From the President

Leading Better

For starters, some math. Can you add the sum of all whole numbers 1 to 100? Give it a try. It might take you a while, unless you are as sharp as the famous mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (when he was only in elementary school!). The story? Gauss got the answer immediately: 5,050. How? Instead of adding numbers in a simple progression from 1 up, he realized that if he added the lowest and highest numbers, 1 plus 100, then 2 plus 99, each calculation resulted in a sum of 101. Since you need only do that 50 times, he multiplied 101 by 50 to get 5,050. This is what, in a recent book, the Oxford mathematician Marcus du Sautoy calls Thinking Better, a kind of short-cut, not just doing lots of calculations faster or just an easy way, but a new, smarter way to solve problems. Why do I tell you the story of Gauss? Because at CMC, we’re always committed to leading better. The pages of this magazine reflect how we are leaping ahead. It starts with focusing on the most important challenges and opportunities to take on.

Breaking down the barriers that stand between outstanding young leaders and the realization of their most expansive opportunities.

Joining freely expressed, diverse viewpoints and experiences through effective dialogue as a powerful way to learn and lead in a divided democracy.

Preparing this generation (and the next) to take on the complex, grand challenges and opportunities of health, brain, and the planet at the intersections of business, policy, and ethics. In these pages, you will see the evidence of CMC thinking better, competing better, learning better, and yes, leading better. Expand Opportunity Our phenomenal students, from our two recent graduates, who were awarded the prestigious Schwarzman Scholarships. Stz-Tsung (Stone) Han ’21 and Andrew Ciacci ’20, to our Frank Applebaum ’24, national champion and D3 record-holder in the 200-yard butterfly. The exemplary careers of our alums: Ambassador Larry “Chip” André ’83, United States Ambassador to Somalia; Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Dianna “DT” Graves ’98; and Tracy Wang ’04, senior research program manager at Microsoft’s Azure Engineering.

Honor Mission Our inspiring Model UN team, ranked 4th in the nation and best in the west. The appointment of two tremendous inaugural faculty co-directors, Professors Heather Ferguson and Jon Shields, of The Open Academy in pursuit of our CMC commitments to freedom of expression and open inquiry, diversity of viewpoint and experience, and constructive and effective dialogue. The peerless programs of the Athenaeum, including a focus on Ukraine during the Athenaeum’s 75th Anniversary Distinguished Speaker Series visit of Dr. Fiona Hill. The core convictions of the Presidential Initiative on Anti-Racism and the Black Experience in America: to expand our Black community and to find effective ways to eliminate racism. Our leading faculty, from Jennifer Feitosa, assistant professor of psychology and director of our METRICS Lab, who is CMC’s 36th Fulbright Scholar, to Daniel Krauss, professor of psychological science, attorney, and director of our Psychology and Law Policy Lab, recipient of the Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award from the American Psychology-Law Society.

Integrate Sciences The biggest leap of all. The implementation of our ambitious vision for a new integrated sciences program and facility: the world-class Kravis Department of Integrated Sciences, and its new, iconic home in the Robert Day Sciences Center. At CMC, this is how we lead better. Many congratulations to you all. Very best,