Welcome Back from Dean Rehbein
Dear Douglass Students,
Welcome (or welcome back) to Douglass and Rutgers!
This is absolutely my favorite time of year. There’s a palpable sense of possibility in the air–it’s a new beginning for those of you joining us for the first time, and a return home for those coming back to the distinctive mix of routine and discovery that college life brings. And, as a lifelong Jersey Shore resident, I’ll admit I also love this season because it’s “local summer,” when the beaches are at their quietest and best.
This past week, Douglass has been rolling out the welcome mat for our newest community members – check out some of the highlights. It’s inspiring to meet students who are discovering Douglass for the first time and beginning to imagine the lives they’ll build here. I’ve loved meeting many of you already and look forward to connecting with the rest of you soon. I’m also looking forward to connecting with our returning students. I’ve heard from quite a few of you over the summer – participating in SUPER Undergraduate STEM Research Experience, working with Faculty Fellow Brittney Cooper’s RAGE Lab, studying abroad with Rutgers Global, or simply living your best summer life – whatever that looks like.
Part of what makes Douglass such a vibrant community is you – your energy, your ideas, and your participation in all that happens here. Whether you’re new to campus or returning, make sure to stay connected so you don’t miss out on the many opportunities and events happening this semester. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn, and check your inbox each week for the Douglass Delivers, our weekly e-newsletter.
At Douglass, you’ll find opportunities that are social and academic, local and global, focused on advocacy and activism, and even moments for quiet reflection. These experiences are designed with you in mind and centered on women’s voices in the classroom, the residence halls, and the wider world.
I encourage you to try something new this semester: sign up for one of the public policy forums in Washington, D.C., visit the exhibit by fabric artist and Lebowitz Artist in Residence Liz Collins, take the Industry Perspectives course for STEM majors, join the book discussion with author and Douglass alumna Ingrid Hu Dahl DC’02, or explore the Clara method with Dialogue Through Difference.
The work we do at Douglass, the women’s residential college at Rutgers, remains critical and necessary. The World Economic Forum’s most recent gender parity report projects it will be 123 years before women achieve global equity in education, the workforce, access to healthcare, and political participation. Closer to home, a recent study ranked New Jersey near the bottom for gender equity. That’s why what we are doing at Douglass matters.
The fall is a time of possibility. Every chance you take and every new experience you embrace will open your world a little wider and help shape the future for you and for women everywhere. So dig in, have fun, and stop by and say hi when you’re on campus!
Sincerely,
Dr. Meghan Rehbein
Dean of Douglass Residential College
Director of the Institute for Women's Leadership
