Letter from the President
The Hill beckons, and the late spring and summer are no exceptions. With trees flowering and Earle Bridge adorned, our beautiful campus has been abuzz with a sense of community and excitement that spans generations.
From WPI’s Class of 2023 walking across the stage during WPI’s 154th Commencement, to more than 1,000 elementary and middle school student roboticists from around the world attending the WPI FIRST Lego League Open Event, and esteemed members of the Class of 1973 celebrating their 50th reunion, the campus has been filled with joy, inspiration, pride, and gratitude.
Welcoming the Class of 2027, I shared with incoming students what I hear in virtually every conversation I have with alumni and current students: the profound impact of a WPI education within this highly supportive community.
We must continue to prepare our students to be ready for the future, motivated to better the world, and equipped to lead.
Our alumni continue to reap and recognize the benefit of their education long after their days on the Hill are over—it comes across whenever I engage with them, as well as in the notes I continue to receive wishing me well in leading this storied institution. They tell me that their project work at WPI fully prepared them for life in the real world, that they know how to pivot when needed, work in a team effectively, and communicate clearly, and that their education has far-reaching effects, both personally and professionally. Consider this quote from an alumnus: “The strong sense of self-efficacy developed through rising to the challenge of these projects has served me well in uncountable ways.” And, just as critical, from an employer: “I always prefer WPI applicants because of their project experience … and their ability to work on a team.”
The world is rapidly changing. Technologies are advancing. The pace of technology adoption is accelerating. Generative artificial intelligence is one of the examples of how fast technologies can be adopted today. We must continue to prepare our students to be ready for the future, motivated to better the world, and equipped to lead. WPI’s project-based learning is more relevant and critical than ever.
Sincerely,
Grace