Stanford Magazine columns

A monthly column by President John Hennessy which appeared in Stanford Magazine, a publication of the Stanford Alumni Association.

2016

• The Our Journey Together : Jul/Aug 2016
  With gratitude and appreciation, a thank-you for what we’ve accomplished.
• The Mission That Drives Us: May/Jun 2016
  Staying true to what we’re about and thinking long-term.
• The Access Imperative: Mar/Apr 2016
  Financial aid continues to be among our highest priorities.
• The Arts, Every Day: Jan/Feb 2016
  Dazzling new facilities have enabled a campus renaissance.

2015

• How Far We’ve Come: Nov/Dec ’15
  The university’s 125th anniversary offers a chance to reflect.
• Heeding the Call to Service: Sep/Oct ’15
  New program strengthens commitment to helping others.
• ‘Usefulness’ Education: Jul/Aug ’15
  The powerful pull of experiential learning.
• A Presidential Visit: May/Jun ’15
  White House Summit on the Farm offered a rare opportunity.
• Progress Meets Preservation: Mar/Apr ’15
  Building for the future, with an eye on the past.
• A Prizeworthy Faculty: Jan/Feb ’15
  In a banner year, recognition follows achievements.

2014

• The Brain: The Final Frontier?: Nov/Dec ’14
  Neuroscience institute is poised for breakthroughs.
• Optimism Meets Empathy: Sep/Oct ’14
  The Gateses’ Commencement message echoes our heritage of service.
• First the Farm, Then the Planet: Jul/Aug ’14
  Sustainability begins at home, and we’re doing our best to be good stewards.
• What We’ve Learned About MOOCs: May/Jun ’14
  Online education won’t replace the residential experience, but it has a place.
• In Praise of True Student-Athletes: Mar/Apr ’14
  Leadership and success, on and off the field.
• Preparation That Lasts a Lifetime: Jan/Feb ’14
  The humanities remain at the center of a Stanford education.

2013

• A Cauldron of Innovation: Nov/Dec ’13
  The Clark Center has incubated pathbreaking inventions and transformed our thinking.
• Doing Well by Doing Good: Sep/Oct ’13
  Nonprofit start-ups harness energy and idealism to make positive change.
• Restoring Balance, Increasing Access: Jul/Aug ’13
  It’s time to consider growing undergraduate enrollment.
• Financial Strength Enables Innovation: May/Jun ’13
  Updated facilities, robust student aid are key to Stanford’s excellence.
• Money Well Spent: Mar/Apr ’13
  Federal funding for research fosters discover and nurtures industry.
• An Unwavering Commitment to Access: Jan/Feb ’13
  Financial aid, limiting debt are crucial for keeping college affordable.

2012

• A Force for Better Health Care: Nov/Dec ’12
  Landmark efforts will advance medicine in lab and at bedside.
• Leadership That Inspires Reminds Us Why It Matters: Sep/Oct ’12
  Lyman and Booker, generations apart, demonstrate courage and character.
• Remodeling Our Curriculum for the 21st Century: Jul/Aug ’12
  Breadth and depth, and a new emphasis on critical thinking.
• Our Strong China Connection Gains a Firmer Foothold: May/Jun ’12
  The opening of a Stanford center in Beijing launches a new era of collaboration.
• What the Stanford Challenge Meant, and Where the Money Went: Mar/Apr ’12
  The promise and progress enabled by a historic fundraising success.
• Educating Entrepreneurs to Leverage Growth and Development: Jan/Feb ’12
  Two recent initiatives aim to capitalize on Stanford’s unique success.

2011

• What It Will Take to Improve K-12 Schools: Nov/Dec ’11
  Education reform is a Stanford priority, and a national imperative.
• A Landmark Gift Propels Arts Education to a New Level: Sept/Oct ’11
  The Anderson Collection is the latest addition to a burgeoning initiative.
• A Closer Look at the Costs of College: Jul/Aug ’11
  Above all, we must maintain access to higher education.
• Imagining Stanford in New York: May/Jun ’11
  A proposal, and a plan, for a second campus.
• Hail to the Victors, a Study in Self-Discipline: Mar/Apr ’11
  Our student-athletes’ dedication enables a win-win situation.
• To Save Innovation, Tame Entitlements: Jan/Feb ’11
  Growing deficits and health care costs threaten federal research dollars.

