Welcome back! I hope you had a revitalizing summer break and are ready for a new academic year. I personally love the excitement as the campus again regains the energy that comes from the return of our students and the welcoming of new students to our community. I have been moving new students into residence halls for many years so I have had ample opportunity to observe the excitement and anxieties of a fresh start.

Over the course of the summer, I have observed and reflected on our current global and local environment and tried to anticipate what the next year will hold for our campus community. I am hopeful that UWL will provide an environment that allows for diverse expressions and embraces the need for civil discourse as we navigate this political season amidst the racial tensions that are palpable. In fact, I think higher education in general has a role to play in moving our communities forward in a healthy way.  I hope you will take some time to review our protocol and values for UWL as we enter an exciting new year (www.uwlax.edu/free-speech/).

For those of you experiencing your first semester at UW-L, I thought I’d share some of my insights about this campus and strategies for success.

UW-L has received many positive rankings and recognitions through a variety of sources. We’re proud of these ratings, yet I don’t think they represent the heart and uniqueness of our campus community.  Many on our campus call it the UW-L feel, or the La Crosse Experience.  This La Crosse Experience stems from incredible student involvement. We have almost 200 recognized student organizations. Our campus has an amazingly engaged residential experience; very active student leadership; over 500 student athletes; 90 percent student involvement in campus recreation; and is home to students from six continents and 30 countries. Our campus truly does value inclusivity, equity, and leadership. So it is with pride that I welcome you to this community.

So let me share a few of my lessons that might help you get off to a good start.

We all want to fit in and to find a comfort zone where we feel a part of something. Yet I believe that to truly find your comfort zone and niche it is incredibly important to be yourself. The more we try to fit in, the more we try to be what we think others want us to be. By being our genuine self and finding others who will respect and value that true self will lead to richer friendships and community. It is unfair to yourself to compare what you feel on the inside to what you see on others’ outside.

You have a renewed chance to explore and engage in a meaningful way. Ask yourself what is going to make you happy as well as what will challenge you to grow or expand your horizons. For it is not choosing comfort or growth but rather finding a balance that allows for both. Indeed, our greatest understanding and personal growth often come when we find the balance between challenge and support.

Keep your mind and door open (yet please lock your door at night or when you leave).

Your job at the start of the year is to say “yes” (as long as it’s not illegal or unhealthy). You can’t have broad perspective until you have broad experiences from which to draw.

Offer to help a friend or better yet a stranger. We all feel better about ourselves when we make our small part of the world a little better.

Smile – it’s a universal language.

UW-L is a special place. While you won’t connect with everyone, you will find many who are supportive and respectful. Your true goal is not about independence, but rather interdependence. We each need to take care of ourselves, while utilizing resources and the skills and compassion of others.

Recognize that you’re not alone.

Seek help.

Finally, be kind to yourself and others – it is the UW-L way. Fly with the Eagles!