Dedicated students, distinguished colleagues and dear friends,

Happy Friday!

It’s hard to believe and exciting to think that we are at the ready, set, go stage again and eager to get the next academic year started. This Sunday, the campus will welcome the arrival of over 1,200 new Miners to begin Opening Week, or “O Week,” where students from around the world will meet each other for the first time. The first item on the agenda for our new students is to form teams to work together on many activities, including Project X, where the students will design and build their own remotely controlled vehicle and race it against other teams in a friendly competition. The project is a great hands-on introduction to teamwork, project planning, and understanding milestones and timelines. Other activities on the O Week agenda include academic workshops and interactive programs with fellow students and faculty. These range from math, physics and chemistry refreshers to meeting upper-level students who will serve as mentors and learning about the campus culture through various social, cultural and artistic activities.

To our incoming students, I say, welcome! I wish you an exciting new academic and social start during O Week and beyond as you become immersed in S&T’s unique culture of experiential learning. You are about to meet fellow students from around the state, the country and the world, many of whom will become your lifelong friends.

Also, please be aware that soon you and your family will receive an invitation to join me in our new, formal New Student Convocation ceremonies in September. This is where our entire  community will formally welcome you to S&T, the Rolla community and the Miner family. Our faculty, staff, students and I will share what you should expect as a new Miner, as well as some further encouragement and inspiration as you embark on your educational journey at this institution. At convocation we will highlight all functions and services available to you, enlist your help to better serve you, and encourage your family members to participate in as many of our events as they wish. Convocation also occurs one day before our Parent and Family Weekend begins, so I hope as many parents and family members as possible will arrive a day early to join us in person for convocation! For those who cannot be here, a livestream option will be available. 

I congratulate you, our newest students, for achieving this proud milestone of becoming a Miner. At this starting point of your new academic and cultural journey, I strongly encourage you to make your purpose your anchor, make every moment a learning moment, and be ready for teamwork, for becoming a leader, and for converting me to we. You will face challenges but realize that you will not be alone in this journey, realize that your feelings are never final, and realize that the university’s collective power is to make you empowered.

Our number one priority is you. Our job as faculty, staff and administration here at S&T is to shine a light, to point the way and to help you achieve your goals. And perhaps more importantly, to help you see beyond your own needs and change your paradigm to what you can do for others. Many Miners throughout the history of this wonderful university have achieved remarkable success. They have answered the call to help others and you will too.

Warmly,

-Mo.

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Mohammad Dehghani, PhD
Chancellor
mo@mst.edu | 573-341-4116

206 Parker Hall, 300 West 13th Street, Rolla, MO 65409-0910
chancellor.mst.edu