Commission on Mission concludes first phase - Summer 2008 Wartburg Magazine - Wartburg College

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Commission on Mission concludes first phase

by Janeen Stewart

The first year of Commission on Mission, Wartburg College’s three-year strategic planning initiative, has featured numerous meetings around the country and on campus.

More than 250 alumni and friends of the college participated in 15 national summit meetings in November 2007 through June 2008. Guided by specific framing questions developed by the Board of Regents, participants examined the four key concepts embodied in the college’s mission statement: leadership, service, faith and learning.

“Wartburg is ‘dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning,’” said President Jack R. Ohle. “Years ago it might not have been expressed in these words in an official mission statement, but many alumni attending the summit meetings have affirmed the importance and impact of the four concepts of leadership, service, faith and learning in their personal and professional lives, ideals they were exposed to while at Wartburg.”

College will celebrate Year of Mission in 2008-09

Wartburg will observe the Year of Mission during the 2008-09 academic year—the second phase of Commission on Mission.

The year will feature four symposia on leadership, service, faith and learning currently being planned by the four Commission task forces.

Primary goals of the symposia are to educate and engage students, faculty, staff, alumni and other constituent groups in the celebration and examination of the four key mission concepts. The symposia will take the place of the college’s traditional convocation schedule.

The task forces on faith and leadership are planning events for Fall Term while service and learning task forces will host activities in Winter Term.

The college will kick off the Year of Mission at Opening Convocation Sept. 2. A variety of events and activities will also mark the 2008 Homecoming observance.

In addition to hosting symposia, task force members will prepare recommendations and publications as part of the second phase of Commission on Mission. In October 2009, the Board of Regents will receive the recommendations and spend the third year of the commission prioritizing the recommendations and developing the next strategic plan for the college.

For more information about Commission on Mission and events scheduled for 2008-09, visit
www.wartburg.edu/commission.

Sixty individuals serving on the four task forces have met several times on campus since December to begin the task of reviewing the summit reports, planning symposia and developing recommendations.

Mike McCoy, national chair of Commission on Mission and Board of Regents member, said the input from the 15 summit meetings is providing an important foundation for the process and development of Wartburg’s next strategic plan.

“Already the four commission task forces are studying the results of the summits as part of their deliberations and this work will continue over the next year,” he said. “While much remains to be done, the board remains confident Commission on Mission will make a transformative impact on the College’s future.”

Board of Regents Chair Fred W. Hagemann ’67 stressed that Commission on Mission efforts will continue after Ohle’s departure in June.

“The Board of Regents launched the Commission on Mission process, and it is well under way with the work of its task forces and after numerous summits across the country,” Hagemann said. “The board is committed to continuing long-range planning to continue shaping the college’s ability to fulfill and strengthen its mission. Board members appreciate the work that has been done thus far and are eager to receive the recommendations that will be put forward.”

The leadership transition is timely, Hagemann added, because it will enable the next Wartburg president to become part of the Commission on Mission process and its implementation. The Commission process is supported in part by the Saemann Foundation and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Stewart is assistant to the Wartburg president.