The trustees and staff of the American Academy in Berlin mourn the passing of our friend and colleague Vartan Gregorian (pictured above with fellow trustee Gahl Burt). One of the longest serving members of our board, which he joined in 2001, Vartan helped steer the Academy from its infancy. We benefited beyond measure from his wise counsel and his advocacy for an institution dedicated to upholding and strengthening transatlantic ties in scholarship, culture, and politics. Vartan set an unmatched standard of dedication to American institutions of learning, policy innovation, and artistic creation, and the Academy is profoundly fortunate to have had such a long relationship with this extraordinary man. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and many friends.