24 Values in Harmony

The evidence for sympathy with the aims and purposes of Gustavus Adolphus College as stated by the Mission of the College are found in all of the work that I do here, including teaching, scholarship and service.  First of all, the Mission parallels my own thinking and beliefs. I am a strong advocate for the liberal arts. I chose Gustavus as the place to continue my career in education with full knowledge of what a liberal arts setting is and aspires to.

I believe that I work hard toward excellence in all that I do as a teacher, a scholar and a member of the community that is Gustavus. I am critical of myself, sometimes overly so, when I do not measure up to said excellence. I have high expectations for my students as learners, future teachers and as human beings in the world. I believe that my teaching and my scholarship speak loudly to my commitment to encouraging respect for others, and sensitivity to diversity. I believe that I assert the core value of community as a leader in faculty governance. I have been deeply influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and like him, imagine a world “that is less ugly, more beautiful, less discriminatory, more democratic, less dehumanizing, and more humane” (2001, p. 25), a vision that I believe is completely in sympathy with the Gustavus Adolphus Mission. I am in harmony with all of the ideals of the Gustavus Adolphus mission including the core values. My beliefs, so to speak, rest on my core values, including, but not limited to fairness, honesty, humility, service, excellence, commitment, inclusion, and democracy.

Finally, I must acknowledge the shoulders of giants that I stand on in all the work that I do and have done at Gustavus. Gustavus is a remarkable community and I am honored to call it my professional home. I am very grateful for the many conversations I have had with other faculty about teaching and learning. My scholarship continues to flourish thanks to the suggestion and careful edits of many other scholars on campus. I am so very fortunate that so many other members of the community took the lead before me in faculty governance so that I may benefit from their insight and wisdom as I stepped forward. I feel the support from all of you, and you know who you are.  I am grateful and blessed to count you as friends and colleagues.