Taking Risks, in Search of Reward

The spirit of entrepreneurship is strong at Lehigh—among our accomplished alumni, among our ambitious students and in the increasingly varied ways that we approach teaching, researching and learning.

To lead and succeed in the world today, young people need knowledge, skill, the courage to take risks and the willingness to tackle the greatest challenges of our time. We strive at Lehigh to instill in our students precisely those traits, and as I read through this issue of the Lehigh Bulletin, I was heartened to see that, yes, we have clearly succeeded in doing so.

Mary Ellen Alu's cover story about the five young Lehigh alums who are striving to make it big in the toy industry is illustrative of the type of student that our university attracts today—and indicative, too, of the impact our teaching methods have on our students. Each of the five entrepreneurs understands fully the challenges and hurdles that stand between them and ultimate success. And we see in them the optimism that comes along with preparation and great confidence. These young alumni truly believe in what they are doing.

I believe everyone in the Lehigh family, our faculty, staff and students here in Bethlehem and our loyal alumni the world over, can learn something from these budding entrepreneurs. We should use their stories as a reminder that every day brings new and important opportunities to change the world—in ways either big or small, locally or globally—for the better. It is our responsibility to make the most of those opportunities.

We encourage risks to be taken, new paths forged and new ways of thinking pursued. At Lehigh today, we are constantly questioning the ways we educate our students, because we know that the world is changing—and we must change with it. Through our acclaimed interdisciplinary and integrated learning programs, and through our continued efforts to redefine—and ultimately improve—the Lehigh experience, we are working toward the goal of producing the kind of graduates who can and will develop into leaders, innovators and agents of positive social change.

Lehigh has for decades built its reputation on its success in doing precisely this—and we remain as committed as ever to continuing this proud, enduring tradition.

Sincerely,
John D. Simon, President