A Westward Push

Lehigh's points of pride are almost too numerous to count. We boast one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world. We are steeped in history, with beloved traditions that stretch back more than a century. We cheer on teams of true student-athletes—talented, competitive individuals who make us proud both on the field and off. We have a vast, passionate and deeply engaged alumni base, a reputation that places us among the world's finest institutions of higher learning, and a deep well of potential that we will leverage to propel this university to even greater heights.

But most importantly, we have a community of exceptional people and exceptional minds. They remain our greatest asset.

Each day, I have the privilege and honor of getting to work alongside the brilliant individuals who call this university home. In our faculty and our staff, our students and our alumni, I find not only an unwavering support system, but also a constant source of inspiration. Lehigh's people do amazing things, forward revolutionary ideas and take on daunting challenges—not just here on campus, but in places the world over.

Early this year, I traveled to San Francisco for the official launch of the new Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, a partnership between Lehigh and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center that will provide our students, faculty and alumni with invaluable opportunities to engage directly with the vibrant and ever-expanding startup community in Silicon Valley. The launch comes at a time when Lehigh is expanding its presence more generally on the West Coast, and after spending a week speaking with our growing alumni base there, it's clear to me that this westward push is well worth the effort. The people I met are the biggest reason why.

So many times during my trip, I was struck by the true and undeniable passion our West Coast alumni had for their work—and was proud to hear that so many of them credit Lehigh with helping them get to where they are today. These are bright, ambitious, driven people, working in one of the most hyper-competitive markets in the world. Every day, they're doing their part to spread the word about our great university.

So too, of course, are our students. In late January, a fearless group of Lehigh undergraduates traveled to California to take part in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, a worldwide contest that challenged participants to build a functioning prototype for Elon Musk's futuristic transportation system. In all, more than 1,000 teams would enter, but by the time the finals were held, just 29 teams remained. Ours was among them—the only undergraduate team to advance that far—and they did us proud.

This was a student-conceived, student-led, student-powered project—one that saw our students leap at the opportunity to be part of a potentially revolutionary development. The logistics were daunting, the challenges great, and the doubters many. But these ambitious students forged ahead anyway, and in the end, their efforts provided lessons and inspiration for us all.

Like those students, we should pursue our passions fearlessly. Like those students, we should serve as active participants in the work of building a better future. And like those students, we should never let the doubts of others cloud our belief in ourselves.

We as individuals, and we as an institution, are capable of greatness. Together, we should push each other and ourselves to pursue precisely that.

Sincerely,
John D. Simon, President

Follow President Simon on Instagram @lehighpressimon