From the Dean's Desk: Elezabeth Wentz, Vice Provost and Dean

Reimagining graduate education from start to finish and beyond

Welcome to a new semester at ASU! This year, the Graduate College theme is “Solving global grand challenges.” When we consider global issues like climate change, healthcare, education and world hunger, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by their scale. Conventional thinking might suggest that individual efforts are insufficient to make a difference. But here at ASU, we reject that notion. I firmly believe in the remarkable potential each of you holds to create meaningful change in the world. I’m continually inspired by our students who are not intimidated by the impossible and believe that even a small contribution can play a more significant role in solving the challenges of our time.

As the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate College, my mission has been to infuse graduate education with the spirit of the ASU Charter—embracing inclusivity and striving for excellence. Reimagining graduate education is a bold endeavor that demands a comprehensive overhaul of traditional approaches. It involves reshaping admissions, curriculum design, classrooms, culminating experiences, and lifelong engagement with the university.

It involves fundamentally altering traditional approaches to higher learning to better prepare faculty, students and graduates for the complexities of the modern world. 

The vision includes leveraging cutting-edge technology, prioritizing equity at all levels, promoting lifelong learning, and taking responsibility for the communities we serve. To meet this challenge, universities must change and thus reimagine the whole of graduate education. We aim to equip faculty, students, and alums with the skills and perspectives needed to navigate and lead in today’s global complex world.

To illustrate this vision, I will share some of my ideas by expanding on several “what if” scenarios over the coming months:

I invite you to engage with these questions and share your perspectives. I hope to stimulate you with new ideas—and I hope even more that you will reciprocate with ideas I haven’t considered. With reimagined graduate education, we meet faculty, staff, students, and alums where they are, address their needs and help direct them to where they want to go. 

Here’s to a transformative semester ahead!

Elizabeth Wentz
Vice Provost and Dean, Graduate College

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