In this issue of CMC, we reflect on the accomplishments and future plans of the Kravis Leadership Institute. From the academic strengths of the Leadership Studies Sequence and numerous internships run through the Institute, to the newly announced Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, KLI has enjoyed a remarkable tenth anniversary year and looks forward to the promise of continued excellence.

The 11 research institutes of Claremont McKenna College provide, perhaps, the single clearest example of what it means to receive a CMC education, of the linkages forged here between research, teaching, and learning. The close collaboration between teacher-scholars and their students provides the kind of academic rigor usually reserved for the nation's top graduate students.

This unique opportunity for student participation in undergraduate research institutes began for CMC 36 years ago with the founding of The Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World. The Salvatori Center was not only the first research institute at CMC, but also the first of its kind in the world, with its mission to develop close relationships between students and scholars and to engage in the study of political philosophy and freedom as it relates to American Constitutionalism and the founding of our nation. Our second-oldest research institute, the Ruth K. and Joseph C. Reed Institute for Decision Science, recently celebrated its thirtieth year of examining statistical issues through the prism of "real world" challenges faced by working professionals.

A brief look at additional institute highlights from this academic year provides just a glimpse of their vibrance and excellence:

• The Berger Institute for Work, Family, and Children is conducting important research on the impact on families of the California Paid Family Leave Insurance Program in a project funded by the California Wellness Foundation. Berger students also conducted research with local 11th graders, focusing on critical thinking skills, and together with the Kravis Leadership Institute and Career Services Center, also facilitated the second annual Take a Kid to College Day for local youth, designed to inspire all children to consider college in their futures;



• The Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights sponsored a number of student activities and continued its important work advising the newly formed Students Against Genocide. The Center also brought together William Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, and Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International, for their first public debate on the use of tasers;



• The Financial Economics Institute completed its first full year, with highlights including the New York City Networking Trip in which students learned more about life in the financial markets. Visits included Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Onyx Capital Management, Merrill Lynch, Bear Sterns, Banc of America Securities, and Alliance Capital;



• The Family of Benjamin Z. Gould Center for Humanistic Studies arranged a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the Norton Simon Museum, which drew strong interest from many ages and backgrounds. The Center's popular Thursday Night Film Series continues to provide cultural interest and diversity;



• The Keck Center for International Strategic Studies brought seven impressive scholars and leaders to campus this spring, including the former foreign minister of the Republic of China and the former prime minister of South Korea and ambassador to the United States. The Keck Center also hosted a conference on The Changing Face of Europe: European Institutions in the 21st Century, and will sponsor student travel to Korea this summer for meetings with important national officials;



• The Lowe Institute of Political Economy joined with the Freeman Program in Political Economy to host a conference on Regional Economic Integration in Asia, featuring speakers from the University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, UC Berkeley, and The Claremont Colleges. The Institute also co-hosted the University of Bologna-Claremont International Economic Policy Forum;



• The Roberts Environmental Center completed another round of corporate environmental and sustainability reporting, most recently on the automotive industry. Using the Pacific Sustainability Index, environmental reports within specific industries are analyzed by CMC students. Previous reports focused on pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics, and petroleum refining;



• The Rose Institute for State and Local Government continues to make news, with its 2005 redistricting survey finding that two-thirds of California voters think redistricting should be conducted by an independent commission, not by legislators. The institute also will offer the summer Rose Academy for Civic Engagement, a training workshop for legislators and community leaders.

Whether studying the impact of environmental reporting or the nuances of diplomatic strategy, the research institutes of Claremont McKenna College provide our students with the opportunity for engaged, interactive research involvement that is virtually unparalleled among today's liberal arts community.

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Pamela B. Gann, President