President Rebecca M. Bergman
I invite you this week to think about our core value of Service. How can we put this value into action?
We recently celebrated Founders Day, which commemorates the dedication of Old Main on October 31, 1876. Our annual tradition on Founders Day is to honor three employees for their outstanding service to the College and its mission. Through their attitudes and work, Deb Swanberg, Amy Brown, and Dr. Kate Knutson exemplify the concept of “service in action.”
Service in action means making a positive difference in the lives of others, in our communities, or in the environment in which we live and work. The Gustavus mission states that we are a community where lives of service are nurtured. How do you think we are we doing in upholding this aspect of our mission?
I believe that small actions multiplied across many people can become ingrained in the culture of an organization. An act of service can be as simple as a warm smile, a friendly greeting, a gesture of kindness, or words of support and encouragement. What if each of us paid closer attention to the many small ways that we can put service into action? For example, you could:
- Lend a helping hand to a coworker.
- Assist a campus visitor in finding their way.
- Leave a room cleaner than you found it.
- Cheer up someone who is struggling.
- Follow through on something you’ve been meaning to do.
Let’s all have a mindset of service as we go about our daily work today, tomorrow, and every day.
Until next week, keep up the good work, Gusties!
With respect,
Becky