A Letter from President Quigley - May 2018
As we launch our new Strategic Plan – Vision in Action: A Focus on Student and Institutional Success – building upon the significant and important success of our concluding Strategic Plan, Values, Voices, Vision, it provides an opportunity for us to reflect upon the importance of strategic planning, and the success that it drives in our current incredibly competitive and challenging environment for small private colleges. One of the reasons it's critically important is because the mission and work of small private colleges like Curry is critically important. Values, Voices, Vision was an important and impactful set of plans – driven by student success, institutional success and well thought out hard work. It has laid a tremendous foundation for the pursuit of student and institutional success through 2022.
In accordance with our mission, the College aims to offer a balanced academic portfolio and vibrant campus life to attract and retain students. Student success is at the heart of all we do, and the success of the College is a derivative of the success of our students and alumni.
During the tenure of our most recent Strategic Plan, we increased our six-year graduation rate from 48% to 53% and our retention rate from 66% to 69%. While we are rightfully proud of the gains we have made through our commitment to student success, student retention and persistence to graduation remains our greatest challenge and priority as we move towards 2022.
At Curry, we strive to build an academic, physical and economic infrastructure and campus climate that both differentiates us and contributes materially to student success. Values, Voices, Vision brought us 23 new academic programs, including five new majors and 15 minors, certificates, and concentrations. It also led to the construction of the award winning Alexander Graham Bell Hall, our first intentional living/learning community residence hall; and the opening of the Wellness Center, a one-stop shop for wellness services at 1016 Brush Hill Road, among many other important accomplishments.
Curry College is and will continue to be a College on the move. As part of the work of our strategic planning, the College is currently constructing the Science and Integrated Learning Commons, a 36,500 square foot facility. This academic facility will help us achieve key parts of our plan. The science facilities will allow us to offer majors that attract and retain students with meaningful employment and graduate school opportunities. The Learning Commons will co-locate our many student success initiatives, greatly increasing their accessibility, effectiveness and impact.
We will soon break ground on a new Athletic Field House to enhance the experience of the nearly 25% of students who are student-athletes, and of the many more Curry students who participate in intramural activities.
Institutions of higher education across the nation are experiencing challenging times, both economically and socially. While we are not immune to factors in the external environment, we have a legacy of success at this institution largely because of our mission and our people. Let's work together as we execute Vision in Action as our road map to continued progress and achievement.
Sincerely,
Kenneth K. Quigley, Jr.
President, Curry College