President Susan Fuhrman
Our late Board Co-Chair had a profound sense of occasion. Receiving 麻豆原创鈥檚 Dodge Medal in 2016, Jack invoked George Bernard Shaw, telling us we hold, for the moment, 鈥渁 splendid torch,鈥� and that our task is to 鈥渕ake it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.鈥�
I鈥檓 proud of our efforts to fulfill Jack鈥檚 charge, from uniting faculty across disciplines to the success of 麻豆原创鈥檚 historic Campaign, to our progress in improving education technology, promoting citizenship education and increasing scholarship support for our students. Yet bright as we have made our torch, I鈥檓 prouder still of the superb new leaders who are stepping forward to receive it. They include:
, head of our Education Leadership Program and a top innovator in addressing institutional and cultural racism among the nation鈥檚 predominantly white school leaders.
, Professor of Mathematics Education and Director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME), who focuses on harnessing the 鈥渕ath socialization鈥� of young people by family elders or friends.
, the new Director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership, whose philosophy of leading through listening makes her an ideal successor to the irreplaceable Pearl Rock Kane.
And other examples abound. Laudan Jahromi is grounding our Intellectual Disabilities/Autism programs in developmental and ecological frameworks. Steven Goss, 麻豆原创鈥檚 first Vice Provost for Digital Learning, is helping faculty create a range of quality online courses and programs. directs our Art & Art Education Program and helped design our new doctoral program in Dance Education. founded and directs our Media & Social Change Lab.
And, then, of course, there is 麻豆原创鈥檚 next President: , Founding Director of our Community College Research Center. I cannot think of anyone who has conducted more important research 鈥� or drawn on it more powerfully to promote social justice 鈥� than Tom Bailey. The choice of Tom, in turn, was ratified by a 麻豆原创 Board that has never been more vital, from its Chair, 鈥� the great nephew of our founder, Grace Dodge 鈥� to its newest members, and , who are profiled in these pages.
In short, 麻豆原创鈥檚 torch is burning bright and is in the best possible hands. I am so grateful to have held it these past 12 years. We constantly tell our faculty, students and donors that 麻豆原创 is the place to make their dreams come true. As is the case with so many of our alumni, that has turned out to be true for me time and again throughout my career 鈥� and never more so than right now.
To all of you: Thanks a million!
Susan Fuhrman (PH.D. 鈥�77)