Not Unto Ourselves Alone
Another outstanding group of Bearcats crossed the Commencement stage in May to celebrate their achievements and join the ranks of our global alumni community.
Taking time to savor the moment, a College of Liberal Arts graduate pauses for a selfie with President Thorsett.
It was a pleasure meeting the families of some of our graduates and learning about the various paths our students took to get here and where they are headed next. Many come from families who made significant financial sacrifices to send their children to Willamette. Others became the first in their families to complete a college degree. And most traveled great distances to attend Willamette and pursue a liberal arts or professional education — or both — in our outstanding Pacific Northwest setting. The growing diversity of our student body was also evident, as the class of 2016 represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. To truly make our campus the inclusive and welcoming community we desire requires our collective efforts to support the broad range of voices and experiences reflected in our students, staff and faculty. We must make the Willamette experience mirror the world in which we all live, work and learn. Across the country, and in particular over the past year, students asked important questions about what it means to create an inclusive community. They called on higher education leaders to consider the important difference between being diverse and being inclusive. The latter implies that diversity is woven into the very fibers of an organization — or a university — and is one of the elements that makes it a distinct and truly exceptional place. At Willamette, our motto calls us to a higher standard. We not only acknowledge inclusivity — we lead the way in putting it into practice on a daily basis. Recent conversations have revealed that, although we’ve made strides towards inclusivity in recent years, we have not yet achieved this ideal. In April I convened a task force on equity, diversity and inclusion charged with recommending whether Willamette needs a cabinet-level position, such as a chief diversity officer or a VP of equity and inclusion, to help us more fully become the kind of community to which we aspire. Its work has already
brought important issues to light, and I am confident the task force’s continued conversations with members of our community, coupled with a detailed review of other campuses and topical literature, will help move us forward. This fall we’re also implementing a new test-optional admission policy for undergraduate students. Researched and developed by the faculty admission committee, the test-optional policy gives applicants the option to forgo submitting standardized test scores and, instead, write an additional essay about how Willamette’s motto resonates with their educational and career objectives. This initiative provides a more holistic approach to reviewing our applicants and offers greater access for all students interested in Willamette. You can read more about it in professor Sammy Basu’s “In my Humble Opinion” article on p.54. As a community we all need to work together to reaffirm our values and make Willamette a better version of itself — just as we aim to guide our students through their personal growth and transformation. As you read the stories in this magazine, I invite you to think about how your Willamette experience shaped your perspective — and how you’re using what you discovered here to make your own communities more inclusive and supportive. Non nobus solum nati sumus,
Stephen E. Thorsett President
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
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