When a new academic year starts it is always an immense joy and pleasure for our faculty and doctoral students to welcome new Ph.D. students to our Applied Linguistics family at Umass Boston. This diverse cohort of bright minds such as Naomi Yamakawa, Chisom Nlebedum, Elham Khosravian, Ibrahim Abuserriah, and Elizabeth Emmons bring with them an exciting range of experiences, ambitions, new critical ideas, aspirations, and outstanding research. Following our annual tradition, we gathered for Ph.D. orientation that started in the Applied Linguistics Department and then moved to the Umass Boston gorgeous waterfront for delicious eats and treats.

During the orientation, the new cohort received information regarding their doctoral journey, met our faculty members who shared their expertise and listened to previous Ph.D. cohorts’ wisdom regarding the program itself, personal discoveries, or emerging truths that are helpful in navigating doctoral study. This was truly an amazing start to our academic year. Good luck Naomi, Chisom, Elham, Ibrahim, and Elizabeth on this new chapter of your academic career!