Dear Fellow Alumni:

This issue of Missouri S&T Magazine is about opportunity and taking a chance. It is about taking what you have and turning it into something greater. In this case, the catalyst is Missouri S&T.

All of the alumni and students featured in this issue took a gamble on Missouri S&T and won.

A Carnation Milk Scholarship recipient came to Rolla from a small Missouri town and ended up on the front row of Mission Control, guiding some of NASA’s most famous space flights.

A triathlete, motivated by the pain his ear buds caused when he ran, cashed in his savings to chase down his dream of creating ergonomic earphones for athletes. His product is now sold around the world by companies like Apple, The Sports Authority and Target.

Inspired by three alumni who are pioneers in the mining industry, two miners, a metallurgist and a geologist are using their knowledge and expertise on cutting-edge mining projects from Alaska to Australia.

And Missouri S&T has been capitalizing on some opportunities of its own. Following a year-long process that involved S&T faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends, Missouri S&T has a new strategic plan. Rather than focusing on what’s in it for us, this plan ensures that we will provide an exceptional return on investment for all of our customers — students, employers, research partners and donors.

In her most recent State of the University Address, Chancellor Cheryl B. Schrader followed through on the planning process by outlining administrative changes designed to help S&T achieve its strategic goals.

More information about the strategic plan is available on page 13. But since that story was completed, we learned some exciting news that I’m thrilled to share with you. In mid-September, University of Missouri President Timothy Wolfe announced that Missouri S&T will receive $3.2 million from the UM System to support three of the plan’s strategic initiatives — hiring new faculty members, improving learning laboratories on campus and applying technology to enhance learning and productivity.

These stories illustrate what our alumni and donors already know: Missouri S&T has never been a better investment. And through careful stewardship, our stock is only rising.