Writings & Remarks

Staying On Mission

January 17, 2024

Tags Public Statements

Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,

Welcome to the new members of our community and welcome back to those returning. I hope you found winter break relaxing and enjoyable, as I did.

As I enter my last semester at Hamilton, I am keenly aware of the many challenges facing higher education and concerned that many now question its value and purpose. I continue to believe that for all its faults, higher education in the United States remains the best in the world because of the quality of our teaching and research, the caliber of our students, and the extraordinary array of opportunities open to them.

If ever there was a time for us, all of us, to do what we do best – explore ideas, think critically about our challenges and those of the broader society, engage in respectful dialogue, study, educate, and learn – that time is now.

I have been trying, in my own way, to contribute to the national debate. I hope you will as well, in whatever form that takes. Our mission at Hamilton, after all, is to prepare students for lives of meaning, purpose, and active citizenship, and there's no time like the present.

Pursuing that mission can – and should – be engaging, fulfilling, and, yes, fun.

May 2024 bring you only good things.

David