Dear UMBC Community,

In the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, I had the opportunity to attend two gatherings of higher education leaders, including the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, where I am a member of its Council of Presidents.

In those settings, as you might imagine, there was a great deal of conversation about the current pivotal moment for higher education as all of our institutions navigate the effects of ongoing federal actions, as well as a host of other often interconnected challenges and opportunities. The gatherings were substantive and important in many ways. For me, a key takeaway was, frankly, that amid all the worry out there, this is a time for UMBC to lead.

Our position is strong because our values and purpose are so clear. That clarity is a privilege as much as it is a responsibility in that we can remain true to our core value of inclusive excellence and the public purpose it serves as we advocate for higher education broadly.

We can also remain true to our values as we set a course for UMBC's future, with the humility to know we can do better. That is a strength as well. Maybe it is related to UMBC's age: we are old enough to know who we are and young enough to still change and grow. What I know is that there is nowhere I would rather be in this moment, no institution I would rather be serving, than UMBC.

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby