Reimagining Higher Education For The Future: A Fireside Chat with Ken Griffin at CMU
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Following the announcement of a historic $3 billion investment in Carnegie Mellon University from Citadel founder and CEO and founder of Griffin Catalyst Ken Griffin — the largest individual gift in the history of higher education, and which includes a new CMU campus in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood — members of the Carnegie Mellon community were invited to join CMU President Farnam Jahanian and Griffin for a fireside chat(opens in new window).
“My gift to Carnegie Mellon is predicated on the belief that we must continue to elevate our institutions of excellence — and Carnegie Mellon goes far beyond the par of excellence.”
— Ken Griffin, Citadel founder and CEO and founder of Griffin Catalyst
“For more than 125 years, CMU has met moments of profound change by doing what we do best: bringing extraordinary people together, crossing disciplinary boundaries and taking on problems that others might consider impossible.”
— Farnam Jahanian, Carnegie Mellon president
In attendance at the event were Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor, with pre-recorded remarks provided by U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick.
“This is already one of the finest research institutions in the world. Thanks to the university's leadership and to the incredible generosity of Ken Griffin, Carnegie Mellon University will be redefining higher education yet again.”
— Dave McCormick, U.S. senator
“This ambitious next step in Carnegie Mellon University's future is going to cement CMU's status as a top research university not only in this country, but in the world.”
— Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania governor
Student leaders from CMU were in attendance, showcasing the strength and diversity of the student body poised to grow to include a new campus’ population.
“We built this country with our students. Now we are building the future with the students that sit behind me. That is why this is such a huge win for the momentum of our city, our commonwealth and the country.”
— Corey O’Connor, City of Pittsburgh mayor
The event ended with Griffin describing the moment he decided to make the gift to CMU: seeing student work on display in the Gates-Hillman Complex, home to what has been renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science.
“That was going to be the closing moment for me saying, ‘This is the place that I want to be.’ When you saw the work on that wall, you saw the future. You saw world-class work, unvarnished.”
— Ken Griffin
