From the Dean

Greetings—

Whether you're returning to campus, starting your graduate journey, or joining us through an online program, welcome to fall 2026 at Penn State.

I'm especially energized this semester because Penn State recently conferred its one millionth degree — a milestone only a handful of U.S. institutions have reached. It's a reflection of the impact Penn State degrees carry; hundreds of thousands of alumni now lead in industry, academia, government, and beyond, carrying the "We Are" spirit worldwide. You're joining that legacy, and I have no doubt your dedication and ingenuity will carry it forward.

I captured the moment with a group selfie on stage at our master's and doctoral ceremonies. You can see it on the Fox Graduate School Instagram.

Looking Ahead to the Fall

The Fox Graduate School is launching several new ways to build community and support your success, wherever you're based:

• Expanded Ombudsperson Program — additional support for navigating academic and advising concerns, accessible to residential and online students alike.
• New Graduate Advising Resources — guidance to help strengthen advisor-advisee relationships.
• Fox Fall Festival — a new, family-friendly in-person event this fall.
• Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Registration is now open — open to all graduate students, in-person or online, to sharpen research communication skills and compete for prizes.

In addition to the Fox Graduate School, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) represents graduate students University wide and runs its own professional development and community programming. Hear more from GPSA president Sumant Rokade (doctoral candidate, mechanical engineering) in this short interview.

If you have questions or need support, please don't wait until an issue grows. Reach out to your advisor, program or college leadership, or the Fox Graduate School at dean@foxgradschool.psu.edu anytime for guidance or support. My team and I are here for you.

Here's to a semester where you draw energy from our one millionth degree milestone, knowing you're part of an institution built for impact — wherever your program takes you.