Message from the President

Message of Gratitude

Dear Viking Community,

The resilience and tenacity of our Viking family were on full display throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. As we navigated trying times, we continued to rise and support our students—and at Commencement in May, nearly 2,000 graduates joined our alumni community, now 67,000 strong!

Because of your generosity, we have much to celebrate this year. Our donorfueled Student Emergency Fund has helped 498 students with unanticipated financial challenges due to the pandemic, while our fourth Annual Viking Warrior Day broke all prior years’ records. There were 369 donors and matching donors who contributed $394,332—a 101 percent increase over last year (read more on pages 10-11), showing the power of how many donors contributing $50, $100 or $250 can make an incredible impact.

We also received the largest donation in Massachusetts state university history: a $6 million gift from alumna Kim Gassett-Schiller ’83, ’18H and her husband, Philip Schiller. This gift created the Viking Completion Grant Endowment to help students conquer final financial hurdles before graduation—today and for generations to come. Grant recipient Sandrae Band ’21 credits the completion grant with his ability to graduate (read more on page 12).

As we continuously seek to offer the best opportunities to set students up for future success, this year we celebrated the official launch of the Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics and Civic Engagement; our Bertolon School of Business received international Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accreditation (read more on page 5), a distinction enjoyed by only five percent of business schools worldwide; and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival recognized our theatre department with 13 national awards for its fall production of Paula Vogel’s “The Long Christmas Ride Home.”

The stories highlighted in this publication reflect your collective support for our students this year. Each article illustrates moments that tested our resolve, moments of pride and moments that filled us with gratitude. Thank you for your commitment and passion for Salem State University. I am filled with excitement and great anticipation for our continued work together in the year ahead.

Sincerely,

John D. Keenan, president