Message from the President
From the Spring 2009 edition of
Unity, The Magazine of Unity College

What makes a college vibrant? How can it best serve its students? How can it play an intellectual, ecological, and economic role in the community and the region?

We have established an organizational culture at Unity College in which questions such as these pervade all of the work that we do. We are so engaged not only because of the sheer virtue of asking such questions, but also because our success as a college depends on our versatility and creativity in addressing them.

Higher education has come under a great deal of scrutiny in recent years. This scrutiny will only intensify in difficult economic times. At Unity, we are doing our best to promote a learning experience that emphasizes real world application so our students can serve their communities well, find themselves meaningful work, and pursue lives and careers of service.

The best way to do this is to create dynamic, interesting, and flourishing partnerships. This includes relationships with local, regional, national (and even international) NGO’s, businesses, entrepreneurs, educators, and government agencies. It involves arrangements with other colleges with whom we can share resources.

We are currently exploring partnerships with community colleges, other four-year colleges, and graduate schools, all in an effort to share resources, expand opportunities for our students, cultivate resources and funding, and broaden our influence as a college.

It’s helpful to remember that whenever Unity College negotiates a fulfilling partnership, we get to see ourselves differently. We learn about new approaches to learning, we experience diverse cultural milieus, and we open our eyes to new ways of thinking. In doing so, we not only get great ideas for improving our college, but we
get a wonderful sense of what we have to contribute. We have a powerful educational voice, and we have a great deal to share.

Indeed, there are dozens of institutions that seek to partner with us. We have choices to make. As a small college, we have to ensure that every partnership broadens our opportunities without limiting our finances. We emphasize the importance of truly shared partnerships that will enhance our mission: broadening the constituency for conservation;
promoting sustainable solutions; advancing field-based, hands-on learning.

For any small college, especially one as rural and niche-oriented as Unity, a partnership future will ensure its long-term resilience and vitality. As you read this issue of Unity Magazine, I hope you enjoy learning about all of the wonderful partnerships that are intrinsic to the future of our college.

Mitchell Thomashow
President, Unity College