A Letter from President Berkey to WPI Alumni and Friends
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Henry James once declared summer afternoon “the two most beautiful words in the English language.” As I compose my annual letter to alumni and friends, it is indeed a beautiful afternoon here at WPI—the flowers are in bloom, summer sessions are in full swing, and the sounds of progress on several new construction projects punctuate the air. It seems an ideal moment to reflect on the past year, one that was filled with inspiring achievements on the part of our students and faculty, exciting new developments for the university, and deeply felt connections across the WPI community.
As ever, the undergraduates represent the heart of this university so I shall begin my letter with them. It remains one of my chief joys as president of WPI to interact with these remarkable young women and men who are pursuing such interesting and creative paths in the classroom, at project sites around the world, and in their extracurricular endeavors. This past year, several WPI undergraduates were honored for their academic and athletic achievements, including junior Lynn Worobey, a biomedical engineering major, who was named a 2007–08 Goldwater Scholar, and junior Charles Gammal III, a double major in electrical and computer engineering and mechanical engineering, who received an honorable mention. Senior Ryan Cain received the 2007 Jostens Trophy, recognizing the most outstanding student-athlete in the nation in Division III basketball. And seniors Christian Banker, Michael Cretella Jr., Jeff DiMaria, Jamie Mitchell, and Jeffrey Tucker, who designed a three-dimensional computer mouse for their Major Qualifying Project, earned one of Popular Science magazine’s inaugural PopSci Invention Awards. Richly deserved, these individual honors also reflect the collective excellence and breadth of talent across WPI’s undergraduate community.
The faculty continue to flourish in their research and scholarly activities, focusing their efforts on problems that are both intellectually challenging and truly important to the world. A new publication, Research at WPI, was launched this year to highlight their innovative research, and the first issue included marvelous examples in such fields as tissue engineering, fuel cell design, sensor technology, infectious disease, and interactive game development. As I wrote in my essay for that publication, faculty research has much to do with the leadership that WPI can offer the world, creating new knowledge and fostering an atmosphere that celebrates free and open inquiry.
It was a banner year for new academic programs at WPI. In December, we announced our plans to offer the United States’ first undergraduate degree program in robotics engineering, and just a few months later, the WPI/Mass Academy robotics team became world champions, winning the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship, a competition founded by WPI alumnus Dean Kamen, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Interactive Media and Game Development program is enjoying great interest on the part of students, and our pilot First Year Seminars on “Feed the World” and “Power the World” will be ready for initial offerings this fall. We also announced the adoption, for at least five years, of an SAT-optional admissions policy. Such a move is unprecedented for a science and engineering school, but I am convinced that it is the right one for both WPI and our nation. By instituting an SAT-optional admissions policy, WPI is taking bold action to attract a broader range of young people, including those from underrepresented communities, who we believe can succeed at the university and contribute their leadership to solving problems around the world.
Talented people and innovative programming deserve top-notch facilities, and we made significant advances in campus development this year. In May, faculty and graduate students began moving into the new WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park, where they are now enjoying state-of-the-art research facilities, innovative spaces that invite collaboration, and opportunities to partner with industry. Construction is also under way for a modern, apartment-style residence hall on Boynton Street, a complete renovation of Alumni Field, and the long-awaited air-conditioning of Alden Memorial.
Strengthening alumni relations and services has been one of my top priorities since I arrived at WPI, and I’m delighted that we have made significant progress in this area, establishing new regional chapters across the country and launching an exciting online community at alumniconnect.wpi.edu. If you have not yet joined the more than 2,700 alumni who have already registered with the site, I encourage you to do so. We have also had enthusiastic response to Imagine and Achieve, a new event series engaging alumni and friends in conversations about the future of WPI. In turn, alumni and friends were very generous to WPI in 2006–07, contributing $14.7 million in gifts and pledges—a splendid 20 percent increase from last year.
While the WPI community enjoyed many wonderful moments this year, we also experienced deep sadness upon learning of the death of Ryan Patrick Jones, a member of the Class of 2005, who died in Iraq of wounds he suffered when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. That Ryan chose to serve his country during a time of war speaks volumes about his character, upbringing, and genuine desire to make a positive difference in the world. That we share in his family’s grief reminds us that we, too, are a family, and that we must remember always to cherish our WPI bonds with one another.
Indeed, I feel most fortunate to be part of this remarkable WPI family. I thank you for your continued interest in the future of the university and I look forward to keeping you informed about our work here on campus. Should you wish to share some thoughts or ideas with me, please send me a letter the old-fashioned way or email me at president@wpi.edu.You have my sincere gratitude and best wishes.
Very truly yours,
Dennis D. Berkey
President
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