Welcome to the fall semester
Dear UIC community,
There is just so much to be excited about for the fall semester — and that excitement stems from all of you.
Your presence and contributions are felt and celebrated. We are revolutionizing research in medicine and clean energy while contributing to economic growth as a partner in Chicago’s first U.S.-based Quantum Park. Thanks to a generous gift, we now have a named college: the Herbert M. and Carol H. Retzky College of Pharmacy. Governor Pritzker announced a $50 million program to end Black homelessness in Illinois — driven by a report produced in partnership with UIC’s Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy.
We celebrate students like Juan Manuel Losarcos and Michael Jacobson. Juan Manuel was part of the winning team in a NASA competition for designing an app that explores the moon, and Michael, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who researches and develops robotic prosthetics, is the 2023-24 Illinois Student Veteran of the Year. Additionally, our new transfer pathways program with City Colleges of Chicago ensures a seamless transition for community college students to UIC. Undoubtedly, UIC shines brightest when we work together.
Modeling our equity-minded mission for our students and the communities we serve are faculty like Tohru Yamada, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, Susan Dunn, an inductee into the International Nurse Research Hall of Fame, and Catherine Main, who is at the helm of enhancing Illinois state teacher licensure thanks to a $3.8 million grant from the Department of Labor.
While our full work portfolio is too large to enumerate here, in the coming academic year, we hope to:
- Successfully implement our curricular, research, and clinical mission.
- Make meaningful progress toward our student success goals, with an emphasis on graduation rates, retention rates, and research engagement/internships/job placement.
- Develop programs that deepen our campuswide capabilities to engage in deliberative conversations with people with whom we may disagree.
- Ensure the physical safety of all UIC community members.
We flourish when we embrace our shared values and work to learn from and with each other. With the challenges that we will undoubtedly face in the year ahead, please remain adaptable and flexible while intentionally practicing goodwill and compassion toward one another. The essence of who we are, and our capacity to continue to achieve our mission of access and excellence at scale, depends on it.
In the words of our friend and partner, Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, “Everything dope about America comes from Chicago,” including UIC!
Go Flames!
Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor
Karen Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs