5th Annual Dean's Address 2026

Laney faculty gathered on March 4 for the annual Dean’s Address, where Kimberly Jacob Arriola, dean of the graduate school and vice provost for graduate affairs, reflected on the past year and outlined priorities for the future of graduate education at Emory. 

Framing her remarks around Emory’s mission to “create, preserve, teach, and apply knowledge in the service of humanity,” Arriola emphasized the collective effort required to support graduate education. 

“The work of graduate education is fundamentally collective,” Arriola said. “Progress at the Laney Graduate School is only made possible through the leadership and collaboration of faculty, staff, students, and partners across the university.”  

The address highlighted a year of strong interest from prospective students. Doctoral applications increased by 24 percent compared with the school’s five-year average, while several master’s programs saw notable growth in applications following new recruitment and marketing efforts. 

Despite this momentum, Arriola acknowledged the broader challenges facing higher education nationwide, including rising costs, shifting federal policies, and uncertainty for international students. 

“Graduate education stands at a point of inflection,” she said. “And yet, our commitment has not wavered. In fact, it has sharpened. We choose to move forward with intentionality.”  

Arriola shared progress across the school’s strategic framework, which focuses on promoting interdisciplinary academic opportunities, enabling inclusive environments, and facilitating impactful scholarship. 

A major focus of the past year has been expanding support for master’s students through coordinated recruitment strategies, professional development programming, and stronger connections to alumni and career opportunities. 

Another key initiative is the Flourishing at Laney framework, which supports graduate students through mentoring, professional development, and community-building opportunities designed to promote wellbeing and long-term success. 

“Graduate students thrive when academic rigor is paired with wellbeing, high-quality mentoring, and a strong sense of community,” Arriola said.  

The dean also highlighted new initiatives aimed at strengthening graduate training, including expanded grant-writing support, the Teaching Triad Faculty Fellowship, and efforts to increase experiential learning opportunities for students. 

Throughout the address, Arriola underscored the importance of collaboration across schools and departments, describing Laney Graduate School as “the connective tissue” that creates opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and partnership. 

The evening concluded with a reading from “The Tradition,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning poem by Emory professor Jericho Brown, PhD, Charles Howard Candler professor of English and creative writing and director of creative writing. Reflecting on the poem’s imagery of seeds and blossoms, Arriola encouraged the community to remain committed to the long-term impact of graduate education. 

“We cannot speed up the video to see blossoms,” she said. “But the work we are doing today—together—will shape the future of scholarship, leadership, and service in the world.”  

Read the full address and presentation here: Dean’s Address 2026