WAU’S UPWARD SOCIAL MOBILITY

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WAU welcomes all God’s children—this is our ideology, both philosophically and in practice. Our population is incredibly diverse as we welcome students of all ethnicities from across the United States and around the globe.

Many of our students are people of color, Latinx, and first-generation Americans, all of whom have discovered a sense of belonging coupled with the perfect balance of faith and learning. We do not turn away students from low-income families or underserved communities. All are welcomed, encouraged, and supported to pursue their dreams. WAU students of today represent the promise of tomorrow.

We are the Gateway to Service—symbolically, as service is imprinted in our identity, and it also refers to the physical gateway on campus. Our freshmen walk ceremonially through the gateway at the end of New Student Orientation week, and when they graduate, they walk out of the gateway into the world.

What Are We Doing Right?

In addition to our inclusive enrollment practices and emphasis on removing barriers through granting programs and other financial aids, our mission and vision extend to all aspects of the institution.

Our hiring practices underscore our commitment to upward social mobility as we prioritize diversity and inclusion in our faculty, governance, and leadership. We embody our commitment to uplifting women, Latinx, people of color, and individuals of all abilities, as we recognize how such diverse perspectives enrich our objectives and inform the way forward.

We maintain strong upward social mobility in our area based on several factors:

• Accessibility is in our DNA. Our tuition rate is more accessible than neighboring institutions, meaning we can provide opportunities for more students without compromising quality.

What is upward social mobility? What is upward social mobility?

To put it concisely, the term refers to an increase in status or movement from one societal stratum to the next. Without social mobility, people would be stuck in a pre-destined rut, either because of their socio-economic status from birth or other inequities that impede forward movement.

Poor social mobility is amplified by inequality, undermining growth both at a personal and societal level and ultimately leading to less-than-ideal outcomes for individuals and communities.

Upward Social Mobility Matters

U.S. News’ Social Mobility index states that economically disadvantaged college students are less likely to complete their degrees. However, some colleges—WAU among them—defy this trend by enrolling, educating, and graduating high proportions of underserved students, often with the support of federal Pell Grants and other financial aid.

In prioritizing diversity in all operational and academic aspects, WAU helps its students and employees achieve upward social mobility. When underserved populations have the opportunity to reach their full potential, society, as a whole, benefits from improved outcomes in health, income, and innovation.

• We provide consistency. We take pride in that when tuitions go up around the country, WAU maintains an almost flat rate. We are committed to accessibility, and we keep our promises. • We are making a difference. We provide a way forward for low-income families as we are making education indiscriminately accessible. • We provide alternatives. Rather than exclude students that cannot reach the minimum thresholds for undergraduate studies, we offer them options. Through our Rising Scholars Program, we engage student whose GPAs have not yet met admission criteria and assist them to overcome barriers to learning and advancement.

Vision 2030: Distinctive Excellence in Student Success Vision 2030 seeks to align every student, program, employee, and infrastructure associated with the uni10 versity. It reflects our journey to excellence, acting as a guide to inform our advancement and transformation into an exceptional institution defined by its students’ success.

Students who graduate from our institution are seen as competent moral leaders who bring competence and leadership to their communities. As in the promise of Proverbs 18:16, “an individuals gifts open doors for them causing them to stand before the great…” This is a statement often heard spoken by our Provost, Dr. Cheryl Kisunzu.

With Vision 2030 to light the way, we will continue to implement strategies that support WAU’s position as an aspirational, inspirational place to learn, study, and work. To learn more about Vision 2030, we invite you to read about the plan here.

How WAU Will Continue to Grow and Move Upward?

We’ve heard members of our faculty express that our upward social mobility is attributable to our strong belief in God and the blessing He has bestowed upon our institution.

Despite the many hurdles we face, God continues to bless our mission and allow it to excel and grow.

Deuteronomy 28:13 talks about how we are called to be the head and not the tail. We listen carefully, observe and follow His commandments; therefore, we shall only move upward and never downward.

How You Can Help?

As a friend of WAU, we sincerely hope you will continue to walk with us in our transformational journey. There are many ways you can help and support our vision of continuing to educate and equip the competent moral leaders of the future as they march through the Gateway to Service and into the world.

We have accomplished much in our journey, and so it continues. Our efforts to improve upward social mobility for people of color, Latinx, low-income, and underserved peoples in the United States and worldwide are our mission and the basis for our vision of inclusive and equitable education for all.

If you are so inspired, there are many ways you can help. Your donations help support student scholarships and financial aid programs, the STEM Laboratory Building project, Health Professions Building, WAU Music Center, or fulfill Vision 2030 initiatives.

We have built an institution that is not only special to us but has transformed the lives of our students, faculty, and employees. In providing a place to learn and grow with God, we become stronger together and continue our mission to enrich others—and the world we live in.

You can become a part of our story, our progress, and our process. You can support our mission by giving back, and even through prayer—for the faculty, staff, students, and the administrative leadership as they continue to lead us into the future.

STUDENT GALLERY