September 6, 2012 Dear Marquette family and friends, As we begin a new academic year, the sense of energy and purpose evident across campus calls to mind the contributions of our larger Marquette family – alumni, parents, and friends. Whether you're near to campus, across the country, or living abroad, you're connected to Marquette by a bond forged through our mutual devotion to this university, our shared faith, and our commitment to educating the next generation of students to "be the difference." This year the Marquette community will turn its focus toward the process of creating a comprehensive, university-wide strategic plan that will provide a blueprint to guide our priorities and decision-making for the next five to seven years. In conversations on campus and in the wider Marquette community over the past year, five themes emerged as overarching ideas that could serve to advance Marquette's unique mission: Pursuit of Academic Excellence for Human Well-being Research in Action Service, Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement Formation of the Heart and Soul Stewardship of Valuable Resources I invite you to share your feedback on these five themes as areas of focus for Marquette in the next several years. You can also visit our new strategic planning website to learn about the strategic planning process and to share input. As always, the upcoming academic year will be filled with many other activities, milestones, and celebrations. This fall we'll break ground on a 40,000-square-foot expansion of Wisconsin's only dental school, and we'll celebrate the opening of a new simulation center in the College of Nursing. This spring Marquette will host the prestigious Opus Prize Awards given for humanitarian efforts, welcoming the award winners from the past decade to campus for the ceremony honoring social innovation around the world. Throughout the year, we'll share exhibits, lectures, and plays celebrating freedom in its many forms as part of The Freedom Project, a celebration of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. I look forward to hearing from you as the year progresses, or better yet, meeting you at a university event as we work together to elevate Marquette to new heights of excellence. May God's blessings and peace be with you and your loved ones during the coming year and always. Sincerely, Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. President Marquette University