“Success in this sense is generating the greatest possible positive impact as part of a proficient and dedicated team.

Dr. Michael Crow
For nine years, Dr. Crow has served as the president of Arizona State University, introducing more than a dozen new transdisciplinary schools, notable research initiatives as well as ASU’s thriving new Downtown Phoenix campus.

What does “power” mean to you?
Power is a somewhat difficult term to define but in the context area of my job assignment, power is the equivalent of responsibility. My position as president of a university is one where I have to evaluate complex factors and work to make the best decisions possible. Decision-making means ‘power’ to some people, but it means ‘responsibility’ to me. I am accountable for helping to guide ASU to be of greatest service to the people of Arizona, and specifically to the thousands of students we serve.
What impact do you strive to have on the Valley?
Through my work, I strive to create a world-class teaching, learning and discovery university that is accessible to the broadest possible cross-section of our population, and that is geared to serve the needs of its surrounding communities through its knowledge products. Those leading-edge knowledge products are new thinkers (first and foremost), new ideas and new things. I strive to support the development of new knowledge capable of having the greatest positive impact on Arizona’s families and the future success of our state as a whole.
What has made you successful?
Success is a function of working toward a clear objective with a group of people that are committed to and capable of attaining that objective. It is a fantastically positive experience to be a part of a skilled team able to support and advance work that makes a tangible difference in the lives of tens of thousands of students and millions of lives in terms of our overall contributions to society. Success in this sense is generating the greatest possible positive impact as part of a proficient and dedicated team.
Why do you choose to live in Arizona?
Arizona is one of the few places in the United States where new ideas are welcomed and embraced, and there is an opportunity to advance them in real time and witness the result. Nowhere else that I’ve lived previously can you do all of those things simultaneously. Arizona represents, for me, the most fantastic opportunity for innovative thinkers to realize their dreams in real time.
What one superpower would you like to possess?
Obviously, a super power that would be great to possess would be the ability to make meaningful predictions about the future. Since we can’t do that, we just need to concentrate instead on those actions in the present that can produce the highest and best possible outcomes for the future.