16 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST “Weʼre looking at technology and policy approaches to bring electrification to a range of communities, with the goal to deliver more efficiency, reliability and affordability through electrification.” Research Realized Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES), explores the sudden surge in energy demand driven by AI and data centers, and how Lehigh is positioned to protect our energy future in Lehighʼs “Research Realizedˮ podcast series. PODCAST SCAN TO LISTEN TO THE “RESEARCH REALIZED” PODCAST SERIES Colleges and universities nationwide are facing a range of new challenges, including inflation, demographic pressures and shifting student enrollment patterns. In response, many institutions are making difficult decisions, including workforce reduction, academic program consolidation and limitation of facilities investments. In recent years, Lehighʼs leadership has been focused on long-term financial sustainability while making strategic investments designed to strengthen the universityʼs financial foundation. This approach is intended to support continued investment in the student experience, faculty recruitment and retention, and funding research during periods of uncertainty. The results of this approach earned national recognition when Forbes awarded Lehigh an A+ grade in its annual financial rankings of American colleges and universities. “Americaʼs Financial Grades 2026ˮ examines the financial health of more than 900 private not-for-profit institutions with student enrollments of more than 500. The Value of Looking Ahead “This recognition affirms the success of Lehighʼs careful stewardship and long-term planning,ˮ said Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Rather than relying on broad budget cuts, university leadership adopted a targeted approach to resource allocation. Through a strategic, multi-year process, 2% of the existing operating budget is continuously reallocated toward high-priority strategic plan initiatives, ensuring resources remain aligned with institutional priorities while preserving investments in teaching, research and the student experience. That approach has produced measurable results, including increased graduate student applicant pools and the largest first-year incoming undergraduate class in university history in 2025. —Kristen DiPrinzio RECOGNITION Forbes Awards Lehigh Top Financial Grade TANYA MASUNGA Mʼ26 BOOKSHELF Experiential Leadership: How RealLife Moments Shape the Way We Lead by John D. Simon Drawing on more than 20 years of higher education stewardship, Lehighʼs 14th president explores how leadership is formed in real moments— difficult decisions, unexpected challenges and relationships. Through personal reflections and stories, Simon invites readers to embrace those lived experiences and the lessons they reveal about leading in complex environments. Alfredo Jaar: Decolonial Time and the Aesthetics of the Unfinished In her first academic monograph, the assistant professor of art history analyzes Chilean-born artist Alfredo Jaarʼs work, which explores sociopolitical issues, through three main themes: mourning, accountability and failure. Her study offers a new perspective for thinking about global contemporary art today. The following are books recently published by Lehigh faculty and alumni. Great Golf Tournaments: Volume 1 by Len Ferman ʼ85 In his third sports history book, Ferman invites readers to relive classic golf tournaments through short stories about top golfers such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Chi-Chi Rodriguez. Each immersive story is designed to make you feel the emotions of the golfers and fans, and build suspense until you discover who wins. by Florencia San Martín
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