Welcome From John B. Simpson
President's Welcome Video
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Hi, I'm John Simpson, president of the University at Buffalo.
I'm in the University's Health Sciences Library, and behind me is a display from UB's collection of historic medical books and instruments, recalling our founding as a medical school in 1846. We've come a long way since then. In a moment I'll tell you more about how UB researchers are shaping medical science in the 21st century.
First, I want to extend a warm welcome to visitors, new faculty and staff, and to our 161st entering class. And what a class it is! After the most selective admissions season ever, we are proud to welcome more than 6000 new students to campus. You have bright futures ahead of you! UB graduates excel in their chosen fields. They are recruited by top companies, win Fulbrights and other prestigious awards, and last year alone, 245 UB students graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
“Whether it's in the classroom, the athletic field, the laboratory, or in the community, we strive for excellence in all we do. ” President
Thinking back, it's been an incredibly exciting summer. A few examples show the kind of effect our university has, at home as well as around the world.
In early June I had the honor of cutting the ribbon on a remarkable new facility in downtown Buffalo: the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. Located on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, UB's Center of Excellence will bring together some of the world's top biomedical researchers and technology firms.
Together, their work holds the promise of new tests and treatments for cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
The Center also serves as another example of UB's commitment to Western New York. The Center will give a boost to the Buffalo Niagara region's budding life sciences economy. And thousands of students of all ages, including many from UB, will benefit from the Center's education, research, and outreach programs.
In late June I traveled to Riga, Latvia, and Darmstadt, Germany, to renew agreements between UB and two longstanding university partners in those countries. This fall I'll visit Beijing, China to commemorate the 25th anniversary of UB's exchange programs with three Chinese universities, and to meet with UB's growing Alumni Association chapter in Beijing.
UB was the first American university to establish exchange programs in China following the normalization of US relations with that country in 1979. These exchanges of students and ideas represent a handful of the more than 50 formal programs that UB maintains with universities around the world, including one of the very few US programs in Cuba.
In fact, more than 500 UB students study abroad each year, which is more than five times the national average!
Closer to home, the campus is buzzing about this fall's historic three day visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After receiving an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York, the Dalai Lama will give an address for nearly 40,000 people at UB Stadium, the biggest one-day event ever on campus. Together, the Dalai Lama visit, our diverse campus, and our extensive range of international programs highlight the extraordinary global reach of our university.
At UB, we really are open to the world!
Speaking of UB Stadium, this fall we begin our 16th year in Division 1 athletics as a proud member of the Mid-American Conference. Hopes are high as new head football coach Turner Gill leads the UB Bulls against top national competition. Fans, and opposing teams, will see our new uniforms featuring a charging Bull, symbolizing the strength and determination of our student athletes.
I hope to see you in the stands rooting for one of our 20 men's and women's intercollegiate teams. Buffalo's always been a great sports city, and UB has quickly become the place to be for top college sports of all kind.
Whether it's in the classroom, the athletic field, the laboratory, or in the community, we strive for excellence in all we do. Excellence is always on our mind here at UB, and is the basis for UB2020, our vision for becoming one of the very top universities in the U.S.
That's why I am especially thrilled to welcome more than 100 new faculty members to campus this year. I expect that you will do great things at UB, and we're honored to have you with us. I'm also excited to say that, as part of UB2020, we have begun to recruit and hire top national talent in the areas of our greatest intellectual strength.
I hope you will take a moment to learn more at Buffalo.edu, or better yet, plan a trip to campus. There are a lot of exciting things going on at UB, and I hope you'll join us to be a part of it.