Three Thoughts from the Dean: Fall 2025

In July, my wife, Deb, and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in Peru by hiking the 26-mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The experience revealed and affirmed several enduring lessons.
 

Follow the path, even when it’s hard. But don’t fail to assess the beauty of progress.

On the unrelenting ascent to the trail’s highest point, it took all my focus to keep moving. Then, Deb said to me, “Stop. Turn around and look.” I saw an awesome vista. In challenging times, we must focus on our mission and purpose without losing track of how far we’ve come. It’s a difficult time in higher education. Elevate, our three-year strategic plan, has set a path for us. Let’s get to work, being mindful of all we achieve along the way.
 

A strong culture endures.

While the Inca Empire no longer exists, its impact remains—a testament to the enduring nature of a strong culture. We are building a culture of Courage, Curiosity, and Community. Together, we must deeply embed and authentically practice them in all we do. If so, the values will outlast the moment.
 

Comprehensiveness and nimbleness require balance and context.

After a day of hiking, we concluded our thoughtfully provisioned packs were too heavy. Enjoying the journey—even at the risk we might regret that we’d shed some luxury—was the goal. The same is true for an organization. Often, we try to be everything to everyone. But we can’t. Making careful, data-informed decisions about where to focus our efforts and what we can let go is important, especially in turbulent times like these.