Letter from the President

From the President

Dear friends and colleagues,

After 18 months at Lehman College, and having served a number of other institutions previously, I can unequivocally state my admiration for this exceptional institution. It is home to an extraordinary community: students, faculty, staff, and, sitting at the table with us as philanthropic partners, alumni, advisors, and friends. What Lehman accomplishes yearly is a testament to the collective efforts of this community and all of our partners listed in this publication.

In its 54 years, Lehman has inspired and educated close to 100,000 alumni who have impacted the Bronx, the City, and the world. An ethos of empowerment permeates the campus, impressing upon our students that each of them has the power to change the world for the better. And they do. Our alumni are the nurses, doctors, and health administrators who courageously fought the COVID pandemic over the past three years. Our alumni serve as legislative and city leaders in the Bronx and beyond.

Our alumni are the educators who propel new generations of K-12 students to excel and aim for their dreams. Our alumni are the young entrepreneurs who innovate business practices and create jobs. And they are artists, designers, actors, accountants, musicians, mathematicians, biologists, physicists, social workers, audiologists, nutritionists, philosophers, etc. In a word, they are changemakers.

Likewise, those of you in Lehman’s extended community should know that each of your philanthropic contributions, no matter the amount, has the power to change a young person’s life for the better. Your gifts provide scholarships, stock the food bank, fund educational and technological initiatives that ensure student success, and support many other mission-critical activities—and we are grateful.

It is your generosity—and what it has helped us achieve— that attracted the attention of MacKenzie Scott, whose transformational $30 million gift two years ago created the scaffolding for further investments in our students and mission. This year, Lehman reaped the rewards of these investments when U.S. News & World Report ranked it among the top performers for social mobility, and for a second time, it was named a leader among HispanicServing Institutions by the U.S. Department of State.

These accomplishments would not be possible without your generosity and partnership. In this season of light, we send you our most sincere thanks and gratitude.

With best wishes for the holiday season and New Year,

Fernando Delgado President