I recently heard a wonderful talk by Padmasree Warrior, the chief technical officer at CISCO, that really resonated with me. She said that, while the current economic recession signifies a turn in the road, there is a great opportunity to gather speed coming out of the turn. The economic challenges certainly present a “turn in the road” for all colleges and universities, but I am confident that HMC will continue gathering speed in order to accomplish the momentous goals that lie just ahead.

The past academic year has been one of the most productive in the history of the college, and we have made critically important progress toward the implementation of our strategic vision. I thank all members of our community for the wonderful work on the core curriculum revision, the WASC accreditation, and the purchase of the north campus property. I am also proud of the planning work for the teaching and learning building, the recruitment of a wonderful new dean of students and class of 2013, and the development of the IT plan, not to mention the critically important teaching, learning and research that happens every day.

Our success in implementing the strategic vision is due in large part to our tremendous fundraising efforts. It is our expectation that this year will be our best fundraising year to date. While overall giving has increased significantly, I am most appreciative of the generous gifts directed to the Annual Fund from alumni, parents, trustees and other supporters of the college. These gifts are crucial because they allow us to meet our day-to-day obligations for supporting the educational experience that makes HMC so special. While most colleges are expecting a decline in annual support of between 5 to 20 percent, we anticipate an increase of as much as 6 percent. This sends a clear message from all who contributed that they believe we are headed in the right direction. I am truly fortunate to be president of a college with such a strong commitment to excellence, and such a dedicated, talented and supportive community.

Such dedication and cooperation allows the college to keep pace with change. In this issue, we celebrate our “connections,” which are particularly important in achieving many of the college’s highest priorities. Not yet as visible as we deserve, given the excellence and innovation of the education we offer, we rely on person-to-person connections much more than some other institutions. Frequently, prospective students tell us they heard about HMC from a teacher or a family friend, and each year many of our graduates are recruited for jobs by our alumni. As president, I count on alumni, parents, trustees and other HMC friends to connect me with leaders who care about excellence in science and engineering education and are potential new friends for Harvey Mudd College.

For many in the HMC community, one of the aspects we treasure the most is that our small size allows us to connect with each other in ways not possible at most other institutions. Recently, I had the opportunity to put one of our graduating seniors, Seanna Vine, in touch with the Ragon Institute in Boston, a new interdisciplinary organization working on the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine. Seanna is now working at Ragon and will be a wonderful ambassador for future HMC graduates.

These meaningful associations really do make a difference in peoples’ lives—and in the life of the college. I look forward to facilitating such connections within our community and hope to cross paths with many of you in the coming year. Yours is a crucial role in achieving excellence at HMC, and I thank you for your support.