PHOTO BY JOHN KISH IV > > 10 <strong>MORAVIAN</strong> COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2008 PHOTO BY JOHN KISH IV
Strategic Plan 2008–2015 Embracing the Future In April 2008, the <strong>Moravian</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board of Trustees adopted a new strategic plan to serve as a guidepost for every aspect of the <strong>College</strong> over the next seven years, 2008-2015. The product of more than a year of reflection, research, discussion, and debate, the new plan, "Preparing <strong>Moravian</strong> for Future Generations," promises to dramatically alter the face of <strong>Moravian</strong>, while maintaining a firm commitment to the strengths that have sustained the school since its inception, nearly 270 years ago. A broad group participated in the process—not only trustees, but also students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. Lyn Trodahl Chynoweth ’68, board chair, played a key role, challenging participants to envision a future in which <strong>Moravian</strong> would wholly fulfill its mission of “engagement in the world,” which includes preparing students “for leadership and service for the common good.” Recently, we asked Lyn to share her insights about the new strategic plan, and how it will shape the course of <strong>Moravian</strong> <strong>College</strong> over the coming years. How did the board settle upon these specific initiatives, and why were they chosen at this time in <strong>Moravian</strong> <strong>College</strong> history? With our previous strategic plan set to end this year, we needed to initiate a new plan to guide us through the coming years. We asked people to do some dreaming, and they came up with hundreds of great ideas. During the joint board retreat last January, we listened and questioned. We knew we had to find a way to prioritize the initiatives, because we didn’t have the funds or wherewithal to do all of them. We stepped back, asking administration, faculty, and others: what should our student profile be? We needed to know that to set our priorities—after all, we are here for the students. We agreed we wanted a more diverse student population without giving up any excellence—we wanted at least the same high quality students we have now. We decided we wanted our student body to more closely mirror the communities into which we send them to serve and lead. Once we established this key point, we understood that everything else must follow: we would have to change some of the ways in which we provide support staff; we would have to hire additional faculty to continue to provide a personalized education; we would need to ensure that the physical environment is attractive and fully functional; we would need an appropriate technology strategy; and we would have to refocus the Comenius Center to address key opportunities in the Lehigh Valley. And to do all this, we would need to raise sufficient funds. We had talked about our student profile before, but this time we really focused on it. Now we are taking constructive steps toward achieving our vision, and I am quite proud of this. In what ways, if any, did your personal background influence the new plan? I presume my corporate background influenced the way we went about the planning process, because I used to get involved in strategic planning [in that role]. But I am also an alumna—and I just love <strong>Moravian</strong> <strong>College</strong>. It is that passion which drives me. <strong>Moravian</strong> allowed me—a product of Kwethluk, Alaska, and Leonard, North Dakota—to demonstrate an ability to learn, reflect, and reason in an environment like none other I had experienced. The critical thinking demanded here provided me with the skills to succeed in the world. Key communication skills were reinforced in every class, and those skills have stood me in good stead over the years. And acting with integrity was [for me] and is [for all of us] fundamental to developing all relationships—personal and professional—during college, during the formative years of the 20s and 30s, and as we achieve maturity, especially in today’s multi-cultural, global arena. Looking ahead to 2015, can you envision ways the new plan will change the school? How will <strong>Moravian</strong> look and feel different at that future time? We’ve emphasized the anticipated difference in the faces we will see on campus: more students from a range of backgrounds, as well as more first-generation students. I see this as a mandate. We owe our students the opportunity to grow and learn in an environment similar to that in which they will work and live. Everything we do at <strong>Moravian</strong> should equip our graduates to be effective in whatever line of work they choose, wherever they choose to do it. FALL 2008 <strong>MORAVIAN</strong> COLLEGE MAGAZINE 11
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