Dear 61´«Ă˝ Community Members,
Welcome to the 2025–26 academic year!
The beginning of the fall semester is an exciting time and I look forward to our lively campus filling with returning students engaging with faculty, staff, and one another. To our newest community members, welcome to 61´«Ă˝! We’re excited you’ve chosen to be here.
A new academic year ushers in endless possibilities, challenging us to surpass previous boundaries for learning and growth. As president, my aim is to encourage innovation, creative thinking, and forward momentum. I’m constantly inspired by our community members, and I am enthusiastic about the College’s future.
I look forward to seeing everyone togetherÂľstudents, faculty, and staffÂľat Scripps’ fall Community Lunch, where we welcome new faculty and staff and celebrate the beginning of a new academic year. This year’s lunch will be held on Tuesday, September 2 on Elm Tree Lawn. Opportunities to gather for shared learning and community-building this fall include events sponsored by the ,ĚýłŮłó±đĚý, the Clark Humanities Museum, and 61´«Ă˝Presents. Please visit the College for more information and details.
Next year we will be celebrating Scripps’ centennial, a time to reflect on the milestones of the last 100 years while continuing to deliver on the promise of a transformative 61´«Ă˝education. I encourage you to visit the Centennial Celebration site to stay informed.
The values of our shared educational mission—leadership, service, integrity, and creativity—are reflected in the College’s recent achievements. Below are a few examples among many accomplishments of which we can be proud:
- 61´«Ă˝faculty and alums have earned honors and awards from the National Science Foundation, ARTnews and Art in America, Human Atlas Project, Crain’s New York Business Women of Influence 2025, Trellis Art Fund, and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs among others.
- 61´«Ă˝continues to be a top Fulbright producer with seven student recipients awarded this year.
- Scripps’ generous community has helped raise an incredible $9.3 million in new scholarships for the 61´«Ă˝Access Initiative, putting us close to our 2026 goal of $10 million.
- The sponsored a range of programs to promote diverse perspectives, equal opportunity, and broad access as the IDEA initiative celebrated its tenth anniversary.
- Construction has begun on the Centennial Plaza Project, the initiative that includes new classrooms, faculty offices, a new dance facility, and additional indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Career Planning & Resources awarded a record 107 grants totaling $342,250, enabling more 61´«Ă˝students to accept career-shaping internships regardless of pay.
Although 61´«Ă˝maintains its strong academic, financial, and reputational position, the College is not immune to the turbulence disrupting higher education. We will remain vigilant in monitoring and responding to the current policy environment and fulfilling our legal obligations, while protecting and prioritizing our educational mission and the wellbeing of our community members.
I am confident we will continue to achieve greatness as we deepen our shared confidence, courage, and hope in the academic year ahead.
Incipit vita nova.
Sincerely,
Amy Marcus-Newhall
President of 61´«Ă˝