A new academic year brings renewed energy, new students and staff, and new initiatives, as President Tim Collins announces that the 2024-25 academic year, will be the Year of Community. As part of a transformative five-year plan to place a deep and intentional focus each year on one of Walsh’s five core values: community, excellence, integrity, service, and faith, the Year of Community aims to encourage engagement and strengthen relationships among our students, staff, alumni, parents, benefactors, community partners and colleagues, affirming our role as an education partner for life.
In his Opening Day remarks, President Collins emphasized the initiative's reflection of Walsh's Catholic mission as a means of connection to oneself, others, and the Sacred, embodying a spirit of freedom, respect, and charity. During this year and moving forward, he encouraged open communication, participation, and compassion throughout our institution.
"There is no more urgent time than now for us to be successful in coming together as a community and building leaders who will go out into the world," he said. "We begin this year of community focusing on what each and every one of you do to contribute to our mission and how important you are to what we get done. You matter!"
During the Year of Community, Walsh University will host a range of programs and events to enhance engagement and solidarity, including:
Campus Engagement: Encouraging participation in signature campus events and initiatives like Welcome Weekend, Maroon & Gold Weekend, Alumni Professional Connections, sporting events, internships, study beyond experiences, concerts, and numerous ongoing campus activities.
Academic Excellence: Encouraging stronger faculty-student interaction, scholarship, research, and attending leadership development events like the Presidential Thought Leadership Series, honors thesis presentations, and the Academic Celebration of Excellence Symposium.
Faith Enrichment: Focusing on spiritual development no matter where you are on your faith journey. Engaging in Holy Mass, Adoration, AGAPE retreats, brotherhood and sisterhood groups, Bible studies, mission trips and pilgrimages and faith-centered events.
Daily Interactions: Fostering a culture of support, encouragement, and in athletics, classrooms, residence halls, dining halls and across campus.
Service to the Community: Volunteering with one of our hundreds of community partners including Akron Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Not For Sale: One Step At A Time, Refuge of Hope, and so many more, as well as participating in Service Saturdays, the MLK Day of Service, and additional service-focused activities.
Founded by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Walsh University remains dedicated to defending the vulnerable, respecting the human dignity of one another, and recognizing that we are interdependent and must work together for the common good.
"Let's go about our work and seek to nurture and sustain this community we have that is supportive of each other, that cares for each other, that loves one another," said Dr. Collins. "In all that you do, reflect what we stand for and forge a path to go out and build communities like the great one we have here at Walsh University."
