Pr esi dent ’ sMessage AsSout hFl or i da’ sonl ypubl i cr esear chuni ver si t y,weconsi dergr aduat e educat i ont obeaver yi mpor t antpar tofourmi ssi on.Wi t hover130gr aduat epr ogr amsi ncl udi ngdoct or al ,mast er sandgr aduat e–l evelcer t i ficat es, weof f erawi der angeofgr aduat epr ogr amst osat i sf yvi r t ual l yever yper sonalorpr of essi onalpur sui t .Our2010–2015Wor l dsAheadst r at egi cpl an cal l sf ori ncr easi ngdoct or aldegr eepr oduct i onaswel last hepr opor t i onof gr aduat est udent s. Economi cgr owt hi sbecomi ngi ncr easi ngl ydependentonpr oduci ngi deas mor et hanonpr oduci nggoods.Mi l l i onsofnewj obsnowr equi r egr aduat e degr ees.AtFI U,wet akepr i dei ndesi gni nggr aduat epr ogr amst hatar e st udent cent er edandar er el evantt oourt i mes.Ourgr aduat ef acul t yar e wor l dsaheadi nusi ngr api dl ydevel opi ngi nt er di sci pl i nar yr esear cht o cr eat enewgr aduat ecur r i cul a.Ourr esear chpr ogr amscont i nuet oat t r acta ver yt al ent edgr oupofgr aduat est udent s.Ourf ocusonr esear chi nt egr at ed gr aduat ecur r i cul a,andt her i chcul t ur aldi ver si t yofourcampus,pr ovi de ourgr aduat est udent swi t hanexci t i nganddynami cl ear ni ngenvi r onment .
Dean’ sMessage I ti swi t hagr eatdealofpr i deandpl easur et hatt heUni ver si t yGr aduat e School( UGS)atFI Ur el easest hi sAnnualRepor tf or2011‘ 12.Dur i ngi t s r el at i vel yshor thi st or y,t heGr aduat eSchoolhasmadegr eatst r i dest owar d i mpr ovi ngal lst at i st i csongr aduat est udentenr ol l ment ,r et ent i on,and gr aduat i on. Gr aduat eeducat i oni scent r alt oFI U’ svi si on,whi chi st obecomeal eadi ng ur banpubl i cr esear chuni ver si t yf ocusedonst udentl ear ni ng,i nnovat i on, andcol l abor at i on.Ourf ocusatUGSi st obest udent cent er edi never yt hi ng wedo.I nt hef el l owshi ps/ assi st ant shi psweawar d,aswel lasi nt hepr of essi onaldevel opmentoppor t uni t i eswecr eat ef orourst udent s,ourst af ft ake pr i dei nbei ngst udentadvocat es. Thankst omypr edecessor s-Dr s.Dougl asWar t zok,Geor geWal ker ,and Kevi nO’ Shea,i thasbecomeat r adi t i onatUGSt oeval uat eourdoct or al pr ogr amsont hebasi soft heCar negi eI ni t i at i veont heDoct or at e( CI D) .The cent r alt hemeoft hi si ni t i at i vei st opr epar edoct or aldegr eer eci pi ent sas st ewar dsoft hei rdi sci pl i nes.Ourf ocusi nt hecomi ngyear swi l lcont i nuet o bef aci l i t at i ngar i chl ear ni ngenvi r onmentwher egr aduat ef acul t yand st udent swi l lexceli nt hei rcr eat i veendeavor s. Thesear eexci t i ngt i mest obeatFI U.Doct or aldegr eeawar dsshowst eady i ncr ease.Ourst udent scont i nuet ober ecogni zednat i onal l yandi nt er nat i onal l yi nt hei rr esear char easofexper t i se.OurPr esi dent i alFel l owscomef r om amongt hebesti nt hewor l d.Thesubsequentpagesoft hi sr epor tshowwhy wear eWor l dsAheadi ngr aduat eeducat i onatFI U.
Pr es i dent ’ sandDean’ sMes s ages
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