Lafalum84

I received this email as an alumnus, but thought those of you considering attending Lafayette might find it interesting:



Dear Alumni

As Lafayette's chief academic officer, I wanted to take a moment to share with you a recent example of the ways in which the College offers our students extraordinarily valuable opportunities to engage with prominent leaders in various fields about issues of importance in our nation and our world.

Last week Charles Plosser, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, gave his views on the outlook for the U.S. economy in a campus forum attended by students, faculty, and area business leaders. Organized by our Policy Studies Program in partnership with regional business groups, the event received media coverage nationally and internationally by virtue of the key role that Mr. Plosser - one of 12 leaders of the nation's Federal Reserve banks - plays in determining our country's monetary policy.

In addition to hearing his remarks, the students in attendance took full advantage of the opportunity to engage more actively with Mr. Plosser, enthusiastically posing insightful questions during a lengthy question-and-answer session. The "value-added" in our students' educational experience at Lafayette comes, in part, through this kind of exposure to and learning from prominent figures on the global stage.

I encourage you to view a story and photos of the event at Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Charles Plosser Discusses National Economy at Policy Studies Forum.

In the coming weeks, Lafayette will host the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, the first speaker in a yearlong series in which artists and scientists will talk about techniques for combining technology with the visual arts. Also visiting campus will be noted author Jay Parini, a member of the Class of 1970, to discuss Promised Land, his recent volume about 13 books that changed America. The film adaptation of Jay's novel The Last Station, an account of the last years of Leo Tolstoy's life will be released next year. Another alumnus and accomplished author, Dominique Lapierre '52, will speak about his own new book, A Rainbow in the Night, about apartheid in South Africa. A true global citizen and witness to history, he is widely recognized for his work in humanitarian causes.

Upcoming events also include the Resnik Memorial Lecture, with Paul Loeffelman, the director of environmental public policy at American Electric Power, and Jim Tolan, the president of U.S. operations of SgurrEnergy, speaking on a remarkable engineering achievement, the installation of wind turbines in the Galapagos Islands to bring renewable energy and contribute to the protection of biodiversity.

This sampling reflects Lafayette's commitment to giving students opportunities to engage with leaders in sessions that encourage them to grasp key ideas and issues in new ways and challenge them to form and discuss their own views. This is consistent with the College's long-standing commitment to help students build productive lives that will give them the edge to lead and succeed in a complex world.
Thank you for your continued support of our College.

Sincerely,

Wendy L. Hill
Provost and Dean of the Faculty