Greetings pioneer alumni, faculty, staff, and friends ...
As many of you, know I have been serving as the Officer-in-Charge at Alfred State since early May of this year. My history with the college and many of you, runs deep. I started my career at Alfred in the fall of 1981. After serving as a faculty member, I held many administrative positions including president from 2008-2013.
I want to thank you all for the warm welcome I have received since being back. It has been wonderful meeting with so many of our supportive alumni and friends that I haven’t seen in years and meeting new ones. It honestly felt like we were picking up exactly where we left off.
Although this year has not been the “normal” year we had hoped for to be welcoming our students back, I am happy to report that we have been able to start up many of the on-campus activities we so greatly missed last year. Our student-athletes are competing again, and many are having spectacular seasons. Student activities such as Greek life and drama performances are active again. Most importantly, our students and faculty are all back on campus and completely in person this semester giving our students the hands-on applied learning experience they have come to expect at Alfred State.
I’m proud to share with you that because of the hard work of everyone here at Alfred State we have a 94.6% student vaccination rate and a 74% employee vaccination rate. These numbers are significantly higher than the surrounding region statistics making Alfred State campus one of the safest places to be during this continued pandemic.
... I know that the future is bright for past, present, and future Pioneers.
In this issue you will read about the conclusion of our first ever Major Gifts campaign. You will get to meet many of the inspirational donors who have truly become “Life Changers.” I would like to send a big “Thank You” to all of you who helped support this extraordinary campaign. We announced at our annual President’s Society Dinner that we successfully raised $9.2 million, exceeding our $8 Million goal. These funds will create opportunities for future Pioneers for years to come. I am very proud of the hard work that everyone put in to achieve this milestone in Alfred State fundraising history.
Lastly, I would like to share that as my time here at Alfred State winds down and the search for your 13th president nears a conclusion, I know that the future is bright for past, present, and future Pioneers. I have worked with our Executive Leadership Team to put together a detailed transition plan for the next president and I know that great things are on the horizon.
In closing, I am once again honored to have served Alfred State and remain excited about where we are going!
Respectfully,
John M. Anderson, PhD