By Ramon S. Torrecilha, Ph.D.
At Westfield State, we take great pride in each student’s development, as articulated in the University’s mission statement. By focusing on student engagement and success, we contribute to the economic, social, and cultural growth in the Northeast by imparting knowledge and developing students’ skills and character to help them become responsible citizens and leaders.
This commitment is affirmed and displayed at the conclusion of each calendar year, when we recognize several outstanding student recipients of the President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership. Last December, eight stand-out students were honored for their many contributions as scholars and leaders, on campus
and beyond.
Fueled by the numerous opportunities to develop leadership skills, as members of student government, student clubs and organizations, intercollegiate athletics, volunteerism, research projects, community service, and much more, these individuals are distinguishing themselves in many ways across campus.
This potential and proven leadership does not rest exclusively with these award winners at Westfield State University. Leadership and self-motivation are on display in all facets of campus life here. Several examples are highlighted in this issue, including Thalita Neves’ work on the Board of Trustees, Brandon Sullivan’s idea to recover and redistribute food from our Dining Services to help those in need, Madeleine Hebert’s theater set designing, or our student trips to Guatemala and the Galapagos Islands to explore and assist others.
To better inspire and formalize the cultivation of leadership more broadly on campus, we offered the Aspire 2020 Conference in January, which included self-reflection and career activities to better prepare students for their upcoming transition to professionals.
The conference was developed as an initiative to focus on retention and student engagement as part of The Westfield State Experience, a cohesive series of opportunities to better engage students throughout their four years at Westfield State.
Through the conference, The Westfield State Experience used hands-on activities to enable students to reflect and explore career interests and goals, and it connected them with alumni and employers through conversation. Students took a Career Spot course, focusing on career readiness, and developed a professional Padfolio.
Increasing the size and scope of the participants, alumni, and employers in the future will help build connections and partnerships among these groups.
Facilitating supplemental options to each student’s education characterizes the purpose of The Westfield State Experience and influences the likelihood of student connection, satisfaction, and success.
Through the Aspire 2020 Conference and through efforts highlighted throughout this issue of Focus, Westfield State students and alumni are making meaningful contributions, locally and across the globe.
We greatly appreciate their dedication to creating a more inclusive world and look forward to hearing
from you and sharing more stories of these initiatives and accomplishments.