Associate Dean's Message - January 25, 2021

This past week we passed two grim milestones: one year since the first case of coronavirus was detected in the US, and 400,000 deaths from the virus. However, as an optimistic person, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that light is not a train coming at us, but rather us turning the COVID corner. The post-holiday surge seems to be abating, positivity rates seem to be decreasing and vaccines for most are on the horizon.

We have also seen some uplifting events: the inauguration, the start of Spring classes and rotations for new first-year students. We are planning our admissions interview days and are looking forward to discussing GSBS with a new group of students. And we are working to make Tufts an anti-racist institution through a series of Community Engagement Sessions. I truly believe things are looking up.

That said, we understand the stress students face in general. COVID and national affairs have not made this any easier. In addition to our ongoing support services, we are partnering with the NIH on their “Becoming a Resilient Scientist” series. There are six webinars open to anyone who registers directly with the NIH, as well as small group discussions, facilitated by two colleagues from Brooklyn College, that will be restricted to GSBS students who register in advance. If you are interested in participating in the small group discussion, please register by the end of today, Monday, January 25. Complete details regarding the program are below.

Dan Volchok, Associate Dean