Andrew D. Martin
Chancellor
Excerpted from the 2022-2023 Endowment Annual Report
It’s been incredibly encouraging and rewarding this year to witness our entire Washington University community rally around our strategic vision, Here and Next, which was launched in October 2022. If Here and Next is the road map for our next 10 years of increased distinction and impact, I think of the first year as the acceleration phase.
From students to trustees and everyone in between, the people of WashU have been eager to engage deeply with the plan, find their role in its execution, and build momentum among their circle of influence to bring it to fruition. Our strong endowment — and WUIMC’s purposeful and bold approach to investment management — allows us to wholeheartedly pursue transformative solutions to our deepest societal challenges.
In the pages that follow, you’ll read about some of those efforts, fueled by the generosity of supporters who believe in our students’ and faculty’s potential to change the world. As you read, I hope you are struck, as I was, by the recurring themes of collaboration and connection. We’ve been intentional at WashU about building a culture in which faculty and students can work together across schools and disciplines to bring forth innovative solutions. In fact, we believe in creative collaboration so deeply that we’ve made it a central theme of Here and Next.
“And in September, we announced a bold approach to financial aid in which no student will ever need to take a loan to receive an undergraduate education at Washington University, enabling all students to pursue lives of meaning and impact in young adulthood.”
We cannot make deep and meaningful connections without a commitment to expanding the diversity of our campus community. The strength of our endowment and our collaborative culture work in tandem to attract the world’s brightest minds to WashU. And in terms of our student body, that means welcoming and supporting students who rely on financial support to fulfill their considerable potential. Increasing access to WashU and providing the most meaningful support for all facets of student life is a key pillar of our vision, and one that resonates deeply with our supporters, who’ve given generously in support of Make Way: Our Student Initiative.
With your support, we’ve made great strides in just one year. We’ve developed new programs for leadership development and a class that teaches students to constructively engage in dialogue across ideological differences. We’ve expanded resources for mental health and healthy excellence, and we’ve unified our career services across all schools for a more effective and equitable approach. And in September, we announced a bold approach to financial aid in which no student will ever need to take a loan to receive an undergraduate education at Washington University, enabling all students to pursue lives of meaning and impact in young adulthood.
These moves exemplify our desire to align our resources with our mission, and I have been heartened by our community’s enthusiastic response. I hope you’re excited about our momentum, and I can’t wait to write to you again next year to share how we’ve put our endowment to work in service of Here and Next.
Andrew D. Martin
Chancellor