Dear Roosevelt Community,
I hope you have enjoyed a relaxing and healthy summer. After a long time apart, I am thrilled to welcome many of you back to campus for the upcoming academic year. As we continue to embrace the possibilities of remote learning, we recognize the importance of in-person learning to forge relationships with your students and impart hands-on experience.
Know that Roosevelt’s revised COVID-19 protocols are designed to protect our on-campus community as we return to in-person learning. Fortunately, the risk of contracting COVID-19 is low among vaccinated individuals, but it can still occur, and we will continue to be vigilant in our efforts. Please continue to check the COVID-19 website for regular updates. The safety of our community is my utmost priority.
Because of our donors, Roosevelt University will be stronger in 2021-22. We are on track to meet our total fundraising goal of $5 million by the end of the fiscal year. The University community supported student scholarships, new initiatives for Black students and career development opportunities. Thank you to the faculty and staff who chose to support the University during these times of uncertainty. Your support is essential to our students’ success.
This summer, the Office of Academic Affairs launched the Equity Teaching Academy. In the first intensive course, 22 faculty members undertook a rigorous exploration of diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom. The group worked together to develop new course designs, diverse reading lists and equitable grading practices. If you would like to participate this fall, the academy will continue to offer workshops on equitable teaching and learning.
Please join us for the official start of the academic year at Convocation on Friday, August 27 at 1:30 p.m. in the Auditorium Theatre. As thanks for your hard work, you are invited to the President’s Reception following the ceremony. The reception will be held in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park at 601 S. Michigan Avenue, across from the Hilton. Let’s welcome the newest class of Roosevelt Lakers and celebrate the long-awaited return to campus.
Save the date for Homecoming, September 30 to October 2. We will celebrate our 2021 distinguished alumni at an awards ceremony Friday, October 1. You may recognize some familiar faces among this year’s 11 honorees, who continue to exemplify the Roosevelt University legacy in their civic and professional lives. We will also honor the 2020 winners in person for their remarkable accomplishments. Meet the 2021 award winners.
Looking ahead, the American Dream Reconsidered Conference will take place during the week of November 1. We will welcome an insightful slate of speakers and experts to debate what the American Dream looks like today. Past speakers have included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, musician and activist Common, and best-selling author Imbolo Mbue. The 2021 program will be announced in the coming weeks.
I am proud to have witnessed your resilience, dedication and adaptability over the past year. The spring/summer issue of the Roosevelt Review catalogs a few of the many inspiring stories of students, faculty and staff who persevered through the challenges of the pandemic. I look forward to working with you to advance Roosevelt’s founding commitment to social justice.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and look forward to another successful academic year.
With Warm Regards,
Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President