There were countless highlights this spring. As we prepare to celebrate our graduates, I would like to reflect on some that have been particularly meaningful to me.
As another extraordinary academic year draws to a close, more than 5,200 students graduate from NAU, ready to enter life as committed citizens, applying what they have learned to shape a brighter future. . We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the residents, businesses, partners and alumni of our communities in Flagstaff and Northern Arizona.
Our students, faculty and staff feel a strong sense of place and engage in the work necessary to achieve our vision of our university being the country’s preeminent engine of opportunity and vehicle of economic mobility. Thank you for being a community that ensures we can be a powerhouse of social impact by delivering equitable post-secondary value within and outside Arizona.
One indicator of how far we’ve come in realizing this bold vision is the attention we’ve received from Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates will receive an honorary doctorate from NAU in recognition of his contributions. Through his philanthropic leadership, he has made education accessible, successful and equitable. I look forward to shining a spotlight on the great work being done at NAU during this visit and continuing to pursue our goals of increasing excellence for the benefit of our students, communities and state.
This spring has brought countless highlights. As we prepare to celebrate our graduates, I would like to reflect on some that have been particularly meaningful to me.
We launched our Early Learning and Development Center in Flagstaff with the aim of setting the gold standard in early childhood education while providing students with best practices and professional development.
A $5 million transformational grant from the Mellon Foundation and an additional $5 million investment from the NAU Foundation will enable the Seven Generations Signature Initiative to deepen its commitment to indigenous peoples.
Federal designation as a Hispanic educational institution has been renewed for 2023-24, and to better serve current and future students and their families, NAU en, the state’s first fully Spanish language university website Launched Español.
We have hired two key executives to drive our strategic priorities. Dr. Justin Mallett will join us in June as our first Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement. We also welcomed Dr. Eric Nielsen to the university’s leadership team as NAU’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, driving carbon neutrality efforts.
The Arizona Attainment Alliance (A++) helps drive student success and deliver equitable postsecondary value in every corner of the state through innovative collaborations with 10 community colleges across the state. We are already seeing early successes with the launch of our universal admissions program and other initiatives. district.
Finally surviving a record-breaking winter in Flagstaff! We would like to thank our dedicated team at the Arizona Department of Transportation, Coconino County, City of Flagstaff and NAU for all their hard work in the most demanding conditions. Despite a few extra days of snow, thanks to our partners, NAU maintained its momentum throughout the semester and our students achieved excellent results. thank you!
We are honored to live and work in this wonderful community and are ready to turn our attention to the incredible beauty, weather and activities that showcase northern Arizona’s best summers.FBN
Jose Luis Cruz Rivera, FBN
Jose Luis Cruz Rivera is the president of Northern Arizona University.
