I am delighted to welcome you to San Diego State University!
You are now members of our SDSU family. This includes more than 500,000 students,
faculty, staff, and alumni from around the world.
Our physical presence extends far beyond our main campus in San Diego, with SDSU campuses
in Imperial Valley, Tbilisi Georgia, a future campus in Mission Valley, and all over the
world through our online education programs.
On behalf of our entire university family, WELCOME!
You are now joining one of the nation’s leading public research universities.
The Princeton Review has named SDSU one of the best undergraduate schools for the 5th year in a row.
We are also ranked number 11 in the nation for graduation rate performance.
I am deeply proud that SDSU is one of the nation’s leaders in student diversity.
This is true for both our undergraduate, and our graduate students and programs.
At SDSU, students are at the core of everything we do and our diversity makes us strong!
We are truly excited that you chose San Diego State University and we’re committed to helping
you succeed at every level.
Your years here will go fast...
By the time you leave SDSU, I want you to be equipped to take on the world — as an
innovative leader, ready to make an impact wherever your career takes you.
I hope you will seize every opportunity this campus has to offer.
I know you will fit right in at SDSU.
At every university, students experience some level of discomfort when they transition to
a new environment.
As you go through new student orientation, you will hear about the many opportunities
designed to help you navigate challenges and meet your unique needs, goals, and aspirations.
For now, let me share a couple of examples that I hope will inspire your journey.
Not long ago, I had a fascinating chat with one of our proud SDSU Alumni, Jordan Evans.
Jordan led the NASA team that landed the rover Curiosity on Mars.
Jordan said, “You have to set the bar really high and expect that you’re going to fail
along the way, and also recognize that in those failures, that’s when the deep learning occurs.
Like Jordan, many of you will be tested by new challenges, and that’s when your deep
learning will occur.
Please know that this is a place to fail and experiment.
You will also find that the path to success and self-discovery is seldom a straight line...
For example, Ellen Ochoa, another proud SDSU Alumna, became the first Latinx woman in space.
Yet, she entered her journey at SDSU unsure of her major.
Like many new students, she considered a variety of majors
before settling on a bachelor
of science degree in physics, setting the stage for her career in space.
Think of SDSU as the laboratory where you will create an extraordinary future for yourself.
Today is your day to begin imagining your journey!
Once again: Welcome to the San Diego State University family!
and Go Aztecs!