Ventures Winter 2018-2019 | Page 4

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE As the year winds down, it is a great time to reflect on the many things we have accomplished in the past year. At Stevenson, we have created a new Quad at Owings Mills and are now opening a Reading Room for quiet study. Our photo spread gives you taste of this new facility in Garrison Hall. This is also a time of year when we enjoy sharing a variety of traditions with family and friends. That includes celebrating the traditions and values we share as the Stevenson University community. In this issue of Ventures, you will read about traditions at Stevenson that are as old as our founding as Villa Julie College in 1947. In one of our feature articles, Stevenson History Chair and Archivist Glenn Johnston provides a “look back” to our past to reveal some of these traditions still found here, albeit in new forms and expressions. Close-knit community and focusing on the individual success of every student are two more traditions that our founders espoused and you will still find at Stevenson. These are expressed today, in part, by our Service, Leadership, and Honors Scholars programs. The three programs are designed to create a community where students can flourish by sharing similar experiences and interests with other highly motivated peers. Together, the students are given extraordinary opportunities to discover and develop their potential in community service, in leadership activities, or through scholarly research. You will learn more about these growing programs in our feature article. Lastly, as diverse as our holiday traditions are, they often express a common theme of gratitude for the gifts and opportunities that we have been given. I cannot say enough about the generosity of our alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, foundations, and corporations who have made supporting Stevenson’s students a priority. You will have the opportunity in this issue to learn more about some of these individuals and what motivates them to give of their time and resources to make a difference in the lives of our students. Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year! Elliot L. Hirshman, Ph.D. 2 | VENTURES/WINTER 2018-19