2021 2021: Chancellor's first day of classes message to students

Chancellor Fuller welcomes students back to UMassD for their spring semester

Fellow Corsairs!

Welcome back to UMass Dartmouth!  It’s an exciting time for all of us.  For you, it’s your first day of class, a time to dive into new classes and reconnect with friends, classmates, professors and mentors.  I hope you savor this time in college, and all the possibilities and growth it brings. 

For me, it’s my first day as Chancellor.  I am excited to be part of this vibrant learning and research community, and am eager to learn from you about what you think makes this university great, and how we can make it even better.  We all have a role to play in continuing UMass Dartmouth’s tremendous momentum, and building pride in this institution.  And, as Chief Diversity Officer David Gomes reminded us in his reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, we all contribute to creating a campus community that is inclusive and welcoming to all. 

I know that this academic year has been different than what any of us could have imagined as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thank you for everything you’re doing to keep yourself and your fellow Corsairs safe and healthy.  Let’s double down on those efforts and serve as an example to other campuses on how to best put this health crisis behind us. 

I look forward to getting to know you, giving you an opportunity to know me, and to working together to make the educational experience at UMassD empowering, transformative… and fun!  Go Corsairs!

With best wishes for a great semester,

Mark Fuller

Mark A. Fuller, PhD

Interim Chancellor