ALUMNI MAGAZINE
From The President: Welcoming the Next Century
As I enter my sixteenth year as president of the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ and think back on the entirety of my tenure, what stands out to me the most is the character of the individuals who make up our University community — the students, faculty, alumni, and friends whose gratitude and generosity have helped make the University the fine institution that it is today and who inspire and sustain the incredible momentum of The Charger Challenge.
The societal challenges we face require the power of many, not just one or a few, forward-thinking and bold individuals. I am proud that we as a University have already done so much to advance research and solutions in some of the most critical areas — such as health sciences, cybersecurity, and environmental science — and I eagerly anticipate our continued success in these and other areas of need. I am confident that the impressive individuals who are a part of the University family will continue to be some of the most talented and best-equipped change agents today, tomorrow, and well into the future.
In this special campaign edition of the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Alumni Magazine, we profile individuals who represent the many different faces that comprise our community. Instead of touting their many accomplishments second-hand, we have endeavored to allow these inspiring individuals to express, in their own words, what exhilarates them; what they care about most; and the impact that they hope to make on those around them.
"The societal challenges we face require the power of many, not just one or a few, forward-thinking and bold individuals. I am proud that we as a University have already done so much to advance research and solutions in some of the most critical areas ... and I eagerly anticipate our continued success in these and other areas of need."Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D.
You will meet such people as an adjunct faculty and alumna pursuing her thesis work by teaching environmental science to primary school children living on Bahamian and other Caribbean islands, building a future generation of adults who will fight to protect the environment; two high school students who spent the better part of their summer at the University’s GenCyber Academy, experiencing what it takes to enter the field of cybersecurity and who now have their eyes set on attending the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ to pursue this field of study; two longstanding University benefactors who made possible our new innovation center which will serve as a physical manifestation of The Charger Challenge and provide students with a cutting-edge space to collaborate and test creative, entrepreneurial ideas; a first-generation college student who — after beginning her freshman year with little confidence that she could make a difference — now serves as class president and a senate member of the Undergraduate Student Government Association, guiding discussions on shaping the future not only of the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ, but also of higher education overall; and, our recently appointed athletic director whose dedication to improving our competitive edge and facilitating a move to Division I athletics has already helped us to make important strides.
I greatly admire these individuals who are addressing such important issues head on with bold and strategic efforts to enact meaningful change in the world.
What began 100 years ago as a night school using rented space on the Yale campus — then, 40 years later, became a small university on a hill in West 51¶ºÄÌ, Connecticut — has grown into an expansive, thriving campus built for decades to come. We now welcome, with open arms, the next century of the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ â€” one I believe will be our best yet.
With best wishes,
Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D.
President
The spotlights featured in this special campaign edition of the University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Alumni Magazine showcase something fundamental that our students, faculty, alumni, and friends have in common: selflessness and a desire to give back to the world for the opportunities given to them. The Charger Challenge was inspired by individuals like these who have committed themselves to continuing an incredible momentum into a future that beckons with possibility and the promise of imagination, innovation, and impact.
Join us in accepting The Charger Challenge by making your donation now.
