The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/456562
Winter 2015 5 DEAR FRIENDS, HAPPY 2015 TO ALL! O ver the holidays I had the opportunity to refect on my frst six months at WPI and on my recent inauguration. During the course of that weekend, which you'll read about in this issue, our community came together to showcase the Institute's vibrant past, ongoing excellence, and promising future. It was a professional high point for me and an incredibly personal mo- ment. Whether exchanging ideas with international leaders, such as former Intel CEO Craig Barrett and Carnegie Mellon President Subra Suresh, or having the opportunity to show my closest family members our beautiful campus, it was an extraordinary experience that I will always cherish. To everyone who participated, in person or online, a sincere thank you. During my inaugural address I laid out a vision for WPI. It's a vision that builds upon our strengths and traditions, like the Two Towers—the balance of theory and practice that has guided us for nearly 150 years. We'll always stay true to those principles and to the mission laid out by founders John Boynton and Ichabod Washburn. But at the same time, a changing world—one full of challenges and opportunities, and one focused on outcomes and results—invites us to broaden our thinking and imagine more. My vision revolves around the belief that WPI should commit itself to achieving the goal of becoming the premier global polytechnic. It will require that we dramatically expand our focus on impact —the impact that our students, our faculty, our staff, and our alumni have on the world. This new standard of measure is so critical to our future success that I believe we should consider it as WPI's third tower. Theory, practice, and impact. With this in mind, I have launched a strategic planning process that will advance us toward that goal of becoming the premier global polytechnic. I have chartered six planning teams that will help the university map its future direction. Each team will focus on a core area for examination and planning—I call them our six pillars. WPI's next strategic plan will rest solidly upon these pillars. To become the premier global polytechnic, we must expand WPI's global reach and impact in communities locally, nationally, and worldwide. We intend to train the next generation's science, technol- ogy, engineering, and math (STEM) leaders by making off-campus projects possible for every undergraduate. We will elevate our already distinctive undergraduate program by increasing integration across our many projects, enabling students to get the most value for their time at WPI, and smartly incorporating technology into the teaching and learning experience. We will sharpen our focus on our research enterprise and PhD programs to ensure that they are more substan- tial, more robust, and more distinctively WPI. We will seek to expand and enhance our lifelong learning opportunities, with a special focus on online graduate and professional opportunities. We will work to build a thriving engine of innovation and entrepreneurship that helps us create value and impact across all we do. Finally, we will strive to ensure that WPI has the capacity—from staffng to technology—to support our efforts in a positive, productive work environment. In future issues of the Journal, I look forward to sharing the results of these planning efforts, which will build upon WPI's rock-solid foundation. Sincerely, Laurie A. Leshin President The View from Here message from the president