Redefining Student Success

This fall semester brings exciting news for Bowling Green State University! The Wall Street Journal recently ranked us No. 3 among America’s public universities for teaching quality. And when our students were asked if they would choose BGSU again, they overwhelmingly said yes, placing us No. 1 in the Midwest for student satisfaction.

These rankings reaffirm what we already know about our learning community. For nearly 110 years, our alumni have gone on to make the world a better place. Falcons have left their fingerprints on innovations and shaped their communities because of our world-class faculty. And those who come to our University have had life-changing experiences. As the educational landscape shifts, so does the demand to change.

Our WSJ recognition comes as we launch our new strategic plan — Focus on the Future — that I highlighted for you in the previous issue of BGSU Magazine. This plan is a roadmap to how we leverage the strength of a high-research, four-year, full- time, primarily residential institution, located in a vibrant college town. As much as these rankings highlight all that we are doing to be a better university — one with a vision of creating public good, they also reveal an opportunity.

A primary objective of our strategic plan is to redefine student success. As a public university, we must prepare our students through a holistic and intentional educational approach.

Yes, providing students a foundation for success in their careers, including their first job and their next, is critical. But, we have a responsibility to do more.

From the curricular and traditional academic components, to robust experiences outside of the classroom, BGSU must meet the educational needs of the students of today and tomorrow.

We will do this by continuously raising our expectations. Together, we are centralizing our career and academic advising, repositioning those functions to ensure we are helping our students design their lives.

Every day, our faculty and staff are working to redefine student success. This is not something that happens overnight. It requires the long-range commitment of everyone.

We are creating a framework. And our students will be able to clearly track their progress that articulates the value of their education.

Beyond career preparation, it is about supporting our students’ wellness — physically, mentally and financially. It is about elevating the value of making connections with their peers, colleagues, mentors and friends. And it’s about empowering our students to identify their passions and explore their purpose.

While the Wall Street Journal rankings recognize our progress, we are just getting started. We are taking our educational commitment one step further.

As our alumni and friends, we need your help to be visionary, and to accomplish these aggressive goals. In the coming months, I will share how you can get involved. I am confident that our 186,000 alumni will step up, each doing their part to ensure our success. Because that is what we do and that is who we are.