Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

The signs are pretty clear. Alma Mater is breaking out her cap and gown and the campus is awash with orange and blue flowers. Clearly, we are coming up fast on our 2018 Commencement and the end of our Sesquicentennial Celebration.

For those of you who will earn degrees next week, congratulations on your achievement. Whether your next step is the first in a new career, into a new educational opportunity or simply into the unknown, good luck and remember, you’re not ever alone. You are joining one of the largest and most welcoming alumni networks in the world. I know from my own experiences, you’ll find that big orange “I” in some of the most unlikely places around the planet. And it seems that no matter where you go, all it takes is a quick “I-L-L” to find another member of the Illinois family.

Many of you are still on your Illinois journey and will be returning later this year to continue your studies. To all of you, I hope this summer brings a chance to stop, take a breath and just relax at least for a little while. From there, whether it is time with family or friends, travelling, working or jumping right back into classes, I hope you enjoy a safe and re-energizing summer.

If you are feeling overwhelmed during these last busy days, please reach out to one of the many campus resources available to help. The Counseling Center (333-3704), the Student Assistance Center (333-0050) and the Emergency Dean (24 hours a day, 333-0050) are great places to start. We want you to be successful. But most of all, we want you to be safe and we want to see you back here in the fall.

To our faculty and staff, thank you for delivering a truly transformational experience to another class this year here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Thank you for bringing such passion, concern and attention to the critical and difficult issues facing us. We have been celebrating our 150-year history of excellence in teaching, scholarship and research. But I believe the best possible way to honor that record is by setting the bar and expectations even higher for the next 150 years. That is exactly what we have seen you do this year.

Congratulations to our new graduates and best wishes to all of you for a great summer.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor