First Word President’s Message
CGU’S FIRST COUPLE: First Lady Kristi Staab (left) and President Len Jessup (center) greet Trustee Wen Chang and spouse Mei Lien Chang during Jessup’s fall installation ceremony as CGU president.
In my career I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to work with some great teams at some great universities. Examples: Washington State University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas— each of them fantastic. They are also big schools, and whenever you want to implement a campus-wide change or program, it can be very difficult. I have come to realize that enacting new initiatives in an educational institution is often like trying to turn around a battleship: In both cases there is no such thing as a successful sharp turn. That isn’t the case at CGU. Because we’re small, we are far more nimble than our larger peers. We don’t cut corners—there are still plenty of quality controls in place, of course— but everything moves more quickly. That is why this university is such an ideal place for transdisciplinary thinking and action. Our faculty are working across disciplines and silos to solve complex problems and create social impact. I’ve never seen the level of transdisciplinary collaboration that I’ve seen at CGU. Learning without limits, barriers, or borders.
2 | Claremont Graduate University
As this issue of the magazine illustrates, CGU’s transdisciplinary flame burns bright in the areas of health and wellness. Our cover story looks at the ways that organizations are changing how they solve health challenges—and how there’s an exciting opportunity for CGU to become one of the leaders of this incredible change. What does that change involve? One key component is in the behavioral side of health and wellness. Many of our faculty are looking at new ways to address the behavioral triggers behind cancer, diabetes, and many other health problems in order to improve people’s attitudes and maybe … just maybe … improve their outcomes, too. The research being conducted by our outstanding faculty today is one more example of how CGU continues to carry the flame forward. This is an incredible time for CGU. I hope you enjoy this issue.
Len Jessup President Claremont Graduate University
Changing Behaviors, Saving Lives “ There’s an exciting opportunity for CGU to become one of the leaders of this incredible change.”