”There is more we can and we must do. We are an island of earned privilege in a sea of pressing need. Our ideas, our energies, our passion and optimism can contribute so much to the community of which we are part. How we galvanize our intellectual and moral strengths for the betterment of our community, and for the betterment of ourselves, stands as yet another compelling challenge that we must address.
And in rising to this challenge, let us not forget that we are not only of one community, but of many. While others have only recently awakened to the wrenching disparities of health, education, civil and political liberties that mark the developed from the developing world, our university has long understood these challenges, and has worked tirelessly and imaginatively to address them throughout the world.
There is still so much more to do.”
— Ronald J. Daniels, 14th president of Johns Hopkins University, in his installation address on Sept. 8, 2009
The theme Rising to the Challenge, as evoked in our president’s inaugural address, is not only a rallying cry but an apt description of what drives the people of Johns Hopkins. It is our legacy.
Across our world, social, political, economic and environmental upheaval test our nations and our communities. For some, the challenges are greater, especially those of who lack the basic resources necessary to survive: food, water, shelter, education and health. For others, the challenges may seem, on the surface, more remote, but they are, nonetheless, looming large: climate change, economic instability, energy dependence and personal health. To many, our challenges seem intractable, insurmountable and much too large to contemplate.
We disagree. We know that for almost every problem, there is a solution. The people of Johns Hopkins remain optimistic.
Since the inception of the university and hospital that bear our founder’s name, Johns Hopkins has been a place for problem solvers rising to the most vexing challenges of the day. Here on Rising we tell the story of an enduring legacy built on the bedrock of visionary and transformative giving, through stories of our people, their pursuits and their passions, and of the opportunity, impact and legacy that is at the heart of Johns Hopkins. We hope you’ll join the conversation and our charge as we rise to the challenge.
