Dear Graduate Students, Faculty, Campus Partners, and friends of the Graduate School, 

As we close out 2025 and begin 2026, I want to take a moment to reflect on a year marked by collaboration, innovation, and a renewed sense of community across our graduate programs. This has been an extraordinarily productive year for the Graduate School, and I am grateful for the energy, creativity, and dedication that each of you has contributed to our shared success.

A number of significant milestones deserve special recognition.

We have seen significant enrollment increases compared to last year in the College of Health Sciences, the College of Nursing, and the School of Public Health.
 

• In 2025, we hosted over 12 virtual workshops in our Our Mastering Graduate School Series with a record number of attendees.
• We revised and launched our virtual orientation and hosted a new graduate student in person orientation in the fall of 2025.
• Established and awarded 10 dissertation completion grants to doctoral students.
• Established and awarded 10 small research grants to doctoral students pursuing their dissertation research.
• Welcomed a new Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions, Dr. Robbie Salters.
• Established new graduate certificates including AI for business information systems, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Applied AI in Population Health Outcomes, and Implementation Science.

Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be a year of continued growth and renewed engagement. We are especially excited about the relaunch of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) with a new president and leadership board who bring exceptional vision and enthusiasm.

President: Adowa Atta

Executive Vice President: Manso Frimpong

Vice President of Student Engagement: Samuel Nii Kapkpo Brown

The GSA will play a central role in revitalizing graduate student community life—expanding programming, amplifying student voices, and fostering stronger connections across departments and colleges.

We will continue to prioritize excellence in all aspects of graduate education, ensuring that every student has the resources, mentorship, and community they need to be successful.
 
Thank you for all you have done to make 2025 a year of meaningful progress. I look forward to working alongside you in 2026 as we continue to advance the mission of graduate education and support the transformative work our students and faculty carry out every day.

Warm wishes for a bright start to the new year.

Sincerely,
Dr. Deborah Tollefsen, Vice Provost & Dean of the UofM Graduate School