Message from the President

If you thought being a student at Rose-Hulman was challenging, imagine suddenly taking that experience online. This spring, that’s exactly what happened as we moved nearly all of our students off campus and initiated remote instruction in response to COVID-19. Practically overnight our faculty, staff and students had to adapt to a stark new reality and, I’m pleased to report, the results have been

BY ROB COONS, PRESIDENT coons@rose-hulman.edu

impressive. Our students have risen to the challenge and our professors have found entertaining, engaging and creative ways to make remote learning enjoyable and effective. For a school that prides itself on giving each student personal attention, this has been no small achievement. So, while this health crisis has interrupted our normal routine, it has also inspired us to find new ways to connect with our students and with each other. Far from halting all operations, COVID-19 has actually helped us become more flexible and discover new ways of delivering on our educational mission. One improvement has been in our ability to reach prospective students. Our website has been updated with several virtual tour videos introducing high school students considering Rose-Hulman to many facets of our campus, from admissions and financial aid to labs, classrooms and recreational opportunities. We’ve also posted a virtual campus tour using Google Earth and uploaded dozens of videos showcasing opportunities available to our students. I’m also pleased to note that, instead of being canceled, our Spring Career Fair was simply moved online. The virtual event included more than 110 companies and organizations—a record number—eager to connect with our students, including members of our graduating class. Speaking of the Class of 2020, our Commencement Committee was not about to let our graduation ceremony be anything but spectacular, even if delivered remotely. The committee has worked hard and engaged practically every member of our community to

“While this health crisis has interrupted our normal routine, it has also inspired us to find new ways to connect with our students and with each other.”

“We do not welcome difficult times, but, as long as we meet challenges with a willingness to learn, faith in ourselves and dedication to our mission, we will emerge from those times wiser, stronger and better.”

make the May 30 online event very personal for each graduate and something that I believe will truly stand out among 2020 online commencements as one of the best in the United States.

What else would you expect from Rose?

These are just a few of the ways our faculty, staff and students have met the historic challenges we’ve faced this spring. Other ways include numerous social media campaigns to stay in touch and support each other, at-home fitness programs promoted by our Sports and Recreation Center staff, the continuation of AskRose (formerly Homework Hotline), online tutoring support for our students through the Learning Center, and engineering and science lessons posted online by our Office of Alumni Relations for parents challenged to find ways to keep their homebound K-12 students learning and entertained.

We are now turning our attention to the rapidly approaching summer session and fall quarter; sorting through the myriad of sources of information and attempting to predict exactly what fall will look like for us and the rest of the country and how we can best navigate this new landscape successfully. In whatever ways this new landscape develops in the next few months, we continue to utilize these three core principles to guide our work: • Maximizing student, faculty and staff health and safety • Maximizing student learning • Maximizing operational stability In my recent communications with current students and families, faculty and staff, I have continued to reiterate that our continued success in the delivery of the best undergraduate science, engineering and mathematics education will require the personalized attention and support our reputation is based upon now more than ever and in whatever form(s) this new world takes us. I believe Benjamin Disraeli was right when he said, “There is no education like adversity.” We do not welcome difficult times, but, as long as we meet challenges with a willingness to learn, faith in ourselves and dedication to our mission, we will emerge from those times wiser, stronger and better. That is how the Rose-Hulman family has met this present crisis. As a result, I am confident we will not simply persevere, but emerge with new insights, improved methods and an even deeper dedication to our students and our mission.

“Our continued success in the delivery of the best undergraduate science, engineering and mathematics education will require the personalized attention and support our reputation is based upon now more than ever.”

Stay well,