Students, as you move through final exams this week, I wish you well and encourage you to take care of yourselves along the way. This can be a demanding time, but it is also a reflection of the hard work you have put in all semester. Stay focused, support one another and finish strong. We are proud of you!
Faculty and Staff, thank you for the care and commitment you bring to our students every day. This time of year reflects your work as much as theirs, and I am grateful for the role you play in their success.
— Peter
Developing Leaders Ready to Apply What They Learn
- This weekend in Coleman Coliseum we will celebrate our graduates and all they have achieved. I am proud of you all and confident in the impact our graduates will have in their professions and communities. Students like Reggie Clifton reflect the kind of growth and leadership we are developing at Alabama.
- I encourage you to share your summer plans with the Career Center. Whether pursuing an internship, continuing your education or beginning your career, this helps us better support your next steps and strengthen how we prepare students for what comes next. If you are graduating this weekend, please take a moment to share your postgraduation plans through First Destination.
Discovering Innovation and Research That Solves Real Challenges
- I want to recognize Katy Butler, Colton Byrne and Jesse Park, who have been named Goldwater Scholars, one of the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate research honors. Their accomplishment reflects the strength of their hard work, this University and the commitment that drives discovery forward. This year’s selections bring UA’s total to 72 Goldwater Scholars.
- Our students are not just learning about the future; they are helping build it. In the BRAINS Lab, they work alongside faculty at the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics and cognitive science, gaining hands-on experience with technologies transforming how we live and work. It is creative and collaborative and reflects learning that prepares our graduates for fields still taking shape.
- This fall, we are launching the UA AI Experience, a campuswide initiative led by the Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education to build a shared foundation in artificial intelligence across our University. It is designed to help our students, faculty and staff better understand these tools and the judgment needed to use them well. We are preparing Alabama to lead in a world where AI is shaping how we live and work every day.
Serving and Strengthening Communities Across Alabama and Beyond
- This spring, students participating in Beyond Bama traveled to New Orleans to engage with communities beyond our campus. It is a powerful example of what service looks like in action. If you were not part of that experience, I encourage you to find other ways to get involved. There are meaningful opportunities to serve across Alabama and in communities near you this summer.
Stewarding Resources with Purpose and Accountability
- We are seeing the impact of thoughtful investment in areas that matter most. A recent gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation will support the continued growth of our nursing programs, helping us expand capacity and prepare more students to meet a critical workforce need across Alabama and beyond. It is a strong example of how we steward resources in ways that align with our mission and create lasting impact.
- Last week, we brought together deans, vice presidents and numerous campus leaders for a Campus Budget Forum focused on stewardship and alignment. That work matters. It reflects how we lead as a University through shared governance, honest collaboration and concerted effort to align our strategic priorities. Moving this institution forward requires teamwork, accountability and disciplined choices.
Voices of UA
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as Student Employee of the Year. I am incredibly grateful to the department of communicative disorders and to Dr. JoAnne Payne for giving me the opportunity to work at the Speech and Hearing Center. My experience at the clinic has given me valuable skills that I know will help me succeed in graduate school and in my future career. I will forever cherish everything I learned there and all the support I received from the remarkable professionals, staff and graduate students in our department.”
- Valentina Mora Velasquez, this year’s Student Employee of the Year by The University of Alabama’s Department of Human Resources and Student Financial Aid and Scholarships