Clarkson Magazine

Letter from the President

This issue of Clarkson magazine looks at the many ways we are developing opportunities to broaden our students' perspectives and equip them with practical knowledge and skills geared to the needs of our changing world. We are also spanning boundaries between teaching and research, between theory and application, between curricular and extracurricular activities, and between the campus and wider world. This is one reason our graduates are leaving Clarkson with a richer education and better career preparation than ever before.

The boundary-spanning approach to collaborative scholarship and research across traditional academic disciplines is nothing new to Clarkson. In 1954 Clarkson pioneered the first degree program in America that combined engineering and business — Industrial Distribution. That highly successful program, since renamed Interdisciplinary Engineering and Management, became a model for rivals at other schools across the nation. It also served as a precursor for a growing number of cross-disciplinary majors and research opportunities across all of our schools: Arts & Sciences, Business and Engineering.

Interdisciplinary courses and majors, such as our new B.S. degree programs in Environmental Engineering and in Digital Arts & Sciences, are now a key differentiator of our curriculum and represent the advantages a small national research institution can give its graduates. They are, however, just one aspect of the "boundary-spanning" philosophy that has become a hallmark of Clarkson's Evolution to Excellence and just one reason why we defy convention on the higher education landscape.

A significant example of how cross-disciplinary initiatives have enriched our campus is the impact of our Physical Therapy (PT) program. It began nine years ago when a recognized international expert in the field, Sam Feitelberg, arrived at Clarkson to lead us in building an accredited program from the ground up. PT not only put the University directly into health sciences education and research, it also added new dimensions in other areas, such as engineering, by stimulating programs in bioengineering and rehabilitation engineering. Sam retired from Clarkson this spring and all of us are deeply grateful for his guidance and leadership.

On a sadder note, Clarkson lost a remarkable friend and benefactor in March when Helen Snell Cheel passed away as she was approaching her 101st birthday. Her generosity dramatically transformed our physical campus and has forever enhanced the education and daily lives of our students. We are indeed most fortunate that Helen Cheel's lively spirit, clear vision, and love for Clarkson will continue to live in the legacy that she has bestowed upon this University.

Tony Collins
President