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A year of possibility

A year of possibility

by Dr. Colleen Melnyk, president

 

I believe education begins with seeing the possibility in every student. The start of a new school year is an opportunity to remind our students of all we see in them and all we believe they can become.

Over the past week, I had the chance to speak with each grade as we began the new school year. I opened each orientation with the Ursuline Prayer and shared the same message with every student: "You are surrounded by adults who care about you, believe in you, and want to set you up for success."

Our students have so much ahead of them. They are part of loving and supportive families, surrounded at Ursuline by people who want them to succeed, and have so many opportunities to learn and grow. In the classroom, through clubs, athletics, the arts, and service, every student has the chance to try something new, contribute, lead, and discover interests and strengths she may not know she has. There is so much to be excited about in the years ahead.

Helping our students make the most of those opportunities is at the heart of our work as educators.

At our faculty and staff retreat on September 11, Fr. Tom spoke during Mass about the extraordinary choice teachers make to devote their lives to helping others become the best versions of themselves.

That is both the privilege and the responsibility of being an educator. We have the opportunity to see something in a student before she sees it in herself, to encourage and challenge her, and to help her recognize just how much she is capable of.

At Ursuline, that responsibility goes far beyond preparing students for college. We educate, inspire, and empower young women to think deeply, ask important questions, discover their gifts, and understand how those gifts can be used in service to others.

We also have to look ahead and think about what our students will need from us as the world around them continues to change. Our Catholic faith and Ursuline mission continue to guide us. The Catholic Intellectual Tradition teaches that faith and reason work together in the pursuit of understanding. We want our students to be curious, ask questions, and think deeply.

This year, I also want to share more with our families about how we educate and support young women. Each month, "The Ursuline Perspective" will complement our monthly blog and look more closely at what we are doing in and beyond the classroom and why.

We will also introduce Ursuline to a national audience through "Empowered," hosted by Meg Ryan and broadcast on public television. The program captures the gift of an Ursuline education and will share its impact with a national audience.

 

  • President's Desk

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