Welcome to Boston University.
I believe the real work of a university is becoming.
You do not need to arrive at BU as a finished person. In fact, I hope you don’t. You will come here with plans, expectations, and some sense of who you are and where you are going. Bring those plans. Pursue them seriously. But hold them loosely enough to be surprised.
A university should enlarge us. It should introduce us to people and ideas we did not expect, complicate some of what we thought we knew, and give us room to discover new interests, new relationships, and perhaps a somewhat different understanding of ourselves. Changing your mind can be progress. A plan can be revised. Certainty can give way to curiosity.
So one of the questions I hope you will return to during your time here is not simply, “What am I going to do?” but, “Who am I becoming?”
The Office of the Dean of Students and the Division of Student Affairs are here to be part of that process. We want BU to be a place where you feel known, supported, and able to participate fully in university life. Sometimes that means helping you find your people or an opportunity you did not know existed. Sometimes it means helping you work through a difficult moment, recover from a mistake, or figure out what comes next. And sometimes it simply means connecting you with the right person.
Belonging, however, is not passive. You have a place in this community, and you also have a role in shaping it. That means showing up for one another, remaining curious about people and ideas different from your own, contributing something of yourself, and helping create the kind of community in which others can belong too.
Your education will happen in classrooms, certainly, but also in residence halls, student organizations, conversations, friendships, disagreements, setbacks, and moments you could never have planned for. Let those experiences change you. Allow yourself to be surprised. Find some joy along the way.
Get to know us. Ask for help when you need it. Tell us when something is not working. Show up for this place and for one another.
And every once in a while, ask yourself: Who am I becoming?
I’m glad you’re here.
Jason Campbell-Foster
Dean of Students
The following message was sent to all off-campus students on Thursday, September 3, by Dean Campbell-Foster. Dear BU Off-Campus Students: The start of the fall semester is an exciting time. As you unpack, settle in, and reconnect with friends, I want to remind you about your responsibility to the community in which you live and […]
The following message was sent to all students on Wednesday, September 2, by Dean Campbell-Foster. To our new and returning students, Every fall, everyone wants to know what’s next: your classes, your internship, your five-year plan. Fair questions. But as we start a new year together, here’s one I’d add: Who do you want to become? […]
The following message was sent to all students on Friday, April 17, at 11 am by Dean Campbell-Foster. Terriers, Marathon Monday is one of the clearest examples of Boston coming together as a community. Runners, residents, and visitors from around the world share the same streets and spaces in an experience that reflects the spirit of […]
The following message was sent to all students on Friday, March 13, 2026, from Dean Campbell-Foster. When the city turns shamrock-green bright, And the parade fills the streets with delight, Have fun with your crew, But be thoughtful there too — Let your neighbors sleep soundly that night. Dear Students, I hope you’ve had a restful spring break. […]