Keck Graduate Institute's New President Unveils Priorities to Guide Next Decade of Impact and Excellence

Claremont, CA, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of The Claremont Colleges and a pioneering graduate school focused on educating tomorrow's biotech and healthcare leaders, announced today the institutional priorities and vision that will propel and guide the Institute's strategic planning, global impact, and opportunities for growth over the next decade. 

The vision, outlined by KGI's new president, Dr. Mohamed Abousalem, in the Institute's inaugural Fall Welcome Address, follows a community-wide listening and learning tour he began shortly after his appointment on July 1, 2024. Throughout the tour, which included students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, advisors, and external partners, the idea of elevating KGI's "excellence" repeatedly emerged as a priority for the institution. The new vision, centered on the theme of "elevating excellence together," builds on four pillars that will align priorities across the institution and serve as the foundation for the Institute's upcoming strategic planning process:

1. Advance Academic Excellence: Ensure academic programs continue to align with and advance industry; grow KGI's research enterprise and corporate engagement endeavors; and establish and expand faculty development opportunities to drive long-term excellence in teaching, learning, and research.
2. Enhance the Student Experience: Expand holistic student support ? academic advising, career services, and mental health support; build and nurture an ecosystem that facilitates innovation and entrepreneurship; and create a lifelong engagement strategy for students and alumni.
3. Accelerate Institutional Maturity: Elevate KGI's culture of continuous improvement to optimize admissions processes and increase enrollment; expand long-term partnerships with domestic and international academic institutions and corporate entities; and grow KGI's philanthropic operations.
4. Elevate the KGI Brand: Grow the Institute's young brand and bring KGI to the world, elevating students, faculty, staff, and graduates and supporting academic excellence, industry partnerships, and philanthropy. Advance shared goals under one shared vision and create a culture that celebrates collective success.

"In only a few short months here on campus, I have seen the dedication and excellence of our faculty and staff, and their commitment to our students and their limitless passion for delivering true value to our community," Abousalem said in his remarks. "We are an institution that punches above its weight when it comes to industry influence and academic excellence. We need to lean into that strength ? our track record of growth ? to write the next chapter of our story."

In the Fall Address, Abousalem made several announcements, highlighting KGI's momentum and providing a roadmap for future success:

• $3 million gift pledge to support financial aid and other programmatic needs for the institution's first-generation college students.
• $1 million raised to name a campus building the "Sheldon M. Schuster Campus Center," in honor of former KGI President Sheldon Schuster's legacy and 21 years of leadership.
• Research Seed innovation fund to support faculty early-stage research.
• $750,000 Department of Energy grant to Dr. Animesh Ray, professor of systems biology and genomics, to use artificial intelligence to study and analyze the effects of low-dose radiation in humans and what is called the "bystander effect" in cells.

KGI was founded in 1997 and enrolled its first cohort of students in the fall of 2000. Since then, it has grown from one program and 28 students to its stature today with more than a dozen programs, including a Ph.D. and several doctorate programs, and an enrollment of more than 600 students. New student enrollment at the Institute grew by 8% for the 2024-2025 academic year, following some variability stemming from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to continue to grow in an intentional and strategic manner in the years ahead.

"Our approach to the various elements of the institution ? from academic curricula and research investment to student enrollment and faculty recruitment ? has to evolve to match this momentum," said Abousalem. "KGI's shared vision, influenced heavily by the goals and aspirations of faculty, staff, and students, will be our north star as we chart a path for the institution's future and adopt an ethos of continuous improvement to guide our growth."

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About Keck Graduate Institute 

Keck Graduate Institute, a member of The Claremont Colleges, is a recognized leader in biotech, life sciences, and healthcare education. As a global graduate school, KGI develops leaders who work to solve complex societal issues, provide community-based outreach that improves the quality of human life, and advance health and science technology. Learn more at www.kgi.edu.