'The conversation I would have had’: President Ismaili speaks at University Meeting

Hundreds of faculty and staff gathered on Aug. 23 to hear from President Karim Ismaili during the fall semester University Meeting, his first major public appearance since becoming president on July 31. In addition to introductions from Ismaili, the meeting commemorated the start of the fall 2024 semester, honored new and longstanding employees, and provided updates on curriculum, budget and enrollment.

"Thank you for making me feel so welcome. I cannot tell you how incredible I feel about this opportunity," said Ismaili of his first month on campus.

Recognizing his predecessors Elsa M. Nunez and David G. Carter, who both served as president for 18 years, he said, "You have been so generous and supportive in a transition that I know is a big deal for the university."

Ismaili acknowledged that, due to the search process, he was not able to visit campus and meet with constituents when interviewing for the Eastern job last spring. "What I want to do today is give you a sense of why I applied for this position and tell you a little bit about myself - the conversation I would have had if we met on campus."

Referencing the target learning outcomes of Eastern's new Liberal Arts Core curriculum (ELAC) - critical thinking, communication, creativity, ethical reasoning, quantitative literacy - he said, "This institution, focused on those key learning outcomes, with incredible majors, the (emphasis) on how students can serve the state and world ... I had to apply.

"There are other values about Eastern that resonate with me," he added. "Your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is prevalent across your curriculum and throughout your community. You put students at the center of everything you do ... I was struck by how positive and optimistic you are about the (public liberal arts) mission. That's why I applied.

"Every morning, I pinch myself. I'm excited about the future and your faith in me."

This semester's service awardees gather for a group photo at the University Meeting.

Ismaili then shared a bit of his backstory. He was born in London to a Kenyan mother and Pakistani father. At age 13, he and his mother and brother fled domestic violence and started a new life in Vancouver, Canada.

"It wasn't easy," he said. "I grew up fast, taking care of my brother. My mom worked in a department store. She instilled in me the power of resilience."

As an undergraduate studying criminology at Simon Fraser University, Ismaili worked the graveyard shift at 7-Eleven, where he coincidentally was connected to a scholarship that covered 80% of his tuition. "I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't (for 7-Eleven), I'm convinced of that."

Ismaili aspired to become a police officer, but his mentor, renowned criminologist Ezzat Fattah, encouraged him to advance his studies. "He encouraged me to dream, to broaden my horizons in ways I couldn't have imagined."

Ismaili applied to prestigious graduate schools in England and was admitted to all of them thanks to recommendations by Professor Fattah. "I'm not here because of me," he said. "I'm here because of people who have supported me, seen things in me, changed my life."

University updates

Ismaili turned his remarks to university business, providing updates on budget and enrollment. He noted that Eastern is on track for a $4 million surplus this fiscal year and that enrollment is strong for the incoming class, which is up more than 200 students (34%) from last year. Graduate enrollment, with its new online offerings, is at 320 students, a 48% increase from last year. Residential occupancy is at 92%, the highest since 2019.

The meeting also featured a presentation on Eastern's new Liberal Arts Core curriculum, better known as ELAC. Speaking to the whole-university effort, Ben Pauley, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, said, "This is a tremendous achievement. The new core is absolutely essential to our identity as a public liberal arts university."

Regardless of major, all students will follow ELAC's broad-based curriculum, constituting one-third (40) of the required credits to graduate. In addition to engaging students in disciplines outside of their major, ELAC is meant to develop the following five skills: critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, creativity, quantitative literacy.

"We at Eastern have something special," said Ismaili of Eastern's mission and strong position. "I'm a glass-half-full guy, I'm an optimist. I know there will be challenges, but we'll face them together."