13 to seek out a range of internship opportunities at nonprofit health organizations by offering them funding for travel and living expenses, enabling students to pair what they learn in labs and the classroom with the work they do at these organizations. Such experiential learning creates “a wonderful loop,” says Linda Brooks, that enriches the classroom and connects learning on campus with real-world impact throughout the summer. Professor Aronson, who passed away in January 2022, also knew the value of hands-on experiences to accelerate student learning, specifically through global experiential learning. Throughout his 50 years at Lehigh, and as the founder and director of the Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise, he shaped the lives and careers of over 400 Martindale Student Associates, many of whom benefited from life-changing trips to countries that included Slovenia, Colombia, Greece, and Argentina. This travel and mentorship with global business leaders paid dividends in the classroom. Those global experiences continue today because of the collaborative and philanthropic vision of Todd Watkins, executive director of the Martindale Center, and Aronson’s friend, Leo Guthart. Because of Watkins’ leadership and Guthart’s creation of the J. Richard Aronson Endowed Martindale Program Student Travel Fund, more Martindale Student Associates are able to travel outside the classroom and foster global partnerships. Each year, 12 future makers spend their junior and senior years exploring business, economic, social, and public policy issues as they prepare for a life of success and impact driven by these hands-on experiences. Our community believes that the future is better when we build it together. The Zug family’s and Professor Aronson’s philanthropy and leadership exemplify this value. From bridging the gap between the campus and the rest of the Lehigh Valley through community-based initiatives to exercising entrepreneurial ambitions and serving careerdefining internships, students shape their futures and drive real change at Lehigh and in local and global communities. My theory has always been that you can’t teach anybody anything. What you can do is inspire people to learn, because they’re going to have to learn it on their own sooner or later. —Professor Richard Aronson Linda Zug and D. Brooks Zug ’67 Professor Richard Aronson
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