MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson issued this statement today on the death of General Colin Powell:
“General Colin Powell was an exemplary leader who I had the privilege of serving with as a member of President George W. Bush’s cabinet. To know General Powell was to respect him and his intellect, experience, and common-sense wisdom. He was a consummate solider for our country from the start to the finish.
“His aim was to make the world a better place. I worked with him to help establish the Global Fund in 2002 that has provided life-changing and life-saving treatment for people in poor nations afflicted with AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. We took the idea to President Bush, and with General Powell’s advocacy, we helped make this idea from Kofi Annan of the U.N. a reality. The Global Fund partnership has since saved 44 million lives. The country could always count on General Powell, and I was witness to his extraordinary leadership.”
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 165,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System institutions also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.