president’s

letter

t’s amazing what can be accomplished when vision meets generosity and ideas can become real. Wilkes came together to celebrate several transformative gifts this fall, each serving as an example of the trust in our mission and the dedication of everyone who makes this institution extraordinary. You’ll learn more about the generosity of Dr. Richard Abbas Alley, Bing K. Wong and the Cohen Family and Benco Family Foundation in this issue of Wilkes, along with how these gifts are already making an impact.

There are many ways to turn what is envisioned into reality. There’s the path of collaboration, demonstrated by the recent enhancements made to the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center to ensure its accessibility for more members of our community. Sometimes, it’s through trying something new, like our students in Wilkes Adventure Education, or taking a leap, like Sean Lockhead ’90, MS ’99.

Or, like many stories at Wilkes, it’s through mentorship and educational experiences that are like no other. You’ll read more about two of them in the announcement of funding from the National Science Foundation and the 20th anniversary celebration of the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing. What starts as an idea at Wilkes can change lives, reshape landscapes and make lasting impacts on our communities.

As the Board of Trustees searches for the next president of Wilkes and I turn my focus to ensuring the future of the University through fundraising, I could not be more hopeful. Wilkes has a strong and enduring legacy of opening countless doors for students in search of opportunity. There are so many examples from our incredible faculty, students, staff and alumni of that mission made real. It starts by imagining something better and then taking the steps to make it happen.

Please enjoy our latest issue.

Greg Cant
President