Preparing Passionate, Empowered Citizens
In 1966, our catalog listed several goals for graduates of our university. Perhaps the most striking is this: Our students will show concern for “the ideals of democracy and social justice” and for their responsibility to their fellow human beings. This is a worthy, timeless goal. In this latest edition of the university strategic plan, we recommit to these ideals and responsibility.
The people who work and learn at UW-Stevens Point will continue to exemplify caring, engaged citizenship. Our high-quality professionals choose to work here because we put students first. Our students go forth to achieve goals of their own, demonstrating by word and deed the worth of a broad-based education. We prepare passionate, empowered citizens for a global community.
Such citizens are clearly needed! This is an exciting and challenging time for our neighbors both near and far, a time of change in technology, economics, culture, and more. More than ever, quality education is indispensable to maintaining and improving communities. Regions that aspire to be vibrant, healthy, prosperous, and sustainable need students such as ours. In turn, our students need a university that is responsive, inclusive, engaged, and adaptable.
As our General Education Program states, we want to kindle in our graduates a “willingness to place their newfound abilities in the service of a larger community.” Such willingness cannot be taught directly, but arises from experiences that are only possible in a university such as UW-Stevens Point. This is a place where people from a variety of backgrounds and bright futures come together. This is a place where we teach and learn from one another. We ask hard questions and then strive to answer them together. How can we be more inclusive? How can we work together? How can we be more engaged?
We encourage you to be part of this effort. Join your strengths with ours. We need an abundance of ingenuity, generosity and humility, and we need the courage of our convictions. Our students and our world deserve nothing less.
Bernie Patterson
Chancellor