At my inauguration, I shared a vision of WashU as a bridge that connects disciplines, people, socioeconomic and cultural differences, and communities. Our pursuits in teaching, research and patient care might be imagined as vehicles, moving forward with purpose. Our strategic vision, “Here and Next,” acts like a GPS, guiding our direction and helping us navigate complex terrain.
And what keeps this bridge strong? Our philanthropic partnerships. They are both the fuel and the structural support — the gas that powers our journey and the reinforcements that ensure we can continue crossing divides, making progress and reaching new horizons.
“To fuel the journey ahead, next month we will publicly launch a comprehensive fundraising campaign called With You: The WashU Campaign.”
Chancellor Andrew D. Martin
To fuel the journey ahead, next month we will publicly launch a comprehensive fundraising campaign called With You: The WashU Campaign. As the name suggests, partnerships with our community will propel us forward as we strive to create a more hopeful, humane and healthy world with you, our alumni, parents and friends. The campaign will energize the implementation of our strategic initiatives, which you can learn more about starting on pg. 20. And it will accelerate our progress in two important aspects of our vision for WashU.
First, we aim to advance global solutions to society’s deepest challenges. We’ve defined four major areas of impact to drive our campaign: fostering greater access for students, developing future-ready leaders, building flourishing communities and advancing healthier lives. We will meet each of our supporters where their passions lie, offering funding opportunities aligned with these areas of impact as well as opportunities to support specific school priorities and academic units. Our fundamental purpose remains clear: to pursue academic distinction through educational and research excellence. By engaging with our constituents and the issues that matter to them, we will mobilize our strengths in research and teaching to introduce the positive changes they most want to see in the world.
Second, we are investing in an unprecedented level of interdisciplinary collaboration across our entire university community, from our first-year students through the most senior faculty. Through programs like WashU Leads and Dialogue Across Difference (DxD), we teach students to frame problems and conceive solutions by integrating diverse perspectives and embracing different leadership styles. Central to this approach is our commitment to free speech, creating a culture where students can openly share and respectfully explore differing viewpoints.
More than ever, our researchers are reaching across disciplines to tackle the complex challenges of our interconnected society. The Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building and our new Center for the Environment exemplify this approach, bringing together large interdisciplinary teams to address pressing matters for humanity.
“Together with WashU’s generous community, we can do amazing, world-changing things.”
Andrew D. Martin
Together with WashU’s generous community, we can do amazing, world-changing things. Motivated by a shared sense of purpose and buoyed by a strong tradition of private philanthropy, we will continue to pursue our ideal of equitable access to a WashU education, removing financial barriers for the world’s brightest students to join us. And we will invest in the work of pioneering scholars whose research pushes the edges of our intellectual discourse and potential solutions.
From my vantage point today, I see a world of possibility. It is tremendously exciting to consider where this path might take us and to anticipate all that we might accomplish together. Collectively, our talent and commitment are unrivaled.
Now, it’s go time. Please join me for an extraordinary ride.
