Mission statements and reflections on higher education institutions (plus one high school) that I’ve attended.

Reflection

It’s not surprising that the institutions that have a more specific academic focus, will have a more specific mission statement. The Mailman school of public health’s mission is devoted in improving public health, and Stuyvesant High school, is focused on science, mathematics, and technology.

For the other Colleges and Universities, the missions are much more general, and the ones located in New York City, mention the city, whereas Virginia Tech mentions the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

Some background information about the Macaulay Honors College, it is a college, but the students who attend it have a ‘home’ college in one of the various colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. I attended in the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College of the City University of New York. The fact that all the other mission statements are multiple sentences long, makes me wonder if Macaulay’s statement is meant to extend which ever home college the student goes to.

All the colleges and universities reference research, it would be interesting to hear from the other members in the class who may not have attended research institutions and how those mission statements differ.

Mission statements

Virginia Tech

Ut Prosim - That I May Serve

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is a public land-grant university serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world community. The discovery and dissemination of new knowledge are central to its mission. Through its focus on teaching and learning, research and discovery, and outreach and engagement, the university creates, conveys, and applies knowledge to expand personal growth and opportunity, advance social and community development, foster economic competitiveness, and improve the quality of life.

Mailman School of Public Health

• To address the most important issues that challenge the health of populations
• To identify effective approaches to the prevention of disease and disability
• To create health equity in a diverse world
• To educate the next generation of public health leaders.
• We aim to achieve our mission locally and globally through innovative science, education, and leadership.

We are guided by the fundamental principle that health is a human right.

Columbia University

In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen - In Thy light shall we see light

Columbia University is one of the world’s most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

Macaulay Honors College

Macaulay Honors College offers exceptional students transformative opportunities to develop their potential beyond what they ever imagined.

CUNY Hunter College

Mihi cura futuri - The care of the future is mine"

Hunter College of the City University of New York, a distinguished public university, values learning in the liberal arts and sciences as a cornerstone of individual development and a vital foundation for a more just and inclusive society. Continuing our long tradition of expanding opportunity, we seek students from all backgrounds to engage in a rigorous educational experience that prepares them to become leaders and innovators in their communities and in the world. Hunter also contributes to intellectual discourse by supporting excellent scholarship and creative activity by its accomplished faculty.>

Hunter undergraduate, graduate, and professional curricula challenge students to think critically - to approach problems from multiple perspectives, distinguish the questions each raises, and recognize the kinds of evidence each values. The College’s academic programs stress the significance of human diversity, emphasize research and artistic creation, and invite students to extend their education beyond campus. We cultivate the qualities our graduates need to thrive in their chosen careers and make a difference as active citizens.>

We embrace our setting at the heart of New York City - we seek to draw on its energy, capitalize on its remarkable resources, weave it into the fabric of our teaching, research, and creative expression, and give back to it through our service and citizenship.

Stuyvesant High School

Pro Scientia Atque Sapientia - For knowledge and wisdom

Stuyvesant High School has been a symbol of excellence in education for over a century. Our mission is to continue and enhance that commitment by providing an environment which will nurture and enhance the special academic talents of the students admitted to Stuyvesant. The educational heritage of Stuyvesant is deeply rooted in the tradition of Science, Mathematics and Technology. This has been the foundation of our educational success and must remain the cornerstone of our educational program. Within this context, the goal of this institution is to instill the intellectual, moral and humanistic values necessary for each child to achieve his/her maximum potential as a student and as a caring citizen of the world.