The students and professors you’ll meet on these pages represent Union College at its best. I urge you to read about them and the qualities they represent. I hope they inspire you and give you a sense of the things Union celebrates and values.

Take Stephen Po-Chedley, a physics major who helped create a campus-wide recycling program. Stephen later earned a national scholarship due, in part, to U Recycle. With his dedication to a cause, perseverance and the assistance of like-minded students, staff and faculty, he helped make an impact on our community.

Or consider Naazia Husain, who, as a leader of the Middle Eastern Culture Club and Muslim Students Association, has found her identity and her personal power. A biology and sociology major and a member of our Leadership-in-Medicine Program, Naazia also finds time to be active in her Minerva House.

Erika Eisenhut is a phenomenal student-athlete who played three sports (winning top honors in all) and excelled in two majors. Her success reflects her hard work and love of learning. She also has been recognized for excellence in her chosen field, teaching mathematics.

On a volunteer trip to hurricane-devastated New Orleans, Bilal Mahmood repaired and rebuilt homes in St. Bernard’s Parish. In so doing, he discovered seeds of hope and humanity and found lessons for life in the ruins.

At Union, we take pride in these talented students and others like them, who complement their academic goals with a curiosity about the diverse, multicultural and international world we inhabit. With passion and purpose, they — and the world-class faculty who inspire, teach and work closely with them — share their wonderful insights on what it means to be a part of our community.

Union is a dynamic place where tradition and history provide a strong foundation for a vibrant campus that has always been at the crossroads of innovation and creative thought. As History Professor Stephen Berk says, “Those fortunate enough to attend Union will acquire a superb education and have an obligation to use what they have learned, to strive to make life better for all of us.”

This is an exciting time to be at Union College. If our values and the words of the students and faculty presented here resonate with you and your aspirations for your own education, we hope you will join us and be a force for the future, ours and yours.

Sincerely,