Page 33 - Racing To Excellence-4 (Soft Cover)

Introductory Address · Bowie State Universityntroductory Address · Bowie State University
I

But, as competition for students intensifies, I still am very,

very optimistic when I look at the increased enrollment of the

first-year students for Bowie State. I’m optimistic that we will

continue to grow the enrollment, but let’s make sure we don’t

take our eye off the goal. And the goal isn’t just to enroll

students here. The goal is to get students through, to retain

them and to graduate them.

Today, higher education is facing many shifts, and I think we

all know that. You can pick up the paper and read about all

that’s happening with the landscape that we’re in for higher

education: the global economy, demographics, funding of

public higher education and exponential advances to

technology. There are changes and challenges at every turn.

And this can threaten the very core of our universities. To

move forward in this ever-changing landscape, what we need

to do is again come together to transform, innovate and

reinvent how we approach higher education.

I am not one who believes in serendipity. I believe that we are

here today because of a common purpose. We are here at

this moment to ensure the future of this amazing university

that has provided outstanding quality education for more than

150 years. And we’re here to make sure that it continues and

that every student who desires to pursue higher education will

have access to a quality educational experience—both today

and for tomorrow.

I Introductory Address · Bowie State Universityntroductory Address · Bowie State University