Dear Friends:

This is our annual donor’s issue of The Word, which is our way of saying “Thank You” to the many special people from around the world that contribute to the continued betterment of the University of the Incarnate Word. John W. Feik, who is pictured on the cover with his wife, Rita, is one of these special people.

John, who has been a member of the UIW Board of Trustees since 2002, is the President and Chief Operating Officer of DFB Pharmaceuticals and DPT Laboratories. As you can read in the accompanying story, John was a pivotal figure in our investigation to determine whether a School of Pharmacy would be a good fit for the university. Drawing from his many years in the pharmaceutical field, John constantly provided us with timely insights and valuable advice on the plusses and minuses of launching such a complex undertaking, which we did with a great deal of community support in January.

Although classes won’t begin until the fall of 2006, the pharmacy program is already proving to be a success. More than 90 students enrolled in the pre-pharmacy track that started this semester, a number that exceeded even our own projections.

Without John’s guidance and steady leadership, it would’ve been nearly impossible for us to create what someday will be one of the signature academic programs at UIW. That’s why I’m extremely pleased that the School of Pharmacy will be named in his honor. John exemplifies the kind of values we espouse as an institution of higher learning, and as a university Trustee, he is part of an exceptional group of people whose unselfish commitment to Incarnate Word makes us a better place.

The early success of the pharmacy program also fueled the record enrollment we experienced this fall. We started the new school year with 4,800 students, the highest enrollment in the 123-year history of Incarnate Word (we have now set enrollment records in 18 of the last 19 years). At a time when many private universities are experiencing declining enrollments, we have approximately 400 more students now than we did at this time last year. And hand-in-hand with the enrollment growth was an additional bit of good news we received at the start of the semester: UIW was ranked No. 6 by Consumer Digest Magazine as a best value for private institutions of higher learning in the United States. The only other private school from Texas to rank in the Top 25 was Rice University, which came in at No. 9.

The enrollment surge is the result of the hard work of many people across the campus as well as alumni and friends of the university, who play a vital role in spreading the word about us to potential students throughout the world (the year began with students from 41 countries).

I encourage you to read the rest of The Word for more information on all of our recent activities, including the receipt of a $3.37 million federal grant, the largest in UIW history. In the meantime, let me thank all of you for your steadfast support. Your commitment allows us to continue fulfilling Incarnate Word's goal of offering students the best possible educational opportunity within a context of faith. Special blessings on you and your loved ones throughout the remainder of 2004.

Best Wishes,

Louis J. Agnese, Jr., Ph.D.
President