My Fellow Blue Devils,

It is a great honor and privilege to represent you as President of the Graduate and Professional Student Government. For those of you new to Duke, you will discover a university geared toward helping you succeed academically and professionally, not only while you are enrolled, but long after you’ve graduated and begun your path to success. For returning students, I’d like to note that GPSG is still here supporting you and your goals, and it is stronger than ever.

As we look toward the academic year, our raison d’être has not changed, but it must evolve with the times. Currently, our university is facing federal funding cuts and existential threats that potentially jeopardize our quality of life and education. We must find a way to do more with less; and we will.

This year, I propose that we make a coordinated effort to strengthen our community by bridging gaps and building relationships across the ten graduate and professional schools. This serves three purposes. First, in the face of budget cuts, we must combine our resources to overcome financial challenges across our schools and organizations. Second, it fosters a stronger sense of belonging, where students feel supported not just within their own school, but as part of a vibrant, interconnected Duke community. And lastly, these connections lay the groundwork for lasting professional networks that will benefit us long after we leave Duke.

Every time I’ve walked into a GPSG meeting, I’ve seen something rare: students from across the graduate and professional schools working together, proving that collaboration here builds the kind of community that makes Duke stronger, even in hard times. Let’s show what’s possible when every graduate and professional student stands as one.

Now more than ever, we must act with unity, vision, and purpose. The challenges before us are real, but so is our resolve. If we commit to collaboration over isolation, shared progress over siloed effort, and community over competition, there is no limit to what we can accomplish together.

And finally, my fellow Blue Devils, let this be the year we redefine what it means to be one Duke: resilient, resourceful, and ready. I look forward to serving you with pride and purpose.

Thank you,

Ian G. Redmond

President, Graduate and Professional Student Government