June 6, 2016
Dear Longhorns,
This month, The University of Texas at Austin welcomes the first class of 50 students to the Dell Medical School. In its mission to transform health and health care, our brand new medical school strives to rethink the status quo by improving health care locally and then becoming a model for the nation.
On campus, Dell Med is partnering with every college and school to build a forward-looking health innovation culture that encourages and empowers a broad set of faculty members, students, clinicians, and entrepreneurs. As one example, Dell Med has established the Texas Health Catalyst together with the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Pharmacy, the Cockrell School of Engineering, and the Office of Technology Commercialization to help faculty members develop their ideas into viable products.
Thanks to the support of the Board of Regents, the work of the UT System, and the people of Travis County, the opening of the Dell Medical School is an important milestone in the history of the university. And as I begin my second year as president, I am ever more excited about advancing our university to become one of the truly top public universities in the nation. This vision is important for Texas, the second-largest state with the fastest-growing population and economy, to lead the country in education, discovery, innovation, and creativity.
Not only does the Dell Medical School help us rethink health care, it also embodies the transformative spirit that will allow us to reach my two other main goals as UT continues to excel in undergraduate education by preparing all our graduates to be citizen-leaders and to broaden and deepen the impact of our research mission.
That spirit was on display last month under a shining burnt orange Tower as we celebrated the commencement of the Class of 2016, which included more than 9,000 graduates from 163 Texas counties, 48 states, and 72 countries. The enthusiasm and spirit of the graduates, faculty members, families, and friends excite me about what is possible for this great university.
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have heard about my visits to Mexico and Europe during the spring semester. A great university is an international university with a global reach. Just a few weeks ago, I met with key officials and industry leaders in Paris and London to lay the groundwork for new collaborations. Carmel and I also had the opportunity to connect with UT alumni at a wonderful event at the Royal Automobile Club in London. I look forward to traveling to China and Singapore this month to continue developing international programs.
The Longhorn community is getting ready for a busy summer. While our recent graduates start the next stage of their lives, the Class of 2020 freshmen begin arriving today for orientation. Many of our students are busy this summer with internships, work opportunities, international study, and unique pursuits of discovery with faculty members focused on research and scholarship projects.
I want to thank you for the support you have given me and the Forty Acres this academic year, and I look forward to sharing more of what’s next for The University of Texas at Austin.
Hook ’em,
Greg