Letter from the President

I stood still. Covered by a rain poncho, I was unable to hear anything but the torrential water falling all around me. It was nearing mid-winter on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. I was waiting for the person ahead of me to cross the swinging cable suspension bridge spanning a portion of Victoria Falls. The poncho was useless because, as our guide had said, “The rain falls up here!” Within minutes, I was completely drenched. The mist rising from the falls occasionally obscured the other side of the bridge, making the crossing on wooden planks all the more daring.

Sometimes bridges are real and sometimes bridges are metaphorical. In this issue you will learn about the long-needed replacement of a very real bridge that connects the main campus to the Armington Building and residence halls. Memories of the old bridge are precious, and we celebrate them as we dedicate a structure that is more stable for our current students.

Metaphorical bridges can be even more scary. Moving from home and high school to college is a metaphorical bridge. Events like choosing a career pathway, stepping out into medical or optometry school, finding that first place to live on your own are bridges too. Here at UPIKE, we must be mindful of both kinds of bridges. We must ensure that our students are safe, even as they cross the unknown.

As I crossed that bridge in Zambia, it swayed and rocked with each step. I held on to the cables as I moved, step by step, across to the safety of Zimbabwe. My companions cheered, as I had, when they made the crossing. It was, at the same time, frightening and thrilling! Together, we have the ability to accomplish things we might not attempt alone. Standing together helps us face the fear and focus on the journey.

So it is with the UPIKE Family. We work to empower, encourage and assist one another as we take on incredible challenges. Though we may be overwhelmed by the crashing water all around us, we cannot be distracted by the falls. With encouragement and careful movement, we must meet the goal to which we are all called for sometimes: the rain falls up!

Striving to serve,

Burton J. Webb, Ph.D. President