Although the days are getting shorter and colder, December is a month of celebration. Filled with religious and secular winter holiday traditions like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing day, Omisoka, and Winter Solstice, it also includes anniversaries like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, celebrated internationally on December 10.  

December marks the end of the calendar year, but also the end of the term. Students complete final projects. Faculty turn in final grades. Last minute tasks make way for gatherings of family and friends. For some of our students, it also represents the end of part of their educational journey, an accomplishment that we celebrate at the winter commencement ceremony on December 19. This month’s newsletter is about this transition as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and prepare for the next term.