Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Visitors:
This has been and continues to be a very exciting year, especially given our planned celebration of the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute’s 40th anniversary. I have served as director of the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute now for a little more than two months and in this time, continue to be honored and humbled by my role . Coming from a traditional faculty and teaching position in the political science department I am keenly aware of the importance of engaging students at all levels toward supporting their academic success here at Northeastern. This year the Institute will continue to provide programs, resources, services and activities to support African-American students in recruitment and retention and nurturing a supportive, culturally engaging, academically stimulating, and welcoming environment.
This year, I will include bringing to life a vision and future direction for the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute. The vision will not only support African-American students in their progress here at NU, but will also emphasize preparedness for competition posed by colleagues of our students both domestic and international. The development of this vision will involve input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. This procedure will occur in conjunction with the exciting activities we are doing this year.
I have met a great number of exciting students and I hope to meet and welcome every African-American student at some point during the year. I will continue to encourage students to connect with every aspect of University life as well as the city in which they will reside for the next several years. This year continues to have the potential to be particularly inspiring as we increase the Institute’s visibility and engagement with every aspect of the University community, develop its research capacity, host visits from distinguished members or our community, engage in extraordinary cultural programs and activities, and in our neighboring communities like never before. In the inaugural words of President Aoun, “we cannot merely be a mirror of what society is; we should be a model of what society can do.”
Welcome to the freshman class and welcome back to returning students. I look forward to working with you and I offer you an open invitation to visit and explore how you yourself may become engaged and involved in helping to grow the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute to the national and international prominence its history and legacy so rightfully deserve.
Sincerely,
Richard L. O'Bryant, Ph.D.
Director