Not Unto Ourselves Alone
Are there other college campuses in America where nearly everyone — alumni, students, faculty, staff — is able to recite the institutional motto by heart? At Willamette, that seven-word phrase, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” carries significant gravitas. It turns up in Collegian editorials and grant proposals, in the spiel of our campus tour guides, on T-shirts, in chalk “graffiti” on Jackson Plaza. I’ve even seen it written in frosting on a sheet cake — in Latin (non sobis solum nati sumus). At Willamette, ours is not just a motto; it’s a philosophy to live by. And we do. Many distinctive Willamette activities and initiatives — from our academic “hearths” to Willamette Academy, from service learning to sustainability — underscore the idea that none of us exists in isolation. We seek to be cognizant of the interrelatedness of all nations, societies and individuals, the interdependence of the human and natural worlds in sustaining life and our inherent obligation to apply ourselves to the betterment of others. The leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow are on our campus today, and as an institution seeking to “live” its motto, Willamette prepares students to pursue lives of meaningful work, contribution and achievement. We look to our graduates to make a positive difference, whether we are encouraging them to use their talents to improve the well-being of the communities in which they live or working to secure the financial well-being of the institution itself. In recognition of the motto’s power to unite and inspire, Willamette magazine, formerly The Scene, is rededicated to sharing more broadly the positive impact our students, faculty and alumni have in the world, starting with the newly christened president’s column: “Not Unto Ourselves Alone.” In this inaugural issue, for example, you will find the moving story of Paul Wynne ’65, an Emmy-winning television journalist in the 1970s and ’80s. When he was diagnosed with AIDS, he shared
his experiences on camera. “Maybe you think you didn’t know anyone with AIDS,” he told viewers in the first episode. “You do now.” Read how Life Trustee Emeritus Bill Long ’59 helped bring the motto to life by creating Carson Undergraduate Research Grants. Named in honor of former College of Liberal Arts Dean Julie Carson, this grant program — celebrating its 25th anniversary this year — has supported hundreds of students’ summer research projects. Or, consider the motto-imbued career of Willamette trustee Jim Cuno ’73, CEO and president of the J. Paul Getty Trust. His mission at the Getty: to use extraordinary resources to take on projects that will benefit the world of art and education. When I teach introductory astronomy, I always end my last lecture with a quote from T.S. Eliot: “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” I invite you to continue the exploration of your university through these and other stories yet to unfold within the pages of Willamette.
Stephen E. Thorsett President
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
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