She said, “First, we must continue to earn the trust of our students and their families by renewing our promise, one that prepares students for a future that will be different from this moment and hold many unknowns. As such, our graduates will need to be confident facing ambiguity and adapting to a rapidly changing world, knowing they have the skills to problem-solve and work together with diverse groups of people.

“Second, both on campus and in the city, we must engage in conversation and collaborate. There is no question that we are stronger together. Open and constructive communication is necessary as we review our processes and consider insights informed by quantitative and qualitative data.

“Third, we must meet students at their point of readiness, which often means providing access to courses and services outside of the traditional approach higher education has utilized. This means expanding our online capability, understanding how to meet the needs of adult learners, partnering with employers and industries to provide ongoing education through a lifetime learning approach.

“It also means challenging how we have been doing things and putting students’ needs front and center. For example, most of our services are currently offered within the 8 to 5 workday. Our post-pandemic students seek options and flexibility in the services we provide and in the way they acquire their credentials.

“Fourth, from the first semester on campus, our students should be engaged in a student experience that includes explorations and conversations that prepare them for a purposeful career and a meaningful life, one that is about more than just earning an income.

“We will want to continue the legacy of Spartan alumni serving their community and engaging as responsible citizens. This will require us to develop a four-year approach to career exploration, career experiences, career readiness, and career placement. This will also require us to strengthen our community partnerships so that they can benefit our students and their future employers.

“We want partnerships that will provide paid internships, mentoring and sponsorships, community engagement and service, and early experiences and role models that help our students see themselves and their potential into the future. It is what many of my teachers and mentors did for me.

“And the fifth component of our future promise is around talent management — taking care of our employees, taking care of each other as members of the AU community. I want us to be an employer of choice in Aurora — at a time when talent management is a challenge for everyone, and when recruiting new employees is highly competitive. I want our mission and our work at AU to speak for itself, to be so engaging, so exciting, that others will be coming to us to find out if we have vacancies and how they can be a part of our work, and our community.”

She concluded, “With me, you will get a seasoned executive who understands how to operate the enterprise but also challenges teams to think differently and creatively to solve problems and generate new opportunities. I give you my relentless energy, enthusiasm, persistence, and firm focus, and I ask you to join me in creating our future together.

“Let us work together to continue this legacy.”