Posted: January 12, 2026
Dear Students, Faculty, Administrators, and Staff,
As this new year and new semester start, one word in particular is on my mind: alignment.
At its most basic, alignment simply means “getting things in line.” But on a deeper level, it means bringing into harmony the thoughts, words, values, and actions that mark who we are and what we aspire to become. And out of that holistic harmony arises more focused, more effective awareness, purpose, direction, and impact.
As such, alignment is the pathway and process that leads us to authenticity — that state of being true to ourselves and to what is real rather than unreal, genuine rather than imitative. In the words of leadership theorist, educator, and author Dr. Lance Secretan:
“Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet — thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing — consistently.”
Alignment is key to the authenticity we pursue as stakeholders in the grand enterprise of graduate education. With it, we can map our trajectory and stay on course; without it, we’ll likely drift awry and lose our way. Think of it in these practical terms: whether a vehicle’s wheels are in alignment or out of alignment makes all the difference between a smooth drive and a rough ride, a successful arrival and a detrimental detour.
Whatever challenges and opportunities 2026 brings, I invite you to ponder how being intentional about alignment can help you to meet and make the best of them. In what ways can you better put your inner convictions in sync with your outward performance? How can you integrate belief and practice to better manifest what you are about, what you strive to become, and what positive, constructive footprint you aim to leave for the betterment of yourself and others around you?
May thoughtful alignment lead all of you, my fellow Grad Gators, into deeper authenticity that yields greater achievement and effectiveness in the year ahead.
Go Gators!
Nicole L.P. Stedman, Ph.D.
Associate Provost and Dean
The Graduate School
University of Florida
Graduate School