2010

• Higher Education’s New Challenges: Nov/Dec ’10
  We must equip students with the ability to adapt to changing careers.
• Public Service—a Stanford Tradition: Sep/Oct ’10
  Eunice Kennedy Shriver exemplified the drive to make a difference.
• At Last, a Place to Play: Jul/Aug ’10
  The Bing Concert Hall exemplifies our commitment to the arts.
• Our Best Investment: Students: May/Jun ’10
  Financial aid offers opportunity and access—and produces leaders.
• A Growing Presence Overseas: Mar/Apr ’10
  Stanford’s outreach and impact stretches around the world.
• When Less is More: Jan/Feb ’10
  Stanford’s sustainability commitment will save energy and money.

2009

• Solving Problems Is Our Business: Nov/Dec ’09
  Faculty and alumni contribute ideas and innovation to make the world better.
• Imagining the Possibilities: Sep/Oct ’09
  Thinking and acting boldly continues a long Stanford tradition.
• Graduates Who Give Back: July/Aug ’09
  Resourceful and committed, our students set out to change the world.
• Nourishing the Arts in All Forms: May/June ’09
  From Wallace Stegner to cell phone ‘concerts,’ a tradition of imagination.
• Looking for Answers on Energy: March/April ’09
  The Precourt Institute leads a new emphasis on sustainability solutions.
• What Leadership Looks Like: Jan/Feb ’09
  At this crucial moment, we need courage, compassion and character.

2008

• Why Our Hospitals Need Renewal: Nov/Dec ’08
  Upgrades will meet patient needs and improve the level of care.
• 100 Years of Breakthroughs: Sept/Oct ’08
  Medical School poised for another century of innovation.
• A Legacy of Advocacy: July/Aug ’08
  Mel Lane reminds us some land belongs to everyone.
• The DNA of Innovation: May/June ’08
  Big ideas begin with fundamental new insights.
• Behind the Bottom Line: March/April ’08
  Higher education financing takes many forms. Here’s a primer. (by Provost John Etchemendy)
• Managing Years of Change: Jan/Feb ’08
  In the spirit of Sterling and Terman, we need vision and foresight.

2007

• At Stanford, Speak Freely: Nov/Dec ’07
  Open dialogue and spirited debate are fundamental to the University’s mission.
• Should Stanford Expand the Freshman Class?: Sep/Oct ’07
  Historically low acceptance rates leave many deserving students out.
• One Who Made a Difference: Jul/Aug ’07
  Daniel Pearl’s story continues to inspire us.
• Keeping Stanford’s Doors Open to All: May/Jun ’07
  Financial aid improvements help protect our tradition of need-blind admission.
• A Recommitment to the Humanities: Mar/Apr ’07
  Now, more than ever, we need scholarship that examines and evokes the human condition.
• Keeping Stanford Great Far Into the Future: Jan/Feb ’07
  Inspired by the examples of Sterling and Terman, we must act boldly.

2006

• All of Us Own a Part of This Challenge: Nov/Dec ’06
  Solving today’s problems requires deep collaboration and intensive investment.
• Wisdom for the Next Generation: Sep/Oct ’06
  Our recent graduates and newest alumni inherit a responsibility to serve.
• In Athletics, the Right Person for the Job: Jul/Aug ’06
  New athletics director Bob Bowlsby understands our values, and knows how to win.
• What Art Can Teach Us: May/June ’06
  Several initiatives aim to foster a diverse and energetic creative climate.
• Crossing Borders: Mar/Apr ’06
  Recent outreach to Mexico illustrates new collaborations.
• Thanks a Billion: Jan/Feb ’06
  The Campaign for Undergraduate Education was an unprecedented success.

