Starting in 2018, President Douglas Lee has been following a detailed plan to keep Waynesburg University optimistic for the future. This five-year plan, titled the “Strategy for the 21st Century,” aims to keep the university successful by maintaining a commitment to mission, outcomes and values. The three major strategic themes of this plan are learning experiences, affordability and recognition.
“Those are the three themes that, [if] we continue to lead and develop, will ensure the success of the university moving forward,” Lee said.
So far, the university has implemented efforts in order to align with the strategic plan. This past summer, incoming freshmen were able to take part in “Seeds for Success,” which helped students “acclimate and adapt to college life,” Lee said. This school year, the Pathways Center was established as a forthcoming campaign to centralize student support, and there is a new initiative to teach students entrepreneurial leadership skills in Fiat Lux classes.
Lee also stresses the importance of maintaining their prestigious ranking as a top value school. The U.S. World Report has placed Waynesburg University number one in Pennsylvania universities and number six among regional universities. Lee says it is “critical” to maintain this status.
Higher education is changing. President Lee is confident the university will continue to be a top value school, even in the wake of higher education bankruptcies. Wheeling University, formerly Wheeling Jesuit University, and Green Mountain College, located in Vermont, and many other establishments in America have fallen victim to bankruptcy, a recent trend in higher education.
Lee says Waynesburg University is “very conservative” in its spending. The conservative approach has allowed the university to offer value to students and provide an enriching learning experience with lower debt than most private schools in the nation.
Learning experiences breed outcomes, and affordability and recognition breed value. This plan primarily revolves around the interests of students, both current and incoming. However, good faculty and staff, as Lee admitted, are essential to making this strategy function properly.
“And what it boils down to ultimately is the people,” Lee said. “We have really great faculty and staff here that love this institution and have a real commitment to the mission – and my commitment is to hire people who want to work at Waynesburg University. They don’t just want to be in higher ed or be a professor, they want to be here, part of what we’re doing – and that makes a huge difference.”
The strategic plan is set to accomplish more than simply higher rankings.
Maximizing student success and outcomes has become a priority. Focusing on employment trends and accomplishing a high placement rate for graduated students will prove legitimate success. While the strategic plan’s first theme is related to learning experiences, the outcomes of those learning experiences are what matters to students.
“The university’s traditional cross-disciplinary educational experiences paired with new initiatives enhance the comprehensive student experience,” according to the university’s website. “Employment trends constantly change, and it is imperative that higher education continues to evolve by creating the best pathways to success for each student. The university has several new initiatives focused on this effort.”
Implementing “Seeds for Success” and the Pathways Center as well as more professional development and career readiness displays the strategic plan already in action. It is showing students a valuable collegiate experience outside of the classroom, while staying mission-oriented.
“[We strive] to be a premiere institution of Christian higher education, recognized for a commitment to our strong mission and our preparation of 21st century leaders through innovative and student-centered learning experiences,” Lee said.
Director of the Pathways Center, Brian Carr, sees the importance of these academic programs.
“All you have to do is read our mission statement,” Carr said regarding the Pathways Center. “It’s very clear that we want to lead students to lives of leadership and purpose for the glory of God. Ultimately, we know the benefit of that.”
The university’s strategic plan is only a five-year layout, but the impact it can have will determine the fate of the institution in this changing era of higher education.
“Beyond that,” Lee said, “is really trying to attract quality students that believe in what we’re doing here, the mission and [be a] part of this community that we have.”