News

As we approach the end of an exciting year, we are pleased to share a few highlights of the IEEE Foundation’s work and path forward for 2022.

LEADERSHIP
First, we are proud to announce that new leadership and four talented individuals will be joining our Board in 2022.

In 2022, the IEEE Foundation will welcome Dr. Ralph Ford, chancellor of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, as its new Board President. Ralph brings us more than 25 years of leadership experience in higher education and industry. Ralph joined the IEEE Foundation Board in 2017, the same year that John R. Treichler was elected President, a title he held for five years. We thank John for his service as President and eight years total on the Board as he turns the reins over to Ralph’s leadership at the end of this year and continues to serve the IEEE community as Past President in 2022.

John led the charge of the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors to work together with IEEE program partners on the first IEEE-wide fundraising campaign titled: Realize the Full Potential of IEEE. 2021 kicked off our celebration as the ambitious US$30 Million goal was exceeded at the end of 2020. “I’m happy to report the depth of the philanthropic support the campaign garnered – from individual IEEE members, IEEE members working through their organizational units, companies who rely on our members’ talents, and other individuals who see the educational and humanitarian value in the work our members are doing,” said John about the Campaign success.

We are grateful for his guidance and perspective which made significant positive impacts on IEEE programs. Please share your words of thanks to our outgoing president, John Treichler, on a Kudoboard here.

We also say thank you and goodbye to two valued volunteer leaders who dedicated significant time and energy to help chart our past, present and future and grow the Foundation as the philanthropic partner of IEEE. We bid David Green and Teck Seng Low farewell after their combined 15 years of dedicated service. We welcome four new directors for 2022: Nim Cheung, Christopher Geiger, Howard Michel and Mary Ellen Zellerbach.

OUTREACH
Throughout 2021, beneficiaries, volunteers and Foundation staff came together to create “webinars” that more than 1,000 people world-wide attended live. These seven webinars:

• Brought our audience closer by putting a face and voice to the Foundation and the programs
• Built personal relationships and started real-time conversations across a geographically diverse audience
• Offered opportunities to engage with donors and volunteers.

The organizers of the events were blown away by the positive reception in response to the Spotlight Webinars, adding a new tool for connecting with stakeholders in the IEEE Foundation Toolbox. Enjoy this video of highlights from a year’s worth of virtual events and keep an eye out for more exciting topics to be covered in 2022.GROWING IMPACT
During 2021, IEEE Foundation added 10 new donor supported funds, bringing the Foundation’s total fund count to 240+ funds that support programs across IEEE. Below are some highlights from three of the new funds:

• The Meindl Memorial Educational Fund
• IEEE L. Dennis Shapiro Collection Fund
• IEEE-USA Student Public Policy Fund

We look forward to sharing more about how IEEE programs are finding durable solutions to challenges and making impacts thanks to your 2021 donations. Keep an eye out for this communication next month and the 2021 Annual report in a few months. We thank you for your support and remind you that it is still not too late to make your year-end gift in support of IEEE Programs.