CUNY Chancellor and Baruch College President Host Welcome Event for President-Designate S. David Wu

Dr. Wu begins his tenure as Baruch's eighth president on July 1

March 3, 2020

The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and Baruch President Mitchel B. Wallerstein hosted an event to welcome Baruch President-Designate S. David Wu, PhD, to Baruch College. The CUNY Board of Trustees announced Dr. Wu’s appointment as Baruch College’s eighth president on Monday, Feb. 3. Dr. Wu will begin his tenure on July 1.

CUNY leadership and Baruch students, faculty, and staff filled the College’s Simon Conference Room in the Newman Vertical Campus to meet the president-designate at the event on Monday evening, Feb. 24.

In a speech honoring Dr. Wu, Dakshatha Daggala, president of the Baruch College Undergraduate Student Government (USG), described his strong academic achievements as provost and executive vice president at George Mason University, the largest public research university in Virginia.

Baruch College Undergraduate Student Government President Dakshatha Daggala at the welcome event.

“I was thrilled to find a candidate who was not only representing the students, but also aware of the struggles they go through,” said Daggala in reference to Dr. Wu’s background as a Taiwanese immigrant who came to the United States as an international student ─ a story he had previously shared in a video message to the Baruch community.

Watch: Hello, Baruch: A Message from Dr. S. David Wu

Baruch is widely recognized as having one of the most diverse student populations in the United States, including many immigrants and first-generation Americans.

“As Dr. Wu prepares to become the eighth president of Baruch College,” Daggala continued, “student leaders are incredibly excited to collaborate with him and work with him to make this transition as smooth as possible. We look forward to learning about his vision for this college and to see how he will take Baruch to new heights.”

Daggala also took a moment to reflect on the impact President Wallerstein has had on making Baruch a pillar of the New York higher education community.

“It has been our absolute privilege to have someone so dedicated to our College mission, and who has established our status as a renowned institution,” said Daggala.

Baruch College President-Designate S. David Wu began his relationship with Baruch’s students by meeting with student leaders from campus at the event. From left: Chelsi Hurst, president of National Association of Black Accountants; Josh Castillo, USG executive vice president; Dr. S. David Wu; Chansocheata Sea, first-year seminar peer mentor; Briana Staten, USG vice president of academic affairs.

Chancellor Matos Rodríguez also recognized Dr. Wallerstein’s leadership and service to the College for the past 10 years.

In formally introducing Dr. Wu to Baruch College, Matos Rodríguez said, “[Dr. Wu] was absolutely the right and the best choice for Baruch.” President Wallerstein and CUNY Board of Trustees Vice Chairperson Barry F. Schwartz, also shared remarks honoring the president-designate.

“As I prepare to step down at the end of the semester,” President Wallerstein said, “I do so with confidence knowing that the Chancellor has selected someone with an appropriate background, with strong academic administration skills, and with the vision to lead Baruch forward and to ensure a continued national prominence as an institution dedicated to educational excellence, access, and social mobility.”

President-Designate Wu attended the event accompanied by his family, whom he brought on stage to meet the Baruch Community. He said the welcome made him feel very much at home.

President-Designate S. David Wu invited his family to join him on stage to meet the Baruch Community. Pictured from left: Dr. Wu alongside his wife, Mrs. Sheau-Ping Wu; his daughter, Allison Wu Troianos, and her husband Andrew Troianos; and his son, Brian Wu and his fiancé Mei Parnes. 

“I’m absolutely honored and humbled to be the next president of Baruch College,” said Wu.

He commended President Wallerstein’s decade of leadership at the College, and his success at making Baruch one of the best public urban institutions in the world.

“Together you have been creating this masterpiece called Baruch,” he said. “And it is our responsibility now to continue that creative process together.”

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