A
MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
A
photograph taken during the filming of “Field of Dreams” hangs on a wall of my office. A lovely gift, it reminds me not only of my favorite sports film but also of the powerful call to be a part of a team. In the film, the “Field of Dreams” represented a mythical place where the glory of the past converged with a present calling, resulting in the culmination of fulfilled dreams. What a reminder of the power of teamwork that allows individuals to accomplish together what they could not accomplish alone. I’ve heard many alumni and students tell stories about the impact Titan athletics had on their growth and development and the ties that still bind them to their teammates and friends—a true Titan heritage. This truth about the value of team participation and teamwork transcends traditional athletics. Almost half of our students participate each year on a Titan sports team, and our goal is for each student here to participate on multiple teams—within classes, clubs, residence halls, co-curriculars, and service. Such collaboration certainly provides experience in technical and applied skills, and also in the “soft skills” that are so essential for personal and professional success: problem solving, cooperation, conflict resolution, goal setting, leadership, follow-ship, and communication. As students collaborate, they will also gain practical experience in working with diverse others, differing agendas, and (sometimes) clashing egos. Many stories within this magazine detail the variety of collaborative “teams” that involve our students and faculty. You can read about group service projects planned and executed by students in their First-Year Inquiry Seminars; students working with faculty and mentors on research teams and in internship settings; faculty teams that provide cross-disciplinary coursework and applied learning opportunities for students; and the work of the team of alumni and staff who plan and host such events as Homecoming so successfully. On the college website, you will find similar stories about the teams of students that planned and built the Tiny House; the group of students led by senior Christian Na and SGA Service Chair Liz Smith that raised more than $5,000 and many donated supplies for hurricane relief; and about the team of alumni and friends led by trustee Ben Nelson ’06 and his wife, Christie ’06, that presented another successful Professional Networking Symposium in mid-September. These formal and informal teams and their successes demonstrate the power of collaboration and cooperation—skills that seem increasingly rare in today’s culture, and yet are in high demand. Together, individual talents are pooled to greater effect; together, knotty problems can be broken into components that can be solved. Mutual support and mutual challenge prompt deeper learning and stronger applications, along with shared celebration when goals are reached and victories are declared. The “We in Westminster” tradition found here epitomizes such valuable practice. We do not just celebrate past Titan glories. The “characteristics, competencies and commitments” of teamwork and collaboration are alive and growing at Mother Fair. They are alive in the spirit and practice of Titan athletics; alive in the creativity and challenge of Westminster academic and student life; and alive in the support and commitment of our alumni. The glory of the past converges with a present calling, resulting in the culmination of fulfilled dreams. Teamwork is more than just a dream here—it’s a way of life.
Cheering that Titan spirit of collaboration and teamwork— Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson
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