Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2019

in the president’s office. “My husband and I were already quite impressed with all of the improvements made to the campus since I’d been a student in the ’80s and by the caliber of the students we met,” Rogers recalls. “Dr. Burger’s passion and enthu- siasm for Southwestern were contagious!” He asked Rogers and her husband to consider speaking at the President’s Thinking Symposium the following fall before “kicking them out” (Burger’s words) so that he could talk to their son. “I will be forever grateful for the conversation that Dr. Burger had with him,” Rogers says. “Whereas my son had been apprehensive about going to college before, after that conversation, he was excited by the potential of what lie ahead.” Rogers, a producer at DreamWorks Animation, and her husband, Doug Rogers, an imagineer (or senior creative design lead) with Walt Disney Parks, did, in fact, return to SU in fall 2017 as the first speakers in the series that semester. The following spring, the Rogerses hosted a President’s Dinner in their home— the first time, to Rogers’s knowledge, that an SU president had attended an event in the Los Angeles area. “Once again, President Burger was quite passionate and eloquent in presenting his vision of the future of Southwestern to the alumni, parents, and school counselors who were present,” she recounts. “I know of at least one alumnus who has reengaged with the school as a result of that dinner.” Since then, Rogers has mentored three SU students who expressed interest in the entertainment industry, and she and her husband hosted a reception for accepted students at their home in spring 2019, with all of them ultimately deciding to attend Southwestern this fall. “On a personal note, I’m very grateful to President Burger for reminding me how much I enjoy learning and taking on chal- lenges—and for encouraging me to try new things,” Rogers adds. “He reminds you that you are smarter than you give yourself credit for and that, really, it’s all a big adventure and the sky is the limit.” Of legacies and looking forward Colleagues at SU have expressed their appreciation for the presi- dent’s high energy, his dynamic personality, and the engaged way he interacted with students, board members, faculty, and staff. Community members have admired his unwavering commit- ment to and passion for mentoring students but also his genuine desire to listen to and learn from feedback. Many share that they have learned from him and experienced tremendous professional growth because of his support, mentorship, and collaboration. After 38 years of being committed to the life of the mind and higher education, Burger admits that transitioning into the role of teacher and mentor in a different context will certainly require some adjustment. So those who know him will not be surprised to hear that what he’ll miss most about Southwestern is, he says, “without a doubt, the students. And I consider every single student on this campus my student. They can always reach out to me, and I will always be there for them.” He says he’ll also miss his “amazing colleagues here—the faculty and staff who just give so much of themselves to the institution. And the alumni who have showered their alma mater with so much love, kindness, support, and generosity of spirit.” It’s obvious that, above all, the people are what matter most to Burger. Southwestern’s Strides under President Burger’s Leadership • A comprehensive strategic vision and direction for the University • An interconnected Paideia curriculum • The new Jack and Camille Garey School of Natural Sciences • The $40 million expansion of the Fondren–Jones Science Center • The development and launch of Mosaic and the Residential Experience • Record-setting enrollments, with the five largest classes in the University's history • More than 10 new named chairs and professorships • Over $100 million in gifts and pledges • A balanced budget for six consecutive years and strong financial vitality going forward • Growth in the endowment from $253 million to $297 million