President's Letter

President Dave F. Finney

Hello from the hill,

Change.

If there is one word that describes Champlain College, it is change. It is our tradition to adapt and evolve to meet new challenges. So I am pleased to report that the tradition continues as we add new buildings, programs, and the faculty and staff to address our changing needs. The constant reinvention of the work we do is a necessary and invigorating philosophy. It requires a holistic approach, a system-wide dedication, unfettered innovation and, of course, funds to pay for it all.

Champlain is celebrating success in all those areas this fall, most notably with the completion and opening of Roger H. Perry Hall, the launch of master's degrees in emergent media and healthcare management, a new comprehensive strategic plan, and the start of the public phase of the $25 million Vision Innovation Passion Campaign.

Each accomplishment represents a step forward in Champlain's capacity to meet students' needs and send them into the world with a global perspective, the skills to adapt to a changing workplace, and the resolve to build better communities.

• In September, we gathered as a community to celebrate the opening of Roger H. Perry Hall-a textbook example of how to preserve the history and sense of place in a home built in the mid 1800s while creating a sustainable contemporary addition that complements the Hill district and campus and gives much-needed administrative space to our Offices of Admission, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Advising, Registration and International Studies.
• Champlain's new residential MFA in Emergent Media is a giant step forward for the College's growing roster of graduate programs. We are preparing students for a world in which creative arts, information technology, and the associated tools will define how we live and who we become.
• The College's strategic plan­-Champlain 2020-is a far-reaching document, crafted with input from faculty, staff and administrators, which will set the course for the College in the coming decade.
• And finally, at the heart of implementing Champlain 2020 is the Vision Innovation Passion Campaign to raise $25 million to fund top-priority initiatives to increase scholarship endowments and financial aid, endow faculty chairs, and support our flagship programs. The Campaign also funds new facilities, including Perry Hall and an addition to the Hauke Center for the Communication and Creative Media Division, all vital to maintaining the academic quality and institutional momentum at Champlain now and in the future.

Collectively, these accomplishments and goals strengthen Champlain's position as an innovative educational leader in a competitive higher education environment. With your continued steadfast support, we will confidently move toward our goals and always stay a step ahead of the competition.

Dr. David F. Finney
President