Letter from the President Jim Lucchese
Dear Berklee alumni, Welcome to this issue of Berklee Today . I want to thank everyone for being so welcoming and supportive as I’ve settled into this role over the past year. I really appreciated the feedback you shared last spring through the listening sessions. I was lucky to hear from more than a thousand members of the Berklee community, and these insights informed Berklee’s strategic direction, which we’ve turned into an action plan. One opportunity came through loud and clear in those conversations: lifting up our 85,000 alumni—the world’s largest and most accomplished community of artists and creators. And you’ll see evidence of this across this issue. Arooj Aftab’s ambitious musical vision, Jonathon Heyward breaking barriers at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Martina Verano’s A&R approach in an age of genre fluidity—all these stories, and so many more, reveal the impact our alumni are having across the industry at this very moment. This is why one of the top priorities in the strategic plan is setting a new standard for alumni support. Toward that goal, we are planning a number of opportunities for meaningful alumni engagement this year, culminating on Saturday, September 19, with our first-ever Berklee Homecoming, a community-centered block party taking place opposite Fenway Park. Highlighting Berklee’s role as the musical heartbeat of Boston, Homecoming will showcase the exceptional talent of alumni, students, and faculty with a diverse mix of performances. We hope you will join us for this special event bringing Berklee together around unique artistry, collaboration, and community. Additional details about Homecoming can be found via the QR code below. We’re also working to rebuild and expand Berklee Connect to provide more ongoing career support and make it easier for you to connect with fellow alumni. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and shared ideas about features and key elements we should build. As always, your input has been invaluable. Sincerely, Jim Lucchese President
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