Dear Students,
This past Friday I had the honor to attend the Black Excellence in STEM event, co-hosted by Natural Sciences and Engineering, which highlighted many scientists and engineers who contributed significantly to society and were also Black. As I looked around, I was struck by the beautiful community I saw, both formal student groups and informal connections – attendees gathered to support each other.
Sometimes college can be lonely because we feel we don't belong or we feel like we're the only one who doesn't understand… or that we're the only person of our identity in a class, all day every day, be that race, gender, political view, ability, or any other identity. This is where student orgs and groups of friends become critical.
I can tell you that you'll need groups of your peers throughout your life. When I hit a tough spot, I still reach out to my friends from my days as an undergraduate. So find your people and hold them close – and be that person for others.
Best,
Dr. Vanden Bout
Joke: Reposting a joke is like buying a piece of clothing: you use other people's material to make yourself look good.
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