 Hello, D&I Certificate graduates. I would like to congratulate each of you for your efforts, your dedication, and your diligence in completing the requirements of Rackham's diversity, equity, and inclusion certificate, particularly over the course of a year, unlike any we have experienced. Pursuing the certificate is demanding at any time, given your many other responsibilities as Rackham students, and I admire your accomplishments in pursuing this educational opportunity at the same time you carried forward your research, teaching, and scholarship amid the unique circumstances of this year. We have all experienced extraordinarily difficult circumstances and collective trauma over the course of the last 12 months. We have grieved the impacts of the virus on our families, friends, and the places we call home, including the tremendous loss of life. We have recognized the disproportionate impact on communities of color. We have also felt pain and anger at the continuing series of racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic incidents of aggression and violence that have occurred in the United States. The killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmet Albury, George Floyd, Dante Wright, Adam Toledo, and so many others have sparked a racial reckoning in our country. To build sustained and lasting progress from that movement will require efforts and advocates at every level of our society. Our DNI certificate program is one such effort. All of us at the Graduate Student School have taken tremendous pride in watching this important program take shape and grow. Of course, that would not have been possible without the efforts of Dr. Debbie Willis, other members of the DNI certificate team, and my colleagues at Rackham. I would like to offer my thanks for the tremendous amount of work they have put into making this program a success. I would also like to thank our many campus partners in this initiative, including the National Center for Institutional Diversity, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, the Program on Intergroup Relations, and of course, UM's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Rackham Graduate School has a history and tradition of valuing the diversity of our students as an essential dimension of excellence and graduate education. This certificate aligns with two of the major goals we are striving for as an institution, to reimagine the academic experience, to more completely prepare our students for the career paths they pursue, and to engage our community around DEI to catalyze ways to make students feel more welcome and empowered in their work. While this program is emblematic of strides we have made, we recognize that we still have work to do as we address structural racism and inequity in our own institution. As Dean of Rackham, I am proud that our graduate students function as leaders when it comes to making our campus a more inclusive and equitable place. And as much as I hope that earning this certificate will help you achieve your goals here at the University of Michigan, I hope it's just as true that I will prepare you to do so in your prospective professional settings as you become scholars, leaders, and change agents in the careers of your choosing. With the skills and understanding you have earned through this experience, along with your scholarship and research, I know you are well positioned to lead positive change wherever you may be. I would like to offer my very best wishes for the health and wellness of you and yours at this time. I only wish that I could be speaking to you in person so that we could recognize your achievement together. Thank you and congratulations again on your accomplishment.