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CIU MAGAZINE ISSUE 11
Making Thriving a Habit at Clarke International University
This year, we have engaged in thought-provoking conversations centered on enhancing our capacity to thrive as a collective. Together, we’ve explored what it truly means to create an environment where everyone--students, faculty, and administrators—can excel.
But what does it mean to thrive? To thrive is to grow vigorously, to prosper, and to succeed in a particular environment. It implies vitality, resilience, and purpose—whether for individuals, communities, or systems. The word itself carries rich historical roots, derived from the Old Norse þrífa, meaning “to grasp” or “to seize.” This origin underscores an active pursuit of opportunities and making the most of circumstances not just survival but flourishing.
In Middle English, thrive evolved to signify prosperity and flourishing, particularly in the face of harsh or challenging conditions. It embodies growth, resilience, and holistic well-being, inviting us to create an environment where vitality and purpose take root and bloom. From these definitions, three essential elements of thriving stand out:
Growth: Moving beyond mere existence to achieve one’s potential.
Resilience: Overcoming obstacles and thriving despite challenges.
Holistic Well-being: Flourishing in multiple dimensions—physical, emotional, social, and intellectual.
At CIU, the Thrive theme has guided us to reflect on what it means to live a meaningful and impactful life, both as individuals and as a community. It has also tied together several threads that are central to the life of our university.
First, our strategic plan, ending in 2025, prioritizes developing our students, staff, infrastructure, culture, and systems. This focus on growth ensures we continuously push boundaries and enhance our potential as a university.
Second, during the COVID-19 pandemic, resilience became one of our defining characteristics. The CIU community stepped up collectively, protecting the university and ensuring we continued to thrive. As I reflected in my closing message of 2022, our story during the pandemic was about finding ways to bounce forward. We redefined our workspace and committed to delivering a quality educational experience despite unprecedented challenges. We thrived.
Lastly, one of CIU’s core values is whole-person development. This value reflects our commitment to supporting individuals holistically—professionally, personally, and emotionally. We aim to empower each person to achieve their vision by investing in their mental, spiritual, and physical well-being, alongside academic and skill-related growth.
As I reflect on the importance of this theme, this year, I am encouraged by how it unifies the everyday work we do. Often, in the mundane hours of the day, we plant seeds of thriving—seeds that enable our community to grow and flourish.
As we close the year, I invite each of you to reflect on the ways you have thrived. How have you grown? How have you demonstrated resilience? How have you embraced holistic well-being? What are you most proud of and what is the best thing you have done to support the learning and growth of our students? Or your community? Let these reflections challenge us to make thriving a habit, a way of life.
We should not aim to thrive only for a season. Instead, let us settle into a rhythm where every action contributes to a cultivated environment in which everyone— students, faculty, and staff—can flourish academically, professionally, and personally. Together, we can create a university culture that continues to nurture growth, fosters resilience, and inspires us all to seize opportunities for meaningful and impactful living.
May you all blossom in 2025
