August 29, 2025

To: RPI Students
From: Rob Hradsky, Ed.D., Vice Provost for the Student Experience
Re: Welcome Back, RPI Students!  

We are excited to welcome you back to campus for another year of learning, discovery, and community at RPI. Whether you are returning or joining us for the first time, we are thrilled to see our campus come alive again with your energy, ideas, and contributions.

Over the summer, we made important enhancements to strengthen the support and resources available to you. You may have already seen the recent announcement about the Student Experience realignment. This initiative brings key areas together to create a more cohesive community. By strengthening academic, personal, and professional support, it ensures that every student has the resources and opportunities to thrive.

Key highlights include:

• Student Success Center: Located in the Folsom Library, this new hub brings together academic support services — including individual and group tutoring, multilingual writing assistance, peer mentoring, and more — to help you thrive academically.
• Mantra Health Portal: In partnership with Mantra Health, we have expanded access to mental health and well-being resources. The portal allows you to connect with counseling and other support services whenever you need them, offering greater flexibility and accessibility.
• Student Support Deans: The Dean of Students Office has welcomed new Student Support Deans who provide individualized guidance and advocacy as you navigate academic, personal, and social challenges.

As we recently announced, this year also marks an exciting chapter in RPI’s history: the introduction of a refreshed brand identity, a powerful tool to express what makes us different and to tell our story boldly. In the coming months, you’ll see updated logos, colors, and messaging that reflect RPI’s spirit of innovation and impact being rolled out. Be on the lookout for pop-up events where we’ll be giving away new merchandise, and a special design competition organized by the Student Union with prizes for the clubs.

As we begin this new semester together, I encourage you to take advantage of our student support resources, engage fully in the life of our community, and continue helping to shape the future of RPI. Your creativity, curiosity, and commitment make this campus extraordinary.

Welcome back and best wishes for a successful and inspiring year ahead!