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WPI Launches $500 Million 鈥淏eyond These Towers鈥?Campaign

cbwamback — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) launched 鈥淏eyond These Towers鈥?the largest fundraising campaign in its history鈥攁nd the first to combine philanthropy and sponsored research鈥攁t a global virtual event on Thursday evening. College leaders announced they had already raised $354 million toward a $500 million goal.

The campaign, now entering its public phase, positions WPI to continue to transform lives, to turn knowledge into action to confront global challenges, and to revolutionize STEM through its distinctive and inclusive education, projects, and research. The campaign鈥檚 theme 鈥楤eyond These Towers鈥?is a nod to the towers of WPI鈥檚 first two buildings, enduring symbols of its guiding philosophy of theory and practice.

鈥淪ince WPI鈥檚 founding 鈥榯heory and practice鈥?have led generations of students, faculty, and staff to apply their acquired skills, knowledge, and abilities to help co-create solutions to great problems around the world,鈥?said WPI President Laurie A. Leshin. 鈥淭hrough this campaign we are reaffirming our commitment to lead with purpose, to stay true to our core, and to advance our highest aspirations that our work鈥攁s scientists and engineers, business leaders and humanists鈥攈as a meaningful impact on people, society, and the planet.鈥?lt;/p>

President Leshin and George Oliver 鈥?2, chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls, WPI trustee, and National Campaign Chair, hosted the event. Attendees from around the world learned from WPI students, alumni, and faculty about the campaign鈥檚 goals to fund strategic initiatives in four areas:

Tomorrow鈥檚 Leaders: $100 million for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to make a WPI education more accessible to a more diverse population of talented students; for academic and student life programs, including a planned WPI Center for Well-Being; to prepare graduates to navigate life鈥檚 challenges and thrive as they make a positive difference in the world鈥攁s students and as alumni.
Globally Engaged University: $50 million for The Global School and its initiatives, including WPI鈥檚 unique network of Global Project Centers; The Global Lab, a collaboratory space for students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, post-docs, and partners to interact, imagine, and visualize ideas using state-of-the-art media studios; and programs to expand and deepen WPI鈥檚 capacity to create positive change, globally and locally.
World-changing Research: (in addition to securing $150 million in sponsored research) $100 million for graduate fellowships, endowed faculty chairs, graduate programs, and the dynamic research ecosystem that fuels WPI鈥檚 national and international reputation and is ultimately aimed at solving critical problems and improving lives.
Innovative and Inclusive Community: $100 million to support faculty, students, staff, and programs that ensure that our students graduate with entrepreneurial mindsets and learn how to create value; that our community is supported in its pursuit of excellence in all things; and that we are building an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming community where all members feel a strong sense of belonging and have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

鈥淭hese aspirations are high鈥攂ut that is what this campaign is about: WPI has never been a community content with complacency, and 'good enough' has never been good enough for us; we have always sought better solutions, brighter futures, and expanded universes,鈥?said Leshin. 鈥淎s with any great discovery or technological advancement, we cannot do it alone, and we鈥檙e counting on the continued and intensified support of alumni, parents, friends, and partners to help advance the work of our students and faculty.鈥?lt;/p>

鈥淭his campaign is about what philanthropy can do for our faculty and students, and what they will do for people all over the world,鈥?said Oliver. 鈥淲PI faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates are developing such forward-thinking solutions to such difficult global problems鈥攑roblems that impact all of us鈥攁nd by supporting 鈥楤eyond These Towers鈥?we are helping ensure they can continue seeking those solutions and continue making an impact.鈥?amp;nbsp;

WPI Launches $500 Million 鈥淏eyond These Towers鈥?Campaign

cbwamback — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow鈥檚 Leaders: $100 million for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to make a WPI education more accessible to a more diverse population of talented students; for academic and student life programs, including a planned WPI Center for Well-Being; to prepare graduates to navigate life鈥檚 challenges and thrive as they make a positive difference in the world鈥攁s students and as alumni.
Globally Engaged University: $50 million for The Global School and its initiatives, including WPI鈥檚 unique network of Global Project Centers; The Global Lab, a collaboratory space for students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, post-docs, and partners to interact, imagine, and visualize ideas using state-of-the-art media studios; and programs to expand and deepen WPI鈥檚 capacity to create positive change, globally and locally.
World-changing Research: (in addition to securing $150 million in sponsored research) $100 million for graduate fellowships, endowed faculty chairs, graduate programs, and the dynamic research ecosystem that fuels WPI鈥檚 national and international reputation and is ultimately aimed at solving critical problems and improving lives.
Innovative and Inclusive Community: $100 million to support faculty, students, staff, and programs that ensure that our students graduate with entrepreneurial mindsets and learn how to create value; that our community is supported in its pursuit of excellence in all things; and that we are building an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming community where all members feel a strong sense of belonging and have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

The Period Agenda Receives Nearly $11,000 to Fund Free Menstrual Product Dispensers on Campus

admin — Mon, 24 May 2021 12:00:00 +0000

When Alexandria Lehman 鈥?2 first heard the phrase 鈥減eriod poverty鈥濃€攁 lack of access to menstrual products due to financial constraints鈥攕he didn鈥檛 hesitate to take action. 鈥淚 knew I had to get involved,鈥?she recalls.

Two years later, this mechanical engineering major was vice president and now president of The Period Agenda (TPA), an eight-member student group that is working with campus partners to install menstrual product machines that provide the items for free in various campus locations. The Women鈥檚 Impact Network (WIN) at WPI recently awarded TPA a $10,920 grant that will fund the replacement of the current coin-operated machines with 32 new machines that will dispense products at no charge.

鈥淎 lack of access to menstrual products, whether because you can鈥檛 afford them or you just don鈥檛 have any with you when needed, can cause students to miss class and other academic activities,鈥?says Lehman, noting TPA efforts touch on education, health, and community outreach. 鈥淏y providing easy access to menstrual products, what once was a 鈥榤enstrual emergency鈥?is quickly solved. It's important to normalize periods.鈥?lt;/p>

鈥淭he Period Agenda, like many of WPI鈥檚 student organizations, creates a place where student voices can be heard as we work to create more inclusive and student-friendly environments on campus,鈥?says Associate Dean of Students Emily Perlow, who has worked with the group. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of their strong advocacy, eye toward inclusion, partnership, and data-driven approach as they worked to bring this project to fruition.鈥?lt;/p>

Initially, TPA did groundwork with Perlow, the WPI Facilities Office, and a Major Qualifying Project (MQP) team to assess the need for and value of getting these new machines. TPA conducted a free product trial whereby free pads and tampons were accessible in some gender-neutral bathrooms on campus.

鈥淲e tracked how often they were used and refilled as needed,鈥?Lehman says. Then, the MQP team conducted a survey to determine if people supported the project. Based on the findings, the MQP team reported there was a need for free products and presented options for implementation.

TPA members then met with President Leshin to discuss the initiative. 鈥淪he recommended we apply for a WIN grant, which we were very excited to receive,鈥?says Lehman. WIN grants are funded through donations by WIN members, a diverse group of women who share a passion for education, leadership, and philanthropy. The organization supports initiatives that advance women in STEM, thereby making a difference within the WPI community and beyond.

鈥淔acilities worked with the university鈥檚 menstrual product company and had them replace the current coin-operated machines with those that dispense free products,鈥?Lehman says. 鈥淭hey also expressed interest in adding free-product machines into gender-neutral restrooms and have requested our input on which bathrooms these should go in. We鈥檙e working toward making menstrual products accessible to all genders and will post flyers all around campus to let students know about the new machines.鈥?lt;/p>

TPA also has taken its mission into the local community. It has conducted product drives on campus to collect sanitary products to donate to Worcester-area shelters.

鈥淚t's been fulfilling,鈥?Lehman says, 鈥渂eing able to work with a great team that has such an impact both on campus and off campus.鈥?lt;/p>

鈥揕auren Borsa-Curran

Herd Revisited - It Takes a (Yurt) Village: Class Gift Will Enhance IQP Experience

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 12:00:00 +0000

When this year鈥檚 Senior Class Gift Committee decided to fund a yurt village for the Farm Stay Project Center at Turn Back Time in nearby Paxton, it was with a sense of compassion and excitement for future students who might not otherwise get the chance to enjoy the full Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) experience.

In consideration of the impact that project-based learning has had on their own academic careers, committee members voted to fund the purchase and installation of the yurts, allowing students to stay full-time at Turn Back Time, a 58-acre working farm and nature education center, where WPI operates a project center. The yurts, which will have electricity and WiFi and will be fully furnished, will allow students to stay overnight on the farm. Initial plans include four housing yurts to accommodate up to four students each, and one community yurt with living room, dining room, and work space. The committee hopes to reach its goal of $15,000.

鈥淢any of us know how fortunate we are to go to a school that provides an off-campus experience that fits within our engineering curriculum such as the IQP,鈥?says senior Haley Ornstein, who, with senior Sarah Armstrong, co-chairs the committee. 鈥淲hile the opportunity to actually leave Massachusetts and go to a far-away IQP site is a privilege that many of us on the committee got to experience, we know that not all students at WPI have that ability.鈥?Project-based learning is a main component of the WPI Plan, she says, and an off-campus IQP allows students the opportunity to work as a team in a way they may never have experienced before.

Committee advisor Jessica Musto, Annual Giving associate for the Office of Lifetime Engagement, says, 鈥淭hey knew a lot of students who had previously done their IQP at the farm and wished that they'd had a place to stay overnight for the full experience.鈥?

Ornstein knows how fulfilling it is to stay immersed, day and night, at one of the university鈥檚 project centers. 鈥淚 went to the Armenia Project Center last year, and the best part about it was being able to live and work in a country outside of the United States, and be immersed in the Armenian culture and focus solely on the project at hand,鈥?she says. 鈥淲hen students have the ability to experience their project site completely, it adds value and a personal relationship to your project.鈥?lt;/p>

Professor Lisa Stoddard, director of the Farm Stay Project Center, became emotional upon receiving word that the committee had selected the Paxton site. 鈥淚 cried,鈥?she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e able to increase the opportunities for their peers to have a similar IQP experience.鈥?lt;/p>

The yurt village is scheduled to be operating in spring 2021, with a goal of eventually constructing two additional housing yurts. Committee members were thrilled that they will be able to return to Worcester in a year or so to see the end result of their fundraising.

Ornstein added, 鈥淥ur committee wants to let future WPI students know just how important the IQP experience is to their WPI curriculum.鈥?lt;/p>

WPI Breaks Ground on New Building

admin — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Today, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) officials and donors broke ground on a new academic and research facility, taking an essential step as the university commits to leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution and preparing its graduates for long-term success in jobs that do not yet exist. The building will provide space for researchers and educators to work together鈥攁nd with partners from industry, governments and academia鈥攖o apply their collective expertise towards developing integrated solutions with computational methods and smart design to some of the planet鈥檚 most pressing problems in health, energy, transportation, and the built environment.

鈥淭his building will be an apex of connectivity鈥攁 place of teaching, learning, discovery, collaboration, creation, and support,鈥?said WPI President Laurie Leshin. 鈥淚t will create connections between academia and the rest of the world in ways that realize the development of 鈥榮mart鈥?applications and technologies, as well as policies, businesses, and positive societal outcomes. We see these innovations sparking significant economic opportunities and life-changing advancements鈥攇ood for our students and our city, our state, and the world. We are so grateful to the George I. Alden Trust and to George and Karen Oliver; their contributions come during the leadership phase of WPI鈥檚 next major fundraising campaign, and they are vital to making this important investment for the future.鈥?amp;nbsp;

About the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and WPI鈥檚 Response

Today鈥檚 technology, empowered by wireless and wired systems, allows and supports communication between machines, devices, and people鈥攁nd vast and growing numbers of connected people and objects are working together. According to Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, the number of 鈥渟mart鈥?devices is expected to grow to 75.44 billion by 2025, and the International Data Corporation expects worldwide Internet of Things spending will surpass the $1 trillion mark in 2022. And, the Institute for the Future finds that approximately 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 have not yet been invented.

This pace of progress brings both opportunities and challenges: these technologies collect, connect, monitor, and analyze data, while also remotely sensing and actuating devices. Ensuring positive future advancements will require the focus of WPI experts in areas such as data science, robotics, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, interactive media and game development, learning sciences and technology, bioinformatics, computational biology, neuroscience/engineering, architectural engineering and smart design. Together, they will look at user experience, data, security, and the built environment, while exploring new opportunities in additive manufacturing, biotech, and robotics.

鈥淭his facility is a testament to the university鈥檚 willingness to make significant investments to ensure that we are best educating students for the future, while also providing societal value,鈥?said WPI Provost Winston 鈥淲ole鈥?Soboyejo. 鈥淎s in the previous three industrial revolutions, WPI is poised to lead. The WPI community is passionate about using our scientific and technological knowledge and research鈥攁nd our impactful and distinctive approach to project-based education鈥攆or the greater good. When WPI faculty, researchers, students and staff come together, their potential for effectively addressing great problems and making the world a better place is multiplied.鈥?lt;/p>

Expected to open in January 2022, the $80 million, 100,000-square-foot building will embody WPI鈥檚 collaborative approach to research and education that impacts the world. Situated at the base of Boynton Hill, the building will include versatile and flexible learning, research, and collaboration spaces, as well as student space and faculty offices. It will also house an integrated Student Academic Services Center, physically connecting the offices of the Registrar, Academic Advising and Resource Center, Accessibility Services, and Career Development Center, essential services for student success.

Designed by the Boston-based architectural firm Gensler, the placement of the building will also improve navigation and accessibility from Boynton Street to the top of WPI鈥檚 hill, which will be especially meaningful to the eastern residential area, and academic programs and centers at Gateway Park. It will be built by Consigli Construction Co., Inc, headquartered in Milford, Mass, and the project will be managed by KVA Boston. Reflecting the university鈥檚 values of sustainability and environmental stewardship, WPI will seek LEED certification.

The Role of Philanthropy:

The new facility is already garnering significant philanthropic support from alumni, foundations, and other organizations. Among them, the George I. Alden Trust, one of the university鈥檚 most generous benefactors, pledged a $5 million leadership gift to the facilities component of WPI鈥檚 new fundraising campaign if the university raises $20 million from current trustees and alumni by March 31, 2021 鈥攕tipulating 100 percent trustee participation. In addition, longtime, dedicated supporters of the university, George and Karen Oliver, both 1982 graduates of WPI, have committed a generous seven-figure gift to this project.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a purpose-driven community of educators and researchers, has been the global leader in project-based learning for 50 years. An impact maker for higher education and the world, WPI prepares confident, competent problem solvers with a project-based curriculum that immerses students in authentic, real-world experiences.

Donors 鈥淒ig鈥?the Vision for WPI鈥檚 New Building

admin — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 12:00:00 +0000

With shovels poised, Class of 1982 alumni George & Karen Oliver and Doug Meystre from the George I. Alden Trust demonstrated their enthusiasm for the vision behind the new building at today鈥檚 groundbreaking. Joining WPI President Laurie Leshin, Provost Wole Soboyejo, Trustee Joyce Kline 鈥?7, Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Vice President for Student Affairs Philip Clay, and Secretary of the Faculty Tanja Dominko, they dug into the university鈥檚 future.

鈥淏reaking ground for this new and important building illustrates the lasting positive impact philanthropy has at WPI, especially as we continue to build momentum for WPI鈥檚 next major fundraising campaign,鈥?says William J. McAvoy, senior vice president for university advancement. 鈥淲e are deeply grateful to George and Karen Oliver, the Alden Trust, and so many other trustees, alumni, and friends who have stepped forward as inspiring leaders in this key phase of the new campaign.鈥?lt;/p>

The building is a remarkable nod to the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution. It creates space for experts in areas such as data science, robotics, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, interactive media and game development, learning sciences and technology, bioinformatics, computational biology, neuroscience/engineering, architectural engineering and smart design to work together鈥攁nd with partners from industry, governments and academia鈥攖o develop 鈥渟mart鈥?solutions to some of the planet鈥檚 most pressing problems in health, energy, transportation, and smart buildings and infrastructure.

It鈥檚 a concept that people want to support...

The George I. Alden Trust, one of the university鈥檚 most generous benefactors, pledged a $5 million leadership gift to the facilities component of WPI鈥檚 new fundraising campaign if the university raises $20 million from current trustees and alumni by March 31, 2021 鈥攕tipulating 100 percent trustee participation.

鈥淲PI鈥檚 trustees believe in the mission of this institution and they are behind this campaign, in word and deed,鈥?says Jack Mollen, chair of WPI鈥檚 Board of Trustees and retired executive vice president of Human Resources at EMC Corporation. 鈥淲e are close to achieving one part of the Alden Trust鈥檚 challenge, with nearly full board participation in the campaign鈥攁 goal we will reach very soon. I am pleased that we are also nearing the $8 million mark in trustee gifts to facilities. Our trustees are leading in their generosity and commitment to this university.鈥?lt;/p>

Established by George I. Alden, the Trust supports capital projects in four focus areas, including higher education. WPI鈥檚 first professor of mechanical engineering, Alden taught at WPI for nearly three decades in the mid to late 1800s, served as the head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, and twice served as interim president of the Institute. He was a man of the Industrial Revolution, an inventor and prominent industrialist whose influence and achievements still reverberate through the city and the region today. Gifts from the Alden Trust to WPI also created Alden Memorial and the Alden Life Sciences and Bioengineering Educational Center in Goddard Hall.

鈥淭he Trust aims to help WPI continue to build its culture of giving with this latest challenge,鈥?says Warner Fletcher, chair of the Alden Trust and WPI trustee emeritus. 鈥淲e have seen the WPI community be exceptionally dedicated to the mission of this institution and remarkably generous when it comes to helping the university achieve an even greater positive impact on the world. That鈥檚 what Professor Alden was all about, and it鈥檚 wonderful to see his vision for philanthropy and education continuing to thrive here at WPI, in Worcester, and beyond.鈥?lt;/p>

Longtime, dedicated supporters of the university, George and Karen Oliver, both 1982 graduates of WPI, have committed a generous seven-figure gift to this project. George Oliver is chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls International and a WPI trustee. Karen Oliver leads the Women鈥檚 Impact Network Executive Committee, WPI鈥檚 women鈥檚 philanthropy group. Annual donors to the university, the Olivers are members of the 1865 Society, which recognizes those who have contributed $1 million or more in lifetime giving to WPI; they are also members of the Alden Society, which recognizes those who have made planned or endowed gifts to the university. They were early supporters of the Foisie Innovation Studio, and the Oliver Active Learning Classroom was named in their honor.

Adjacent to Gordon Library, nearest Boynton Street, the building will also feature an integrated Student Academic Services Center, thereby physically connecting the offices of the Registrar, Academic Advising and Resource Center, Accessibility Services, and Career Development Center.

鈥淭his building will help WPI better assist students throughout their time here,鈥?said Philip Clay, Vice President of Student Affairs. 鈥淚t will also improve navigation and accessibility from Boynton Street to the top of WPI鈥檚 hill, which will be especially meaningful to the eastern residential area, and academic programs and centers at Gateway Park.鈥?lt;/p>

An embodiment of WPI鈥檚 values of sustainability and environmental stewardship, the 100,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in January 2022, and will include classrooms, labs and studios, faculty offices, and student support services. Designed by Boston-based architectural firm Gensler, it will be built by Consigli Construction Co., Inc, headquartered in Milford, Mass, and KVA Boston will manage the project.

This new facility offers many opportunities for WPI alumni, parents, and friends to make an impact with their philanthropy, including a special opportunity through a challenge grant from the George I. Alden Trust. To learn more, contact Donna Stock, assistant vice president of leadership giving for University Advancement, at dstock@wpi.edu or 508-831-6073.

Philanthropy Friday: Cynthia and Robert Hart 鈥?9 Giving Back to WPI

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Bob Hart understands the value of giving back to his alma mater and has been generous with his time, talent, and treasure. He has served WPI as a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board and is a current member of the Board of Trustees. Recently, Bob and his wife, Cynthia, made a $2 million commitment to WPI. The majority of their generous gift is unrestricted, allowing WPI to direct the funds to the university鈥檚 highest priorities and areas of impact; a smaller portion supports facilities.

Bob is CEO and president of TruAmerica Multifamily, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm he founded in 2013 with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. He chairs the firm鈥檚 Investment Committee to skillfully select value-add assets for acquisition, repositioning, and eventual disposition to deliver outstanding risk-adjusted returns for the company and its institutional partners.

Under Bob鈥檚 leadership, TruAmerica has grown to become one of the largest and most active apartment investors in the United States, managing an $8.7 billion portfolio of approximately 40,000 units across prime locations throughout 10 states. His transaction experience and multifamily industry expertise is unparalleled. Throughout a career that spans more than three decades, he has overseen the acquisition and disposition of more than $12 billion in assets within the United States and Japan. He is also involved in leading many industry groups as well as the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where he earned his MBA.

For several years, he also served as chair of the board of Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a pathway for homeless and low-income individuals to find and retain employment in Los Angeles. He continues to serve on its board. Each year, Chrysalis helps thousands of individuals find employment through its four centers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Through employment, Chrysalis also helps people transition from homelessness or transient living to permanent housing. In recognition for his work with Chrysalis, he received the Humanitarian Leadership Award from the WPI Alumni Association at his 30th Reunion celebration in 2009.

Bob and Cynthia are members of the Alden Society, which recognizes those who have included WPI in their estate planning through a will or trust, IRA or other retirement plan, life income or other planned gift; and those who have created an endowed named fund at WPI through any type of philanthropy. The Harts鈥檚 latest gift鈥攁 blend of a planned and outright gifts鈥攄emonstrates support for WPI鈥檚 next major fundraising endeavor.

A brief conversation with Bob and Cynthia Hart

What motivates you to give to WPI?
We are enthusiastic supporters of higher education. The United States is a global leader in science, engineering, and technology. We need our best students in engineering and sciences, of which WPI is a leader, to prosper and stay at the cutting edge. We believe in WPI, STEM education, and the school鈥檚 unique mission to cultivate some of the best and brightest minds in our country that will advance our future and quality of life in a humanistic way.

What do you hope your gift will achieve for future generations at WPI?
Our hope is straightforward鈥攖o make WPI an even stronger institution than it is today and provide its students鈥撯€揺specially women, underrepresented students, and those who come from underprivileged families鈥撯€搘ith equal opportunities to attend the university and prosper.

What do you enjoy about coming back to campus?
I enjoy the simple nostalgia of being there when I attend events and trustee meetings. Although the school has grown quite a bit since I graduated 40 years ago, the intimate feeling of being on the Hill and being part of the mix and seeing WPI students heading off to class and athletics with purpose is a great feeling of belonging and knowing one can play even a small part in the future of this great institution.

What would you say to other alumni and friends to encourage them to stay connected鈥攁nd to give back?
Giving to WPI is so easy. The school has given so much to me and others like me. Having come from a working-class Bostonian family and being the first to go to college, I know what it means to work hard and to strive for a better future. What better way to show thanks than by supporting WPI at whatever level you鈥檙e comfortable with. It鈥檚 such a great feeling that will create everlasting benefits.

鈥?By Judith Jaeger

[DONOR Profile] Mike Abrams

admin — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:00:00 +0000

MIKE ABRAMS 鈥?7 strikes one as a person who believes in possibilities. It鈥檚 one of the reasons he ended up at WPI.

Abrams had dreamed of a career in science or engineering since childhood. His parents said he could go to college wherever he could get enough funding to supplement family finances to attend. But he wanted something with more possibilities鈥攎ore potential. Someplace where he could choose his own path.

鈥淭he WPI Plan was why I chose to go to WPI, and it did not disappoint,鈥?he says. 鈥淵ou learned how to learn, and you weren鈥檛 intimidated by things you didn鈥檛 know.鈥?lt;/p>

When the mathematical sciences major wasn鈥檛 in class, studying, or with friends, he was working to help pay for his education, which was partly funded by his parents and partly by scholarships. The rest he financed with part-time jobs during the school year and full-time summer employment.

After graduating from WPI (with high distinction) and marrying Nancy, his high-school sweetheart, Abrams continued to follow the threads of possibility. Never afraid to try something new and see where it might lead, he began his career with a brief stint in sewing machine repair and eventually found his way to becoming an electrical engineer in the oil and gas instrumentation industry. Along the way, he earned an associate鈥檚 degree in electronics engineering and then a master鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering. Before retiring, he had become an independent consultant in the oil and gas industry.

Through all that time鈥攅ven living far from the Hill鈥擜brams carried a fondness for WPI and for Worcester. 鈥淭he university became a part of me,鈥?he says.

He has stayed connected to WPI over the years by attending his class reunions and volunteering for the university in various capacities. He served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2011 to 2015, and then as treasurer of the Association for two years.

Abrams has also given back financially, donating almost every year since graduation; he and Nancy are members of the President鈥檚 Circle, WPI鈥檚 leadership annual donors.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have come to WPI without scholarships and loans,鈥?he recalls. 鈥淚 know it has influenced my giving to WPI over the years.鈥?lt;/p>

Recently, when traveling back to campus for meetings and other activities, Abrams noticed a lack of space for alumni to work, meet colleagues, and generally organize their day while visiting the campus. He also recalled the less-than-optimal video conferencing for the Alumni Association Board meetings. He noticed, and wanted to do something about it. He saw great possibilities in Higgins House.

鈥淲hat better place for an Alumni Center, and what a great thing for WPI to have,鈥?says Abrams.

Mike and Nancy recently made a commitment to renovate and update this iconic WPI building into the Alumni Center at Higgins House, which was celebrated during Alumni Weekend. Now upon entering through the ornately carved wooden doors, alumni will find easy access to a campus phone and a display of the day鈥檚 campus events, among other resources. The traditional library has been brought into the 21st century as a virtual meeting room with a focus on remote conferencing, making it ideal for Alumni Association Board of Directors meetings.

Thanks to a gift from the Alumni Association that was inspired by the Abrams鈥?support, the conference room upstairs has been converted into an Alumni Lounge, featuring ample seating and work spaces, easy Wi-Fi access, plenty of outlets for using and charging digital devices, and books written about WPI and by WPI faculty and staff. The renovation also includes refurbishing the Great Hall, which is used throughout the year for such alumni events as Tech Old Timers, Alumni Weekend, and Homecoming, as well as many other campus events.

For the university, the overall aim of the project is to improve the alumni experience on campus, and honor the value placed upon the alumni relationship. For Abrams, the renovation goes beyond just a new look.

鈥淚t will be a home, a place to be comfortable on campus,鈥?he says. 鈥淚t will be beneficial to everyone.鈥?lt;/p>

Philanthropy Friday: The Priems Inspire Student Giving

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:00:00 +0000

WPI trustee emeritus Win Priem 鈥?9 and his wife, Susan, have inspired WPI students to give back to their alma mater by sponsoring the Senior Class Gift Challenge every year since 2002. The Priems recently made a $1 million commitment to WPI, endowing the Senior Gift Challenge and ensuring it will continue in perpetuity.

The Senior Class Gift tradition dates back to 1910; it has marked the campus and the WPI community with physical legacies (our beloved Proud Goat and Charging Goat statues from the Classes of 2009 and 2013, respectively, and the beech tree from the Class of 1943) and non-physical gifts such as scholarships and program support.

By the early 2000s, giving by the graduating seniors began to decline, and Win Priem, by then a WPI trustee, took notice. At the time, he learned that another area college鈥檚 senior class gift was more than $10,000鈥攁nd at WPI the total had not even broken $1,000. Priem believed that 700 graduates going on to successful careers thanks to their WPI education could do better by their alma mater. He decided to provide some inspiration and started the Senior Class Gift Challenge.

鈥淲e need these great young people to continue supporting WPI after they graduate to pursue their career goals so that future generations will have the same opportunities.鈥?- Win Priem '59

In 2002 Win, former president and CEO of the world鈥檚 largest executive placement firm Korn Ferry, and Susan offered to match up to $15,000 raised for the Senior Class Gift鈥攊f at least 40 percent of graduating students participated in giving. Since then students have been inspired year after year, successfully meeting the challenge and adding the Priems鈥?generous matching funds to their Senior Class Gift totals. In recent years students have stepped up to meet an even tougher challenge from the Priems: 40 percent participation from the graduating class and $10,000 raised.

The Susan S. and Windle B. Priem 鈥?9 Endowment raises the stakes a little higher. To achieve the matching funds, the graduating class will now need to reach 40 percent participation and raise $15,000. This generous contribution from the Priems, and the inspiration it provides to students and young alumni, comes as WPI is in the leadership phase of its next major fundraising campaign.

鈥淲PI taught me a disciplined approach of thinking that has helped me through the years and throughout my career, more so than my education at Harvard Business School and Babson,鈥?Priem says. 鈥淲e need these great young people to continue supporting WPI after they graduate to pursue their career goals so that future generations will have the same opportunities.鈥?lt;/p>

鈥?By Judith Jaeger

Philanthropy Friday: The Priems Inspire Student Giving

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:00:00 +0000

鈥淲e need these great young people to continue supporting WPI after they graduate to pursue their career goals so that future generations will have the same opportunities.鈥?- Win Priem '59

鈥?By Judith Jaeger