President Rebecca M. Bergman
I invite you this week to think about our core value of Faith. How can we put this value into action?
In answering this question, we might look first to the early history of Gustavus. Our Swedish Lutheran founders believed that every person is endowed with gifts and talents that can be employed in service to the neighbor for the sake of the common good. They also believed that education helps people acquire the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to be of greater service to others and to society as a whole. These ideas remain foundational to our institution today.
The pursuit of education at Gustavus is rooted in the passion to help students develop and use their talents for a greater purpose that benefits others. In Lutheran higher education, this concept is called vocation. The notion of vocation is expansive and invites people to develop and use their talents to enhance the wellbeing of others in their families, communities, and workplaces.
At the heart of the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan is our vision “to equip students to lead purposeful lives and to act on the great challenges of our time.” This vision is clearly rooted in Lutheran higher education’s longstanding emphasis on vocation and is a clear example of how we put the institution’s core value of faith into action.
Each of you lives out a part of your vocation here at Gustavus. Together we create a rich learning environment, rooted in the Lutheran tradition and open to those from all backgrounds, that ultimately helps our students serve the neighbor and contribute to the common good. This week, think about how your work encourages the pursuit of big questions, builds moral character, invites vocational discernment, and challenges our students to become their very best selves. Thank you for the work you do to positively influence the lives of the hundreds of young adults entrusted to our care.
As we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday, please know that I am filled with gratitude for the unique gifts, talents, and knowledge that you bring to this community.
With respect,
Becky