground course is just one way we create these opportunities, but they also exist every day on our campus. Encourage your student to attend events on campus and to talk with individuals that they may otherwise not interact with. Encourage them to seek out new cultural activities. We are all better off for learning about and understanding others.

As the Fall semester progresses, I ask that you reach out to your student and ask them what faculty they have met with, which staff members they had a conversation with, what new activity they engaged in, and others they have met. Increasing our social networks is invaluable to our future success. The time spent on a college campus offers unique opportunities for connections that will benefit students for the rest of their lives.

Remind your student to embrace every moment, both inside and outside the classroom, and make the most of the resources available to them.
Fiat Lux,
Thomas Orrange