Key ingredients to institutional success

Every year, in my role as president of Waubonsee Community College, I analyze trends in higher education, the needs of the community and our internal college landscape to develop the institutional priorities for the coming academic year. These priorities then take shape in the framework of our "Presidential Action Initiative."

This is a way to provide emphasis on emerging topics, yet keep the college's mission, vision and values - which provide the foundation of our college - in focus.

This year, with an uncertain economy, I felt it was important that Waubonsee's Presidential Action Initiative focus on providing brighter futures for our community by building on the concepts of opportunity, sustainability and diversity.

Opportunity is the cornerstone of this year's theme of "Brighter Futures." Waubonsee has always looked for ways to provide a variety of opportunities for our community, but this year the need is even greater. Therefore, we have consolidated many of our no-cost and low-cost offerings under one umbrella to help community members find their own brighter futures. We recently hosted a free "Brighter Futures Kick-Off Event" that incorporated a variety of career, financial and social services.

Aspects of this successful event will be offered again throughout the year, including the Working for the Fox Valley Job Fair at the college's Sugar Grove Campus on Friday, Sept. 18. More information about this and other similarly focused events can be found at waubonsee.edu/brighterfutures.

Sustainability has been another focus for Waubonsee and the college's board of trustees has shown remarkable stewardship for more than 40 years. The beautiful environment of our Sugar Grove campus stands as a clear example of this commitment. Currently, the college is expanding to meet the growing educational needs of our college district. We are channeling this growth by using best practices. Most recently this includes the construction of a new accessible parking lot on the Sugar Grove campus, which is being built with permeable pavers to help protect the natural environment. Another aspect of this same project is the restoration of an oak tree savanna that had been overtaken through the years by invasive species.

Diversity is another of the main pillars of this year's Presidential Action Initiative. We live in a diverse world that is becoming more globalized and more interconnected. Even more immediate than the worldwide diversity is the ever-changing diversity of our college district. Students come to Waubonsee from different cultural and religious backgrounds, from varied geographic locations, and from a wide range of socioeconomic households. The college's Diversity Leadership Council is helping us to better understand that while differences make us unique, the commonalities we share bind us together and will help form the foundation of our future success as a community and as a nation.

For all the uncertainty many of us are feeling, brighter futures remain accessible to members of our community. Education always plays a positive role in opening the door to opportunity. Sustainability helps to maintain opportunity, and diversity ensures that we build brighter futures for all.

Together, we have the resources and talents to overcome any short-term obstacles that stand in the way of long-term success. These are the themes that will guide Waubonsee as we focus on a brighter future for our community.

• Christine Sobek is president of Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove.