Monday Club ladies hear about Zupan’s vision for Alfred University
Mark Zupan, President of Alfred University, was the featured speaker for the Monday Club on November 14. He described the College’s 1836 origin, its focus on innovation and inclusiveness from its earliest years. Open to women and featuring a maker culture, talent incubator, work in the arts and engineering, with a focus on ceramics and glass, it has been successful in sending out students to such varied places as MIT, Harvard, Marvel Entertainment, art and business related fields. Two innovations quickly mentioned were glasses to correct color blindness, and the gorilla glass that forms the screen of your cell phones.
Through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mechanics) there are opportunities for co-curricular innovations, for example, their Ring of Fire exploring use of recycled glass for 3-D printing, new fabrication activities, ceramic machining.
Throughout his comments, the frequent use of “innovation, creativity, and challenges” made clear the skills Alfred students bring to their work. Co-curricular work permits adding a BS in chemistry, biology, bio-chem, math, physics, data analytics, business analysis, computer science, electrical engineering, and even performing arts. All these possibilities may attract as many as 300 additional students and there is strong student retention.
Some of the advances in the University’s footprint include work on Saxon Hill (Jericho Hill) because the University is “behind” in “fields” and will add space for additional participation in men’s baseball, women’s soccer, and golf. Residences are being renovated and education space improved. Plans for 2022 and 2023 include increased enrollment, retention, managing finance, and curricular innovation.
The University’s purpose is to help students identify their Purpose through interaction and mentoring. Enrollment is about 1600 student, aiming for 2,000. About six percent are foreign students including several Ukrainians.
Monday Club does not meet during Thanksgiving week and the following week, Joyce Krupnik will lead a book review and discussion of Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. On December 5, the ladies will complete their fall schedule with the Christmas Silver Tea and observe their winter break until they resume their programs next April.
