Onyx Spring-Summer 2019

DREAMING A T T H E W O O D S

By Karen Dyer “For many years, the College did not dream. We need to dream again,” said Dottie L. King, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, to the faculty, staff and students during focus sessions this spring to identify a vision for the future. “This is a time in our history when all things are possible. We need to put everything on the table and consider our best path, carrying a mission forward that Saint Mother Theodore began 180 years ago.” Dreaming is just what the SMWC community has been doing throughout most of the 2018 – 2019 year to generate ideas, create new pathways for success and capture a vision for the future of the College. A series of dream and focus sessions have been held with various constituents including those already mentioned as well as trustees and the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Data from these sessions will be used to help create the next phase of the strategic plan, which is to be named Aspire Even Higher.

a new academic building, expansion of the health science and information technology majors, a second residence hall, increased diversity and 600 campus students by 2025 are all on the list for consideration. “Allowing students to participate in this process from the very beginning sets a clear message that the administration cares about the thoughts, concerns and ideas that students have about the future direction of our beloved College,” noted Nathan Stroup, senior humanities major from Howe, Indiana. “I am even more thrilled to see what future developments and improvements that will be coming to The Woods in the years to come. I believe that with continued conversations between alumni, students, faculty, staff and administrators of the College, we will be able to continue having a strong comprehensive strategic plan that continues our growth!” The goal of the first phase of the strategic plan was to strengthen the institution across all areas and build a

Sherry Schnake, Ph.D., professor of psychology and co-chair of the facilities and IT sub-committee of the strategic plan said of the planning process, “It was energizing to spend time with colleagues generating ideas and listening to one another's perspectives on how we should prioritize the objectives of the new plan in order to positively influence the direction the College takes in the future. “Including the SMWC faculty into the early stages of the strategic planning process allows The Woods to draw upon the expertise of the faculty in their respective fields as well as the lessons we have learned on how best to serve our students during both times of austerity and more recent times of relative abundance.” A list of 400+ dreams have been generated, and from this there are some ideas that might be a bit out there, however there is much that if brought to fruition could launch SMWC into a new era. An athletic fields complex expansion,

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