PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Titan strength proved powerful in 2019-2020

“Titans Together” read the script on the cloth face covering I wore to our delayed Commencement on August 1. It is a slogan that captures the achievements and challenges of the 2019-2020 year. From the excitement of the groundbreaking for the new wing on the Hoyt Science Center in September to the dedication of the expanded men’s locker room and the

Ron Galbreath Court in the Buzz Ridl Gymnasium to the inspiration of the Christmas Vesper service and the joy of the PAC volleyball, women’s golf, and women’s indoor track and field championships, the highlights of the year brought students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends together for moments of joy and celebration. The busyness of the spring term was interrupted by the suspension of in-person teaching and campus residency during Spring Break, but even during the weeks of a closed campus, students gathered virtually with faculty for classes and with other students for recreation led by the Student Government and Campus Programming

Council. Faculty continued to offer outstanding teaching, despite the change in delivery method. Caring staff and faculty reached out to students to provide support and advice, and they gathered virtually for meetings and town halls and to continue their work in support of our students. Despite the physical distance, we remained together as Titans.

Similarly, our alumni, friends and staff stood as Titans Together, as the stories and information in this 2019-2020 Honor Roll of Giving illustrate. Despite one of the most challenging economic years in recent history, the number of Titans who gave to the College rose significantly as together they supported student financial aid, athletics and the marching band, academic programs, the Student Emergency Fund, the Career Closet and Food Pantry, campus recreation, Wherever Needed Most Fund, and the Westminster Fund. A generous $1 million matching gift from the May Emma Hoyt Foundation prompted so many members of our Board of Trustees and Board of Distinguished Visitors, Alumni Council, College leadership, alumni, staff, friends and other foundations to provide more than $1.8 million to the Bring Back the Titans campaign, providing additional aid for students whose families had experienced financial setbacks during the pandemic.

Together, significant progress was made on a number of initiatives of the 2018-2027 Strategic

Plan. In support of Goal One: Recruit and Retain Students, recruitment of new students for fall 2020 remains about 7 percent higher than the previous fall, and retention of current students is on track to exceed the previous year—despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Faculty revised transfer requirements to increase the College’s appeal to those students who wish to join the Titan community, but without sacrificing what it means to graduate with a Westminster degree. Recruitment was aided by an expansion of the College’s digital communication efforts, including initiation of Facebook Live and Zoom campus open houses and orientation events. The invitation to “Be a Part of Something Real” highlighted the power of the Titan collaborative and experiential education.

Goal Two: Revitalize Campus Environment initiatives moved quickly, with Phase III of the

Hoyt Science Center expansion, the UPMC Sports Complex, with its new soccer/lacrosse field,

Titan strength proved powerful in 2019-2020

and the new softball and baseball fields under construction, completion of the Huey Heritage Center in Memorial Field House, and a rapid refreshing of the technology infrastructure and equipment on campus, including doubling bandwidth capacity, upgrading the campus wireless system, and adding software and hardware to support virtual modalities for teaching and learning. As noted before, significant changes in Memorial Field House supported student athletes, and the Campus Store was redesigned to create more student-use space in the McKelvey Campus Center.

Faculty, staff and students continued to work on initiatives together in support of Goal Three: Renew Educational Experiences. Faculty remained committed to mentoring students through undergraduate research and applied projects, complementing their challenging and enriching courses and new or redesigned curricular opportunities. Their dedication to effective teaching was demonstrated day after day as they adapted to teaching across distances during the second half of the spring term. The online Master of Business Administration program, which was launched in the fall, exceeded its initial enrollment goals. The School of Communication redesigned its major programs. Through our partnership with UPMC Jameson, students in the initial cohort of Bachelor of Science in Nursing completed their clinical courses and earned their Registered Nurse licensure.

The Office of Faith & Spirituality celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood program this fall by inviting a number of speakers and musicians to campus, each of whom challenged Titans to demonstrate faith and service through inclusion and kindness. Leaders in the SGA completed a strategic plan that will be implemented in the coming months. Gina Vance, who became Vice President for Student Affairs in November, led a restructuring of that division to provide stronger focus on student care and on diversity, equity and inclusion. Building on the College’s historic founding with its vision of welcome and inclusion for all students, our staff, faculty and students continue to collaborate in developing and implementing a strategic plan for growth in that critical area.

The challenging work on the College’s budget completed during the previous academic year undergirded progress on Goal Four: Replenish Resources. The generosity of Titans and friends provided $8.26 million in gifts to Westminster. Fundraising provided support for the capital projects, student scholarships, athletic activities and academic programming. For example, gifts to the “Rec the Quad” fund provided funds for a group of Adirondack chairs for the Quad that will give students a place to spend time together comfortably while physically distanced this fall. Each gift made a difference for our students and our community.

Titans Together make a difference—a difference in the ways we address educational opportunities and experiences; a difference in the ways we welcome, support and care for each other; a difference in the ways our students and alumni contribute to the good of their communities. We are so grateful for the financial support provided during this past year and for the commitment to our students and the College it represents. This Honor Roll celebrates the power of Titans Together. Despite the circumstances, we know that together, we are Titan strong.