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President's Perspective: Building a Thriving Future for Vermont and the World
This semester, after a year of development, we introduced new branding and positioning for the university, under the core statement “for people and planet.” Much care and thoughtful work went into this effort, through a process that gathered input and insights from individuals and groups across the UVM community. This was the first time in decades that such a comprehensive examination was conducted to define who we are as an institution, and to distill those thoughts into clear language that can serve in the years ahead as our “true north,” guiding us in our work and helping to define UVM to potential new partners and community members.
I feel that directional pull strongly as I reflect on some of the current accomplishments at the university. In November we honored the legacy of Vermont’s longestserving senator, Patrick Leahy, as we formally opened the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships. Right away the institute began work to make a real difference in the lives of rural communities across the state. More than $1.7 million in grants were announced this year to fund over a dozen impactful community projects. This summer the institute, in partnership with our Community Development and Applied Economics Department, is funding a cohort of nine student interns who will assist and learn from organizations building community resilience across the Northeast Kingdom.
At the same time, we are leading a consortium, developed in partnership with GlobalFoundries and the State of Vermont, that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency has designated one of 31 new national “tech hubs.” This opens the possibility of up to $75 million in additional federal funding to research and develop, right here in Vermont, leading-edge Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology that will increase energy efficiency in a host of products and generate new high-tech jobs for Vermonters.
Innovation at UVM does not only come in such big packages––we also foster young entrepreneurs just beginning to build on their dreams. In April we announced the winners of the inaugural Vermont Pitch Challenge, a national competition sponsored by UVM that gives high school student entrepreneurs the chance to learn to craft effective business proposals and compete for the top prize of a full-tuition UVM scholarship. The same month, we awarded the first Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup, a new UVM program for our student entrepreneurs. The Meyers Cup grants more than $200,000 and significant mentoring and business resources to the winners, creating a Vermont-based venture ready to make an impact on the state’s economy. These awards underscore the promise of the university as a seed ground for the next generation of innovators.
“For people and planet” captures the ethos of this university community precisely, as you can see throughout the contents of this issue of UVM Magazine, where you can learn about many examples of UVM community members following their spirit of inquiry and using their powers of creativity to build a healthier, greener tomorrow for us all.
