I want to echo President Hanlon’s statement yesterday in condemning the violence in Georgia that resulted in the senseless deaths of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, and express our support for the Asian, Asian American, and the Pacific Islander community here at Dartmouth and beyond.

While investigations continue and motives are not yet clear, the events are a painful reminder of the increasing violence against Asian and Asian Americans across our nation this past year.

Here at Thayer, students of Asian descent make up nearly a third of our engineering community. Our strength depends on ensuring that they, and people of all backgrounds, not only feel safe but have opportunities to fully flourish here. For our Asian and Asian American students, friends, and colleagues, with whom we work, live, study, and collaborate, this is a particularly vulnerable time.

Please know that Dartmouth is here to support you, and I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to our community:

• Students: Health Services and Counseling for free, confidential counseling and support
• Undergraduates: Undergraduate Dean's Office for academic and personal support
• BE, Masters, and PhD students: Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs Holly Wilkinson for academic and personal support
• Faculty and staff: Faculty/Employee Assistance Program for free, confidential counseling and support for you and members of your family

As we stand with our Asian and Asian American, and Pacific Islander colleagues, classmates, and friends, I want to continue to encourage all of us to take care of and support one another—as we have been throughout this difficult year—and renew our collective commitment to our work to create a more welcoming and inclusive community.

—Dean Alexis Abramson