FROM THE PRESIDENT
Students at the Center
Amid the continuing challenges we are facing today, Sept. 15 was one of several bright spots for Frostburg State this fall. That day, in a virtual event, we announced the public phase of Forging Futures: The Campaign for Frostburg State University. The campaign began its quiet phase in July of 2016 while our FSU Foundation Board, alumni(ae) and other friends of the University helped define the scope of this campaign. The result is one word: Students.
Keeping true to our mission, which we will begin celebrating in a very public way during the 125th anniversary of FSU in 2023, the common thread for the campaign is enhancing the student experience at FSU, making it possible for more students to attend FSU and graduate with little or no debt, and preparing them for their next steps after graduation, whether it’s their first job or graduate school.
The first of the three pillars of the campaign is simply Forging the Future of Our Students. Think not only of scholarships and direct aid to our students but also the mentoring and networking that they can get from alumni(ae) like yourself. We know from our research that career is a central focus of our students. FSU will continue to produce engaged community citizens who are critical thinkers, excellent communicators, team players and career-focused. Since the announcement of the public phase of the campaign, donors have established 14 new endowed scholarships. Thank you! (And let’s make it even better!)
The second pillar is Forging the Future of Our University. We have undertaken several projects to improve the campus learning environment. We are repurposing space on campus for collaborative student study space. The most obvious is the renovation of the main floor of the Ort Library. We continue to need to do more to update laboratories and studio spaces for those meaningful out-of-classroom learning opportunities. The renovation of the former Lincoln School into a multicultural center is important to our campus community as well.
The third focus is Forging the Future of Our Region. FSU has been recognized for its recent efforts to recruit industry partners to this region that provide student internships and career opportunities. The recently announced FSU Innovation Park will be central to this effort as we focus on biotech, computer tech, energy and sustainability. All these industry sectors are important to the vitality of this region and fit with our commitment to expanding the student learning experience beyond the classroom. As I hope you can tell, I am enthusiastic about this campaign and how it can help transform FSU and the region for the future while staying true to our primary commitment – educating students.
I hope you’ll join me in getting the word out and being part of this campaign. Go Bobcats!
Ronald Nowaczyk, Ph.D.
President