Published September 26, 2011 This content is archived.
I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for sharing in our university-wide inaugural celebration last week—a week I will always remember with great pride. It is hard to find the words to express how very meaningful the events of the week were to me personally, and I hope that you enjoyed this celebration as thoroughly as I did.
From the invigorating SUNY Distinguished Professors colloquium that launched the week’s events, to the Homecoming festivities that capped them off, it was an extraordinary celebration. Throughout the week, we showcased our rich university traditions and celebrated all that makes UB great, from the achievements of our students, faculty, and staff, to our international identity and global reach. We highlighted our engagement in our local community, and we debated worldwide social issues from national defense to global food policy. And we celebrated the generosity and vision of several vital university supporters, including a transformational gift to the medical school that is the largest individual gift in UB history. All were truly exceptional events—and yet each of them was also reflective of the remarkable things that happen at UB on a daily basis, every week of the year.
As I said on Friday in my inaugural address, I feel strongly that this inaugural celebration is about much more than a personal milestone. It is a university-wide celebration of our proud past and our bright future as a global leader among 21st century research universities. And it is a celebration of all that connects UB with the larger communities we serve, here in Buffalo and around the world.
I was honored and deeply touched to share in this celebration with you all, and with all of UB’s friends, colleagues, and partners both near and far. Thank you for helping to make this week such an inspiring and auspicious beginning to what I believe will be an extraordinary new chapter in UB history.
President
