I work every day with our student athletes—all 600 of them—so I know what a unique group of young people they are. Of course they are driven to attain athletic success, and they seek challenges in the classroom as well. But they are looking beyond that to become leaders and to make a contribution to society. They truly do want to change the world.

These remarkable students choose Rensselaer because they know we will provide them with an environment in which they can excel. Research tells us that facilities are one of the five main reasons students select a college. We compete with the top 40 universities—the Ivies, MIT, Carnegie Mellon—in recruiting our students. We are able to do that successfully because our facilities send a signal about our values—our commitment to quality, excellence, and healthy living for all of our students.

The award-winning, LEED® Gold East Campus Athletic Village Complex, which opened in 2009, is among the best multiple-use facilities in the country. Now we’re ready for what we call ECAV Phase II, which will bring the rest of our fields, arenas, and courts to the same level: a new natatorium for our aquatic activities, new indoor tennis courts, a new softball facility, and renovations to Houston Field House, which houses the nation’s third oldest hockey rink. Rensselaer’s hockey program has a distinguished history, with national championships in 1954 and 1985. Now is the time to bring our beloved older facilities to a level that’s equal to the game-changing atmosphere of The New Polytechnic.