Page 1 - June 2026 Insider

INSIDER June 2026

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE…
H eartfelt greetings and thanks to each of you in

this, my final President’s Message.

As I shared at our last General Meeting, this has been a
remarkable year for our Chapter. Thanks to the
generosity and dedication of our members, donors, and
supporters, we expect strong financial results that will
enable us to continue investing in our Scholars and the
Leslie Bruce future of scientific discovery.

Among this year’s accomplishments, we provided a one-time $3,000 supplemental
award to each of our 50 Scholars in response to federal research funding cuts and
approved additional funding increases for next year. Our Scientist of the Year
event was an outstanding success, raising critical Scholar support while
significantly expanding awareness of ARCS and our mission.
We also strengthened our future through new partnerships and initiatives, inclu-
ding the approval of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute as our
first new educational partner in two decades. We expanded outreach to Scholar
Alumni, enhanced our communications infrastructure, began pursuing new grant
opportunities, updated our governing documents, and increased our visibility
through participation in national ARCS initiatives and major scientific conferences.
None of these achievements happened by accident. They were made possible by
an extraordinary group of members who generously contributed their time,
talent, energy, and resources. I am especially grateful to our Board of Directors:
Ingrid Benirschke-Perkins, Paulette Roberts, Janet Roemer, Kristin
Boyd, Barbara Bry, Rachel Collins, Tamia Strachan, Cathie Atkins,
Grace Miller, Cindy Goodman, Margaret Dudas, and Linda Johnson.
At a time when support for scientific research faces increasing challenges, our
Chapter chose to lead—investing more deeply in our Scholars, strengthening
partnerships, expanding our visibility, and building a stronger foundation for the
future.

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