ALC2007/title>

All notes by Linda

Keynote Address by Susan Hockfield

Alumni fund – extraordinary results. Best fundraising year ever. However, senior gift was at a participation level of 27% when SH arrived at MIT. Came from an institute where there was a 72% participation. Target to raise participation and last year was 51%.
Want MIT alumni to join a culture where participation is annual and participation is more important than the amount.
Chapter 1
1. Bringing MIT to the world.
2. Dome is now re-lit for the first time since 1970s.
Chapter 2
1. Reopening of MIT museum and now museum has windows on the street. Museum is not only about the history of MIT but about the future with exhibitions demonstrating work in progress.
2. Provide resources so that research and education can change the world.
3. New senior leadership team to work in the background. Recruited a team with enthusiasm and talent.
4. New set of Deans of Schools that already had a history of working together. Build on connectivity – substantial opportunity to work across the disciplines.
Huge increase in applications (9% then 10% up). 12.3% admit rate. 70% of admits accepted MIT.
Strong year – 22.2% up on investments. Good fundraising and investments enable students and faculty to do their best.
Sense of enthusiasm that the sky is the limit that want people to have at MIT.
MIT should be a talent magnet that recruits the best and provides the environment that all can flourish in.
Increase focus on improving the number of women in graduate program which will then follow through to change in faculty.
BP have signed-on as industry partners – first company to do so. Collaborative research program for 5 years at $5 million/year.
Need to seed a good future with i) venture funding, ii) energy initiative, iii) student support, iv) faculty support.
Make campus more sustainable. New task forces.
Club engagement with energy initiative.
Convergence of Life Sciences and Engineering: chemistry, material sciences, biology and engineering. Core technology labs open to everyone at MIT. Promising convergence.
Across 11 institutions in the Boston area – new approaches to autism research.
Starting institute for physical diseases and bipolar diseases.
Industry convention.
Novartis $65 million collaboration – using a continuous manufacturing model rather than a batch model. Novartis is one of 150 life sciences companies and 70 energy companies within walking distance of MIT.
Globally: Singapore – SMART – funnel for faculty and students to collaborate with MIT; social entrepreneurship – helping emerging economies to develop business plans.
Facilities are growing: extension to Media Labs, new Sloan building, new Ashdown Graduate residence (1800 graduate students housed in NW campus), renovating former Ashdown as an undergraduate dorm.
150th birthday in 2011 – aim to increase endowment for undergraduate aid.
MIT is the economic elevator for many students. 15% of students come from families with an annual income of < $45,000. 25% are not born in the US, 75% parents not born in US, 90% grandparents not born in US.
In 1960 US spent 2% of GDP on R&D. In 2007 is <1%.

Reunion gifts totalled $54.8 million, with the Class of ’72 for its 35^th reunion contributing $3.9 million, Class ’62 for 45^th reunion contributing $9 million and Class ’27 for 80^th reunion contributing $8.9 million.

Class 2007 senior gift had participation rate of 52% up from 51% on the previous year.

William Barton Roger’s Society – MIT’s new leadership giving society – a community of alumni, parents and friends who support MIT.

Annual Giving Levels

Membership Benefits Include

Parent Connectors are volunteers who serve as a resource for MIT and for other parents in their geographic areas. Parent Connector activities include attending regional and MIT campus events, welcoming incoming freshmen parents via telephone, hosting or attending Summer Send-Off Events for incoming students, and sharing their experiences as an MIT parent with prospective and current MIT parents. Parent connectors can be emailed via the website. General questions that do not require a parent's perspective to answer, can be submit to the MIT Parents Association at mykidis@mit.edu.

It is important to connect parents to the Alumni Association while children at MIT as they can impress on them to support MIT after graduation. Including parents in any small way helps form a close family bond with MIT. Parents are MIT’s eyes and ears around the country!