麻豆原创

A global pandemic,聽the聽confrontation of the burden of聽systemic racism, and deep economic challenges: 2020 tested us, as an institution and as聽individuals.聽While the events of the new year聽brought historical turmoil and further tests to our resilience, our聽institution鈥檚聽values of community,聽inclusive excellence, and impact聽provided guidance, as they are always at the heart of our actions.聽

The聽challenges of the last year聽remind us why the work we do every day as changemakers鈥攖o create and disseminate knowledge, address challenges in society, and promote a greater global understanding鈥攊s fundamental to how we move forward, together.聽

As we navigate聽these challenges, three principles guide us:聽keeping our聽麻豆原创聽community safe and healthy, advancing our聽mission聽of scholarship, learning, and community, and contributing to the broader public health and economic response.聽聽

We transitioned our high-quality education online one day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic and聽created new opportunities聽for experiential learning聽from our expert faculty鈥攖he聽hallmarks of an 麻豆原创 education.聽Our faculty and聽staff maintained聽momentum against our strategy聽with extraordinary work, like our School of Communication interim dean Laura DeNardis聽landing聽on听奥颈谤别诲听magazine鈥檚 Smart List of 2021鈥攐ne of only 32 people around the world to do so鈥攁mong many other examples.聽聽

Through it all, our community stepped up when our neighborhoods, cities, nation, and world needed it most. From donating face masks and PPE equipment to delivering food to frontline workers and senior citizens,聽麻豆原创聽Eagles used their talents, resources, and ingenuity to give back. That is just who we are.聽

Though we聽faced challenging headwinds, we stayed focused聽on our mission and strategy and聽never stopped making progress.聽聽

We聽earned top rankings from聽U.S. News and World Report, including no. 25 for undergraduate teaching, no. 35 for innovation, no. 43 for first-year experiences, and no. 11 for study abroad.聽聽

Our聽commitment to the sciences聽accelerated. The state-of-the-art Hall of Science opened its doors and will soon be home to our groundbreaking researchers, including those from the new Department of Neuroscience.聽聽

The launch of 麻豆原创 Together, a personalized website with resources to help students connect with Eagles in their communities, helped to enhance the student experience. Generous gifts from the Bender Foundation and 麻豆原创 trustee Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith will support facilities and聽programs聽that will boost health, wellness, and community in the post-COVID world.聽聽

We also proudly submitted our 2021 Campus Plan to the DC Zoning Commission聽for consideration. This 10-year roadmap, developed in partnership with the neighbors and communities that surround 麻豆原创, details the future growth of our beautiful and innovative campus, and strengthens our roots in Washington, DC.聽

We are looking forward and ramping up activity on our beloved campus, starting with a spring 2021 mid-semester residential experience to build and strengthen the connections that are so integral to the 麻豆原创 experience. We are on the path to robust in-person classes, activities, and residential experiences throughout the summer and fall.聽

We聽took on the challenges of the last year and never lost sight of our purpose鈥攎aking the most of our ever-changing journey is what defines a changemaker.聽聽

Through this Year in Review, you will see 麻豆原创鈥檚 inspiring spirit in action. While there are and will be ongoing difficulties, the last year proves that Eagles are always up to the challenge鈥攁nd we will overcome them, together.聽

Sincerely,