Dear Readers
We held several memorable events during the weekend of Oct. 21-22. These events reflected the bold thinking that characterizes our future. We kicked off the public phase of the most ambitious campaign ever at Ursinus, which will make the college more affordable for our students and enhance our academic capabilities. We broke ground on the Innovation and Discovery Center (IDC), a centerpiece of the campaign. To cap it all off, we held a festive Homecoming that brought many alumni back to the campus they continue to call home.
Keep the Promise will help us achieve greater recognition as a leading liberal arts college. Just as important, we will be better able to advance academic innovation, invest in student success, and “ignite the power of the people” by encouraging Annual Fund support. Improving our student experience is what I remain most excited about.
I am also eager for our campus to witness the completion of the IDC in 2018. The IDC is a collective vision of many individuals, including our late presidents John Strassburger and Bobby Fong. The IDC is more than a building; it allows us to make connections across disciplines. This is what a liberal arts education is all about—teaching students to think critically and work cooperatively as they forge new directions at the intersections of disciplines.
Our interdisciplinary academic centers—the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good, the U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies and the Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement—will build bridges beyond the campus, regionally, nationally and internationally.
As Ursinus embarks on one of the most important periods in its rich history, the opportunities afforded to students through the Keep the Promise campaign will empower us to reach our goal to become known as the first choice institution for students, faculty, staff and for philanthropy. It’s an exciting time for Ursinus! I look forward to working with you to achieve our mutual vision.
Go, Bears!
Brock Blomberg
President
Please send your thoughts and comments to ucmag@ursinus.edu.