Wagner College:
January 2024 will mark my 30th anniversary at Wagner College.
When I arrived in 1994 as director of admissions, it never occurred to me that I would be here more than a few years. I had just deferred law school and was still wrestling with whether to complete my doctorate in history. But I fell in love with this place, its people, and the community that exists here. That feeling has never gone away and is stronger today than ever.
So, two years ago, when the board asked me to serve as president, of course I said yes. But 30 years is a long time, and I write to you today to share that I will be retiring as president after the close of the 2023-24 academic year.
I will leave knowing that the College is strong and poised to thrive in the years ahead. Our strategy over the past decade has been simple but highly effective: focus on our strengths and invest in ourselves for the long-term, even if that meant we would face short-term challenges. Today we stand stronger than ever, with the energy, optimism, and strategy to achieve the focused growth and transformation we have been planning for the past decade.
I am proud of the investments that this community's generous support have allowed us to make to ensure our living and learning spaces meet our needs today and long into the future, including allowing us to use all 108 acres of our campus. I am proud of the strategic, focused programmatic growth under way. I am proud of the support from alumni and friends that has more than doubled our endowment since 2010 and tripled our annual giving in the past five years. And, most of all, I am proud of the commitment and spirit of our students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and community partners that manifest in the optimism and unity I feel every day when I walk this campus.
Wagner is special because of its people, you. And our campus and location on Grymes Hill in Staten Island make us truly unique. I am confident that these factors, alongside the transformational efforts we have made in recent years, will enable us to identify and recruit an extraordinary 21st president to guide Wagner forward. You will hear more soon from our Board of Trustees about the national search which will begin right away.
I am proud to have been a part of this community for 30 years and honored to have served as its president. I couldn't be more grateful to you for the trust, partnership, collegiality, and warmth you have shown me. Thank you very much, and I look forward to the year ahead.
With gratitude,
Angelo
