UB community thanks Tripathi for years of service

The warmth of the UB community has embraced President Satish K. Tripathi as he has connected with the university’s many stakeholders around the globe during the last few months of his presidential service, which concludes in July.

Alumni and donors have come out en masse to speak with Tripathi and extend their thanks for his years of service — lining up to take photos — a tribute to the personal relationships he established throughout his tenure. One alumnus even joked with him about staying on as president.

Tripathi’s far-reaching impact on UB and the broader UB community even inspired a donation from the podium one night to commemorate the occasion. These gatherings have highlighted the strong ties between UB’s 15th president and the community he has faithfully served.

“When he talks to you, he makes you feel like you’re the only person in the room. He will talk to anybody and everybody. Not just the donors or faculty or staff, he talks to everyone,” said Eileen Marutiak, BA, ’06, president of the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors. “Our alumni network has grown tremendously around the country and globe, and it’s a testament to his leadership.”

It’s not a “goodbye” — it’s a “see you later,” as the president returns to the faculty later this year. Over the past few months, Tripathi has connected with alumni and donors in places including New York, Buffalo, Washington, D.C., Florida, California, Turkey and Bangalore. While each gathering offered a unique experience for those in attendance, they have all carried a bittersweet note, marked by gratitude and the sadness of farewell, yet buoyed by deep pride and genuine enthusiasm for all Tripathi means to so many. All are grateful Tripathi is remaining at UB.

Stephen Still, BS, ’76, longtime donor, volunteer and professor, echoed the president’s impact, extending beyond the university over the past 15 years.

“President Tripathi has been an incredibly thoughtful, principled and compassionate leader of UB. He has led a period of unprecedented growth in UB's scholarship, reputation and footprint across Western New York and the entire world,” he said.

Following Tripathi’s announcement that he was stepping down and returning to the faculty, alumni, friends and donors from all over the world sent messages of appreciation to UB’s longest-serving president.

“Thank you, President Tripathi, for all your work! Your dedication leading UB has been noticed. Allowing not just me, but also my two older siblings (Class of 2014 and 2016) to experience endless opportunities with our education at UB because we were given the chance to attend through the Equal Opportunity Program. We are grateful for the many priceless memories we had made at UB and in Buffalo,” wrote Cindy Ng, BS, ’21.

His influence extends from student and alumni inspiration to his steadfast commitment to Western New York. “As someone who was not originally from the area, I was also impressed and surprised by how deeply he cared about the Buffalo community and about elevating both UB and the surrounding communities,” observed Yazan Alsaadeh, BS, ’13.

As is well known by the UB community, Tripathi has championed a bold and ambitious vision for the university — strengthening the research enterprise, expanding global reach and elevating UB’s standing as a leading public research university. During his tenure, he advanced the UB 2020 strategic plan, secured UB’s designation as a New York State flagship, expanded interdisciplinary programs, significantly increased sponsored research and led the Boldy Buffalo campaign, which engaged more than 84,000 donors who contributed a historic $1.1 billion.

Tripathi’s time with alumni and donors over the past few months brought these many accomplishments into focus. “(President Tripathi) does not look for all the big flashy wins, but rather has worked tirelessly to get many, many wins, which slowly and surely add up to the big wins that have resulted in UB rising steadily in the national rankings,” said donor and volunteer Marge Winkler, PhD, ’80.

With just weeks left in Tripathi’s final semester as president, alumni and friends are now joining together to express their gratitude for his historic leadership by philanthropically supporting an endowed fund in his name. Reflecting his passion for research excellence and innovation for the public good, the fund will establish an endowed chair and innovation fund that will advance AI and interdisciplinary research that benefits society.

Marutiak said that “alumni and friends from all over celebrate President Tripathi’s remarkable tenure and want to ensure the values he has championed continue to shape UB’s future for decades to come.”

Anyone wishing to contribute to the endowed chair or innovation fund in honor of Tripathi can make a gift online or contact a member of the University Advancement team.