2005

• A Tradition of Service: Nov/Dec ’05
  Stanford seeks to educate socially responsible leaders.
• Time for the Next Big Step: Sep/Oct ’05
  Our challenge now is to strengthen graduate education.
• Our Heritage, Our Mission: July/Aug ’05
  A century after Jane Stanford’s death, her vision lives on.
• Joining Forces to Attack Big Problems: May/June ’05
  The initiative in international affairs capitalizes on our strengths.
• Preserving the Farm Requires New Thinking: Mar/Apr ’05
  As Jane Stanford said, we can’t be afraid to outgrow old ways.
• Brilliant Success, Unfinished Work: Jan/Feb ’05
  With one milestone reached, CUE aims to support more students.

2004

• Getting Serious About Science: Nov/Dec ’04
  50 years after Sputnik, the United States needs another push.
• A Danger of a Different Kind: Sep/Oct ’04
  We can secure our borders without alienating international students.
• Keeping an Avenue Open: Jul/Aug ’04
  Strong financial aid underscores our commitment to access for all.
• In China, a Seat at the Table: May/Jun ’04
  Our Beijing program is Stanford’s latest foray into the booming country.
• Pulling Together to Save the Planet: Mar/Apr ’04
  Our environmental institute brings a focused approach.
• Students Remind Me Why I Love This Job: Jan/Feb ’04
  Rhodes scholars exemplify curiosity, conviction.

2003

• Building for the Future: Nov/Dec ’03
  Ushering in a new era of collaborative research.
• This Place Hums with Artistic Energy: Sep/Oct ’03
  Embracing all forms of expression with gusto.
• Remembering One Who Heeded the Call: July/Aug ’03
  Amy Biehl exemplified service to others.
• Committed to Diversity in Many Forms: May/June ’03
  Expanding the intellectual base helps all students.
• Committed to Diversity in Many Forms: May/June ’03
  Expanding the intellectual base helps all students.
• The True Test of Free Speech: March/April ’03
  Ideas can’t thrive where voices are muzzled.
• These Games Are Getting Out of Hand: Jan./Feb. ’03
  Major reform is needed to rebalance athletics with academics.

2002

• Why Foreign Students Are So Important: Nov/Dec ’02
  Security is crucial, but we must also be welcoming.
• The First Great American University : Sep/Oct ’02
  Innovation and vision have set Stanford apart.
• The Promise of Collaborative Thinking: July/Aug ’02
  In the search for solutions, we must cross disciplinary boundaries.
• Three Reminders About Why We’re Here: May/June ’02
  Marvin Moore, Daniel Pearl and John Gardner share a legacy of service.
• Supporting Students’ Incredible Journeys: March/April ’02
  At the White House, in the lab or in a Kenyan village, opportunity leads to learning.
• Embracing the Need to ‘Learn and Relearn’: Jan./Feb. ’02
  A 21st-century education requires a new kind of literacy.

2001

• ‘An Influence on Behalf of Humanity’: Nov./Dec. ’01
  Citizen-building has always been our goal.
• The Cost of Keeping Up: Sept./Oct. ’01
  Our endowment may look huge, but it’s dwarfed by our needs.
• Dealing with Disappointment: July/Aug. ’01
  Our admissions quandary: many are worthy, few are chosen.
• The Hard Work of Painful Choices: May/June ’01
  Like other academic hospitals, Stanford’s is hurting.
• Supporting the Mission, Protecting the Future: March/April ’01
  Two simple but profound principles guide the decisions of University leaders.
• Building an Education That Won’t Wear Out: Jan./Feb. ’01
  Study of the humanities remains the cornerstone of Stanford’s undergraduate curriculum.

2000

• A Bold Move Toward Better Learning: Nov./Dec. ’00
  The Campaign for Undergraduate Education will fund a teaching and research program second to none.
• Setting Out on the Journey: Sept./Oct. ’00