Summer 2007

When Chauncey Rose founded Rose- Hulman Institute of Technology in 1874, he turned to friends and business associates to make his vision a reality. They came together with ideas, energy and financial resources to start what would become one of the nation’s leading undergraduate engineering, science and mathematics colleges in the country. That foundation of friendship continues to play a vital role 133 years later.

I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all the “Friends of Rose-Hulman.” Individuals, corporations and foundations are very important members of our family as we educate and build future contributors and leaders in our society. In today’s world, no one can do it alone – especially a small, private college. So the willingness of our friends to join with us in providing the best undergraduate education in engineering, science and mathematics is a cornerstone of any success we have.

Obviously we THANK YOU for providing financial support to help the brightest and best students find a way to attend Rose-Hulman. The need for scholarship dollars has never been greater, and we hope your support will continue to help us attract the best high school students from the region, country and world. Also, your economic support of programs and physical assets is a key to our ability to allow students access to the latest trends in our fields of endeavor and prepare them to be productive in your environment as they leave here to meet the needs of the workplace and community and the challenge of realizing their dreams.

We THANK YOU for your willingness to participate in advisory groups at all levels, providing us pertinent information about the trends and needs in your world and giving us the opportunity to be on those leading edges with you. Your input is vital to helping Rose-Hulman maintain an educational experience pertinent to the needs of our society and our students.

We THANK YOU for the opportunities and responsibilities you give our young alumni to contribute to your operations and to your communities. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments because they have an instant impact upon graduation. Their success stems, in part, from the education they received at Rose-Hulman. I am convinced that through their success, the Rose-Hulman “product sells itself.” Our audience continues to widen through geographic placement and growing reputation. We have an alumni presence in all 50 states and 38 foreign countries. Our admissions pool is branching out as well. Fifteen years ago, 66 percent of our students came from Indiana. Today that number stands at 42 percent.

We THANK YOU for your willingness to engage with our faculty and staff to provide “real-world” projects and activities which are extremely critical in our practical “hands-on” type curriculum. We are committed to having every undergraduate participate in at least one such opportunity. This enhances the learning process in a way emphasized in the following Chinese proverb:

“Tell me and I’ll forget; Show me and I may remember; Involve me and I’ll understand.”

The hands-on nature of our education is a sure path to understanding for our students. Also, we appreciate the interaction our professors have with industry. It is critically important to our success as our faculty bring the real world to the classrooms and labs at 5500 Wabash Avenue.

Most importantly we THANK YOU for just being a “Friend of Rose-Hulman.” We hope this provides you a meaningful, positive experience that you will share with others who you think might be able to help us along this continuing journey. The opportunities to share and grow are boundless, and we certainly want to do our part by providing an attitude and environment to work together to create the best young citizens and leaders of the future.

THANK YOU