Dean Val Myteberi, Associate Dean, Graduate, Online and International Programs, welcomed 45 new LL.M students to Cardozo on August 11. The group hails from 21 countries around the globe including Russia, Pakistan, Israel, Germany, Turkey, France, Canada, Dominican Republic, Albania, India, Brazil, Spain, Scotland, Poland, Egypt, Colombia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, United Kingdom, Italy and the United States.
She expressed gratitude for being together and acknowledge that these students had to jump through a lot of hoops during the pandemic to get their visas and COVID-19 vaccinations in order to be on campus for opening day.
“We start this year with a renewed commitment to our community,” she said. “You come first, your safety comes first, and your education comes first.”
She also stressed the need for sensitivity to cultural change and advised students to be kind to themselves and to each other during what will undoubtedly be a stressful time.
The students each took an opportunity to introduce themselves to the group, noted where they came from and their hobbies as a way to break the ice getting to know their classmates.
Kevin Gschwend, Senior Director, Graduate & International Programs, amplified Dean Myteberi’s points saying, “we will be here for you." Speaking to students about the challenges of the year ahead, he quoted a nineteenth-century composer who said that all great works are the result of the “relentless force of perseverance.”