Over the next three weeks, more than 300,000 students will begin the fall semester at our Washington area colleges and universities – nearly 100,000 in the District. They come here from across the country and around the world, and from our local school districts, because this is truly the nation’s greatest college town.
I am proud that this is among the best and safest places in the world to be a college student. Along with providing exceptional innovation, workforce pathways, and talent development, our Consortium also provides a police academy for our campus law enforcement officers and facilitates coordination among our police chiefs and emergency managers. We are proud to partner closely with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), as well as area police, security, and emergency teams through our sister organization, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG). While I strongly disagree with the federal administration’s characterization of our city, I am gratified that our public safety offices and our partners continue to work closely with federal law enforcement throughout our region. That longtime collaboration continues in the current deployment based on mutual respect and service to our community.
While we have challenges, our access to world-class research, expert practitioners, internships, and meaningful careers remains unrivaled. Most alumni, like me, remain in the area after graduation because we recognize the incredible range of purpose-driven opportunities our region provides. While there is no doubt that the economy of the region is shifting rapidly, I echo regional leaders from our Potomac Conference at MWCOG, the Greater Washington Partnership, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade, recognizing that while roles change, our purpose and potential are stronger than ever.
This is an ideal time to invest in the future of our community. In just the past two weeks, meetings with philanthropic and corporate leadership reminded me again and again of the tremendous leadership in this region. From quantum computing, immersive technology, and AI to security and emergency management; from public health and biodefense, to sports, arts, and the media; and from aerospace to finance to hospitality – just to name a few – the Washington, D.C. region is at the forefront of the future economy, and our opportunities are far greater than our challenges.
Welcome to our incoming and returning students. You made the right choice, and we look forward with great excitement to all that you will accomplish.
Andrew Flagel, PhD
President and CEO
Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area