From the President

Dear Graceland Friends,

Sitting on the stage at the inauguration ceremony and facing a full Shaw Center auditorium was an exciting, challenging and humbling experience. Thank you for the support and encouragement you have extended to Jeff and me with your calls, visits and support of Graceland. I am especially grateful for the many alumni who came to share in the inauguration. I was quite moved and assure you I will do everything in my power to live up to the university’s strong traditions and core values, while meeting the needs of today’s students.

I want to extend a special thank you to the Alumni Board for the collegial and engaged support as I transitioned to the Graceland community. The alumni partnership with the administration, faculty and students helps make a great education possible for current and potential Graceland students.

Thank you again for being a special part of an inspiring inauguration
and energetic homecoming weekend. It was great to meet so many of you, and I look forward to seeing more of you next year!

As we look to the future, we will be guided by our strategic direction:

Exceptional Academics, Experiences and Value through Growth
This direction will be realized by growing our academic programs and student life experiences and measured growth in our student body, while improving our fiscal strength to ensure Graceland’s longterm impact on the world. In addition, we need to share the value of a Graceland education and the ways it prepares alumni for strong careers and rewarding lives. We will be calling on some of you to share your story and hearing about the ways you value your Graceland experience.

In 2017-19, we seek to make progress on our strategic direction, following six strategic pathways, which will reflect our priorities.