froM the President dr. Joseph J. Mcgowan | president@bellarmine.edu Hope and Vision a fUnny thing haPPened to Me on Bellarmine goes about this hopeful tors to help educate new generations of the way to Vision 2020. To get the ball exercise of educating in a compelling, students as they create and realize their rolling, the Board of Trustees invited me comprehensive and strategic way – best own imagined futures and develop their to challenge them with a vision for the exemplified by the schools and colleges potential as human beings; competent, university. That invitation begged the of the university. caring, well-informed healthcare questions: What exactly is an institu- Bellarmine College houses the liberal professionals who promote healthy lives tional vision, and why is it important? arts and sciences. Not only is it the oldest and alleviate suffering caused by disease As I reflected on these questions, it and founding college in the university, or injury; well-informed, skilled critics, became clear to me that a vision is an but the board, faculty and I have seen to consumers and creators of media and imagined future, that an imagined future it that that the liberal arts and sciences culture; and women and men who is an essential condition for hope, and form the core and the foundation of a deeply understand and appreciate our that hope is essential for the successful Bellarmine undergraduate education. local, regional, national and global realization of a vision. This is the richest and most effective basis environments as precious gifts that Bellarmine’s basic work is education, for developing meaningful, value-based require and demand thoughtful, and education is a hope-based and well-informed care and protection. ers human beings to create an imagined “if yoU don’t of liberal arts and sciences, business,Through our schools and colleges-hope-filled exercise. Education empow future for themselves – and then to go about realizing that imagined future. have a dreaM, teacher education, health sciences,communication and environmental In a similar way, envisioning Bellar- how’re yoU studies, Bellarmine is working to future. And once that future is imagined, going to future, for the benefit of our studentsrealize our very promising institutionalmine calls for imagining Bellarmine’s sity community, we can plan and imple- have a dreaM university in the South and thereby theand society – as the top Catholic- understood and supported by the univer ment strategic actions to realize the vision. CoMe trUe?” premier private university for the As a song in an old musical suggests: “If Commonwealth and region. you don’t have a dream, how’re you going We are creating the educational to have a dream come true?” responses to the most important and environment, knowledge, curriculum, As we observe and experience today’s ultimate questions in human existence. human and other resources to help our world, there are many realities that While the liberal arts and sciences students imagine and create their mitigate against hope – war, environ- form the core of our undergraduate futures – and thus to be ever hopeful mental catastrophes, poverty, hunger, curriculum, their disciplines and the and successful in their lives and careers, violence and, on the existential level, skills created in those disciplines also meeting life’s challenges and opportuni- mortality itself. provide excellent preparation for careers ties with great courage, competence Education, however, is not only a and professions. and confidence. hope-based and hope-filled exercise. It But Bellarmine does not stop there. I am very proud, humbled and also engenders, sustains and nurtures We have strategically decided over the grateful to be part of Bellarmine hope in the face of circumstances that course of our 62-year history to provide University’s wonderful, hope-based, challenge hope. Bellarmine’s vision, educational experiences in a broad range hope-filled and hope-generating therefore, as an institution that exists to of professional studies that lead to education efforts, and to work with educate, is not only rooted in hope for improvement in the human condition. such immensely talented and dedicated our institutional future and the indi- Our professional schools are develop- board, faculty, staff, students and vidual futures of our students, but is also ing ethical, moral and balanced business alumni as we continue to realize the a producer and generator of hope for our leaders, possessing integrity and compas- great institutional future in Vision 2020. community and the world. sion; successful teachers and administra- Go Knights! winter 2013 5
WINTER2013_BELLARMINE MAG
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