Welcoming in the 2025-26 Academic Year

Read about Dean Cooley's thoughts on the start of the academic year and updates from the Graduate School.
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Dean Lynn Cooley
A Message from Dean Cooley


Dear Graduate Students, 

As we start a new academic year, it is my pleasure to extend a warm welcome to new students and greetings to continuing students. We had a wonderful matriculation ceremony for the 900+ incoming students this week, accompanied by The Yale Citations a cappella group. 

As President McInnis said in her remarks, Yale is an extraordinary community of curiosity, exploration, and knowledge creation. Your work here will provide the answers to some of humanity’s most pressing questions and continue Yale’s long legacy of intellectual contributions to society.  

“Stay curious. Stay committed. And remember that no matter the challenges ahead, higher education has always endured. Through war and pandemic, depression and revolution, technological change and cultural upheaval. Across generations, we have continued to teach, learn, enlighten, and inspire,” she said.  

Universities are facing many external pressures right now, on top of all the regular demands of graduate school. I encourage you to stay focused on your research and not get overly distracted by breaking news headlines. Your success is a shared goal, and we are all here to support one another in achieving it. The Graduate School provides many resources to help you navigate your journey. 

Under the umbrella of the Office for Graduate Student Engagement & Development (OGSED), the Graduate School offers: 

Graduate School administrative deans are here to assist with academic issues, and staff from the Office of Graduate Financial Aid can help with managing financial matters. The university’s Office of International Students and Scholars is another important resource. Remember to reach out when you need help. Whether it’s a fellow student, a faculty member, or a staff member in your department or the Graduate School, there is always someone willing to listen and offer guidance. 

Your time here is an opportunity to grow not just as a scholar, but also as a person. You are in a community of thoughtful, ambitious individuals, and there’s a tendency to stay within Yale’s “bubble.” I challenge you to reach beyond the university’s intellectual borders and forge connections in the broader community. Learn how to communicate your expertise in layman’s terms. It will be one of the most important skills you hone at Yale.  

By embracing the challenges, celebrating the triumphs, and relying on the community around you, you will emerge from this experience wiser, more resilient, and ready to make a meaningful impact in the world.  

I look forward to another year with you, and to hearing about the many wonderful discoveries that you are making. 

Warm regards, 
 

Lynn Cooley 
Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences 
Vice Provost for Postdoctoral Affairs 
C.N.H. Long Professor of Genetics 
Professor of Cell Biology and of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology