Message from President Grace Wang: "Our shared path forward"

The following message was sent to the WPI Community:

Dear WPI community,



I am thrilled to officially join the vibrant WPI community today. Thank you for welcoming me with such genuine warmth. To our faculty and staff, I am deeply inspired by your commitment to WPI, your passion for our student-centric mission, and our innovative culture. To our students, you are why we are here—and equally inspiring is your commitment to becoming the leaders and collaborators who help address critical societal challenges globally.



Through my campus visits and meetings with many of you, it is clear to me that WPI’s founding principle of theory and practice has truly stood the test of time. For 158 years our university has lived by this principle to educate the best critical thinkers, change makers, and STEM-focused leaders and to discover and innovate to tackle the challenges facing our society and planet. In that process, WPI has also focused on fostering a highly connected, supportive community and a sense of belonging. 



The more I learn about our wonderful campus and community, the more I see how the WPI Plan exemplifies what an education should be—a journey to acquire knowledge and skills, and, as importantly, achieve personal growth. Our students learn how to learn through the flexibility of WPI’s academic programming, our unique global network of project centers, our approach to infusing well-being into all aspects of our campus life, and a highly engaged career development effort. Because of this remarkable environment, our students get to see the world through the complementary lenses of technologies, arts, humanities, and business while developing a deep appreciation of teamwork and communication. 



I’ve also seen the way purpose-driven research, innovation, and entrepreneurship has a real-world impact for students, faculty, and staff. It has also become increasingly clear how important our partnerships with industry, regional and global communities, and government are to providing opportunities and resources that help achieve our mission. What’s more, the research I’ve seen thus far is both impressive and important, and it too is mission critical.



I am excited about the work and the opportunities ahead and wholeheartedly believe that WPI has everything it takes to further excel. That which has stood the test of time can be further honed as we focus on our strengths and commit to a shared path forward. For our students, our faculty, our staff—and the world that needs what we have to offer—we will meet the moment. 



As we come together to propel WPI to a new level of excellence and distinctiveness, your insights, ideas, and passion will be critical to success. Keep them coming. 



Onward, 



Grace