Dear alumni and friends,
The pandemic has made the experience of loss as common as sand at the Jersey Shore. Some lost loved ones, others lost livelihoods and still more lost the everyday activities that connect us to one another.
So much loss has made this an exceedingly long, hard year. It is almost impossible, looking ahead to a post-pandemic future, for our hearts not to swell in anticipation. I’m happy to report we remain cautiously optimistic that Rider will resume extensive in-person teaching, housing, on-campus events and activities this fall.
Such plans show that, after so much darkness, we are finally beginning to see the light return. As we resume on-campus activities, I can assure you they won’t take place in an environment frozen in time. Even as we embraced the extraordinary challenge of operating a university during a pandemic, we never stopped our efforts to move the University forward. Fewer students may have been living here, but our progress marched ahead, notably on some major projects, including one that promises to boost the profile of Rider University, the Rider Arena Project.
We recently entered the final phase in our efforts to transform Alumni Gym into a modern NCAA Division I arena. Through the support of our loyal donors, Rider has invested more than $11 million into this historic facility, the first building ever on the Lawrenceville campus and the home of our basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams. Major recent gifts include an anonymous $2.5 million commitment and a $1 million gift from longtime Rider Athletics supporters Chuck and Isabel Baker.
There is so much to look forward to this fall, but after a season of athletic competition in empty arenas, I’m sure many of us are particularly thrilled about the prospect of once-again cheering on the Broncs inside of Alumni Gym, once it’s safe to do so. Anyone who has ever experienced the energy inside “The Broncs’ Zoo” knows how inspiring and fun it can be for everyone on campus. What truly excites me about seeing the visible improvements taking shape inside Alumni Gym is knowing the impact they will have on our student-athletes, coaches and athletic trainers, and the foot-stomping fans who cheer them on.
While we can never regain what we lost during the pandemic, it is within our power, moving forward, to provide our campus community with the best overall experience we possibly can. For our student-athletes and fans in particular, the Rider Arena Project will accomplish that goal. It’s time to bring the project home. There are many ways to make your mark on Alumni Gym. Get involved and learn more by visiting rider.edu/bringing-it-home.
Sincerely,
Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D.
President, Rider University