Dr. Ruth Huard

Dean of the College of Professional and Global Education

Congratulations, dear graduates, on the culmination of your graduate and professional degrees. This is a remarkable achievement, especially during an extraordinarily challenging time. We are confronting the coronavirus outbreak not just as individuals or a campus community but as a global community.

Many of you have successfully navigated challenging situations in the past, and while this moment is certainly unprecedented, I am confident that you will not only remain resilient and persevere, but you, as graduates of the School of Information, have the motivation, knowledge and experience to support and contribute to your local and global communities through this crisis and beyond. I know this because as graduates of the School of Information, you are coming from a position of great strength.

As SJSU iSchool graduates, you understand that a human-centric approach to information and technologies is critical, especially in this moment when millions of data points are being presented every minute of the day. You know and understand that there are people behind the datasets and that people must make sense of the applications and technologies to make informed, ethical, and sound decisions.

As SJSU iSchool graduates, you know how to remain relevant and connected in the digital age, and specifically in this moment where virtual interactions are a necessity. You have learned and worked in virtual environments long before this crisis. You have mastered fostering relationships at a distance; you are skilled in developing a strong virtual presence; and you can effectively collaborate across geographical boundaries and time differences. This ability to create community is now needed more than ever.

As SJSU iSchool graduates, you have a global perspective, having learned and worked alongside classmates, faculty, and colleagues across the nation and the world. You are deeply cognizant that the most pressing problems of our times, like this pandemic, are inherently global in nature, thus requiring individuals with different perspectives and disciplinary backgrounds to come together to address these issues.

Through the School of Information you have been exposed to experiences, ideas, and knowledge that have prepared you well. As Dean of the College of Professional and Global Education, I, alongside your families, friends, colleagues, and mentors, am proud to recognize your accomplishments thus far, and look forward to celebrating your contributions and successes to come. You are exactly what our communities and the world need now and in the future.


Ruth Duran Huard, PhD
Dean, College of Professional and Global Education
San José State University