CHARTING THE COURSE TO OUR NEW CENTURY
Frosts’ $100 million landmark gift will accelerate quest for excellence
It was the culmination to an exciting and historic week at the U. The University of Miami family—students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends—along with dignitaries from the community and delegates from universities around the globe came together yesterday for the inauguration of Julio Frenk as our sixth president.
The inauguration was preceded by a weeklong series of unique special events that reflected numerous aspects of our dynamic University community. It’s my pleasure to share a video of highlights, as well as President Frenk’s inaugural speech. In recognition of the event, a number of iconic buildings in our community were illuminated in orange and green. For more on inauguration and President Frenk, visit the website.
In his eloquent and inspirational remarks, President Frenk noted UM’s abiding commitment to strengthen excellence and his plans to fulfill our greatest aspirations by the time we celebrate the University’s centennial in ten years. Among his key points:
- Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost have made a transformational gift of $100 million to support basic and applied science and engineering at UM. We are grateful to the Frosts, whose 2003 landmark gift renamed UM’s music school in their honor, for their continuing generosity and extraordinary impact on our institution.
- To enhance the University’s ceaseless drive to excellence, an initiative will be launched to fund 100 new endowed faculty chairs by the time of the UM centennial.
- To address the global (and local) threat of rising sea levels and climate change, a new University-wide effort to expand our expertise in this area will soon be announced.
- To fulfill education’s crucial function of expanding opportunities and to build a bridge between excellence and access, he committed to increasing financial aid at the University to meet 100 percent of student need.
- While he is proud to be UM’s first Hispanic president, he is keenly aware of the vibrant diversity of our University community. Our diversity and the sense of inclusion and belonging we foster, can serve as an example to society. As such, President Frenk pledged to serve as “everyone’s President.”
President Frenk’s singular vision and leadership, in tandem with the energy and dedication of our united University family, will take the U to new heights!
Sergio M. Gonzalez
Chair, Presidential Inauguration Steering Committee
Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs
