Dear CMU Ambassadors,

The Class of 2028 has arrived, an exceptional group of students who have enlivened our campus with their infectious curiosity and energy. This was another successful recruiting year, exceeding our goals for both size and quality of the class, and it was gratifying to recently be named to Forbes’ list of “New Ivies.” The magazine surveyed hiring managers, who ranked us in the top 10 private universities graduating intelligent, talented and ambitious future leaders whom employers are eager to recruit. It’s little wonder students and their families continue to show incredible interest in a CMU education.

At the core of this growing reputational recognition is a focus on the four pillars of our strategic vision. If you have been to one of our recent events across the country, then you’ve heard me talk about how these priorities are guiding our community’s work, as well as the investments we are making to increase our impact. In this CMU Ambassadors edition, I’m pleased to share stories of recent successes in these areas.

First, we are leading at the nexus of science, technology and society. Our researchers are working across disciplines to drive discovery and innovation for the betterment of society. Nowhere is this exemplified more than our future of science initiative and its flagship, the Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, for which construction is now underway. This building will be a unique hub for collaborative research and education unlike any facility in the world. Students and faculty from our Mellon College of Science and School of Computer Science will work, learn and solve challenges that benefit the planet alongside an expanded Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh, where artists will help bring meaning to our complex world. When it opens in 2027, it will accelerate programs that impact the lives of people everywhere.

A gift from longtime alumni benefactors Tod and Cindy Johnson is helping to make the Hall of Sciences a reality, along with increased public art across our Pittsburgh campus. Their $10 million commitment, announced as part of the groundbreaking, will help support construction of the ICA’s new home, as well as create a $5 million endowment for programming and acquisition of new art. Tod and Cindy’s latest gift will further cement our commitment as an institution with art at the core of its mission.

Second, we are driving the future of education. Our faculty members must prepare students for careers that don’t yet exist, and at the heart of this is our maker culture. With an epic mission that drew international coverage from The New York Times, 300 students from all seven CMU colleges designed, tested, built and sent the first lunar rover from a university into space. In a dramatic twist, an anomaly in the larger spacecraft prevented the Iris rover from landing on the moon, so the students quickly mobilized, turning every challenge into an opportunity and collecting as much data as possible from hundreds of thousands of miles away. It’s a powerful reminder that transformative progress rarely occurs in a straight line. We’re immensely proud of what these students and faculty achieved with the mission.

Third, we are enhancing the CMU experience. Our holistic approach to student success includes supporting free speech and fostering civil discourse, which are foundational to democracy and to the mission of our university. One way we are honoring this commitment is through our university-wide Deeper Conversations series. Launched in early 2024, Deeper Conversations offers Tartans opportunities to explore divergent viewpoints and take a broader view on some of today’s most challenging issues. A key programming anchor of the series, the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, also supported a Grand Challenge Seminar course last year. This course saw 40 students tackle hot-button issues, consider multiple perspectives, and engage in productive civil discourse — all skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

And fourth, we are broadening our societal, cultural and economic impact. We have always stood apart thanks to our profound commitment to shaping society through innovation, research and public policy. Earlier this year, we were invited to join U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in Washington, D.C., to announce a new U.S.-Japan partnership that brings together four universities and $110 million in private industry support to usher in a new era of global collaboration to accelerate AI research and workforce development. The initiative partners include the University of Washington, Keio University and the University of Tsukuba in Japan, Arm, Amazon, Microsoft, Softbank Group, NVIDIA and a consortium of Japanese companies.

Last spring, students from our Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy traveled to Geneva for a United Nations meeting on the continued proliferation of landmines. It was an opportunity made possible by our Sustainability Initiative, giving them the chance to engage a critical issue on the international stage and learn how their work can advocate for policy change.

Our alumni community earned four Tony Awards in June, lifting their impressive total over the decades to 64 awards. Jamie deRoy took home two Tonys as producer: Best Revival of a Musical for “Merrily We Roll Along” and Best Play for “Stereophonic.” Will Brill earned the Best Featured Actor in a Play award for his role in “Stereophonic.” And the iconic Billy Porter was honored with the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for his humanitarian work.

On a closing note, I couldn’t be more thrilled to share that our women’s golf team won the NCAA Division III Championship in May, the first for any women’s athletic program in the university’s history. In the team’s nine short years, they’ve placed in the top five of the championships five times — absolutely outstanding. And in July, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed the team to the White House to participate in their second annual College Champions Day. Congratulations!

As always, I remain grateful for everything that you do to advance our important work and serve as ambassadors of our community. I hope to see you soon!

Regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President and Henry L. Hillman President's Chair