The reality of my upcoming retirement came into focus this spring as I began wading through 28 years worth of books, lesson plans and files straining the shelves in my office.  Many items will be put into storage, but the things I cherish the most cannot be packaged in a box.  Those items will go with me as memories of the progress members of the Rose-Hulman community have achieved working as a team.  The accomplishments I have witnessed during my time here give me a great sense of pride in having been a part of the Rose-Hulman family during such exciting times.  I would like to share my view of some of our achievements.

People

Much of the data suggest that we have the most talented students, faculty and staff in the history of the college.  They bring keen intellects accompanied by a curiosity to learn more and a desire to become better.

I could fill columns with statistics about our people, but the trait that sets our people apart is that they are such wonderful citizens who contribute beyond the gates of 5500 Wabash Avenue.  Our students serve the community in so many ways, whether it be as blood donors, to building Habitat for Humanity houses to assembling bicycles for less fortunate youths at Christmas.  Faculty and staff dominate leadership within various Terre Haute-area civic organizations, and they play a key role in assisting with economic development.

Reputation

Our people have teamed to take Rose-Hulman’s reputation to even higher levels.  Just this past year, we were named as the number-one undergraduate engineering college by U.S. News & World Report for the fifth year in a row.  Kaplan/Newsweek selected Rose-Hulman as one of the 12 “Hot Colleges” in the country, and we ranked fifth on a list of the nation's “Top 25 Most Connected Campuses” was released by The Princeton Review.

Rose-Hulman also has hosted faculty from throughout the world who came to campus to learn how to do undergraduate engineering, science and mathematics education.  We also are known as “the place” for learning about best assessment practices for engineering education.

Curricula

I have taken great pleasure watching our faculty work to improve curricula and educational delivery methods.  Rose-Hulman became one of the first colleges in the country during the 1990s to incorporate the laptop computer into the curriculum, and today we experiment with tablet PCs and handheld computers.

Our course offerings and degree programs have kept pace with the changing needs of our society.  We have moved dramatically into the life sciences, and we are at the leading edge of new concepts such as nano science and genetic engineering.  Some of the recently added degree programs include applied biology, biomedical engineering, engineering physics, optical engineering and software engineering. 

Of course, we have increased our emphasis on project-based learning throughout our curriculum and at Rose-Hulman Ventures, our technology-based business incubator.

Facilities

Rose-Hulman has invested $143 million in new facilities or renovations during my tenure as its president.  To attract the best students and to provide the best education possible, you need to have the best facilities possible.  Our labs, classrooms, student services and playing fields compare with those of any undergraduate college in the country.

Some of the facility additions and/or renovations completed in the last 28 years include Moench Hall, Olin Hall, Hadley Hall, Olin Advanced Learning Center, Hulman Memorial Union, Sports and Recreation Center, White Chapel, Hatfield Hall, Oakley Observatory, Cook Stadium, the New Residence Hall, Myers Center for Technological Research with Industry, acquisition of Aleph Park (home to Rose-Hulman Ventures), and the new residence hall currently under construction.

Coeducation and “Vision to be the Best”

All of the aforementioned accomplishments would not have been possible without two major events during the last 15 years – becoming a coeducational institution and the “Vision to be the Best” fund-raising campaign.

It was essential for Rose-Hulman to become coeducational if we truly strived to be the best in undergraduate engineering, science and mathematics education.  The transition went smoothly with no major problems.

Another key element to our recent accomplishments was funding.  “Vision to be the Best” started 10 years ago with a goal of raising $100 million.  It was a challenging goal for a college our size, but I am pleased to note we are closing in on $250 million.  The campaign involved all constituents of Rose-Hulman and was fueled heavily by strong alumni support. 

Much work remains to be done.  I am concerned that many students cannot attend Rose-Hulman because of our inability to meet their financial aid needs.  Another area we need to bolster is our endowment.  We currently rank 122 nationally in the amount of endowment per student.  A college with our high-caliber students should be in the top 50.

Challenges will remain, but I believe Rose-Hulman’s best days are ahead under the leadership of our incoming president, Dr. Jack Midgley.  I say that in confidence because of the strong sense of community we have at Rose-Hulman.  It is the characteristic of which I am most proud.  We have a community with shared passion for excellence, a zeal for service and a concern for each and every individual in the community.  Our strong sense of community made our successes possible, and it will be what takes us to the next level.  It has been my privilege to be a part of such a group of people.