Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2021

4 5 SPRING 2021 EDITION SPRING 2021 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD ORRIE COVERT Vice President, Advancement and Communications BRIAN BRUNNER Assistant Vice President, Advancement JEFFREY BROWN Director, Development RENATA BULE Advancement Officer CASSIE CHILCUTT Database and Stewardship Coordinator PETER COLLINS Director, Development JOSH ELLIOTT Coordinator, Budget and Research RACHAEL HEUERMANN Director, Alumni Relations SCOTT MYERS Director, Development EMILY J. SEBOURN Manager, Special Events JULEE MITSLER Director, Communications ALEXANDRA BARDON Web Content Administrator PHOEBE MUSSMAN Videographer/Photographer JASON L. WAACK Webmaster JESSICA L. SCHROER Director, Marketing AMBER BUSH Graphic Designer PETER COLOMBATTO Digital Marketing Manager BRAD HANSEN Art Director PRESIDENT ADVANCEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS Letter from the Dear friends, What a year this has been for Lindenwood University . Our focus on providing a high-quality educational experience was evident in many aspects and I am humbled by the countless ways in which our community adapted to a new way of learning. I continue to be impressed by the faculty and staff of Lindenwood, who work every day to support the mission of the University and prepare our students for success. What we have accomplished this school year is remarkable. Our students and teams successfully navigated a global pandemic, our academic programs found creative solutions to hybrid education, and our campus positively impacted neighbors in St. Charles through our community outreach endeavor, LindenGiving. My wife Beverly is spearheading this vital program, and a team of passionate individuals from across campus are working in collaboration to support meaningful projects. As we execute our five-year strategic plan, Lindenwood will continue to differentiate ourselves as an innovative entity in higher education. Our eyes are firmly fixed on the future and we are well-prepared for the growth opportunities ahead. Ever grateful for your friendship and support, JOHN R. PORTER, ED.D. President of Lindenwood University Department COUNTING LEAVES We live in a VUCA world. This acronym was first used in 1987 by the U.S. Army War College to describe the USSR collapse. VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. It describes what many of us have experienced over the last year. But those of us in higher education have been experiencing a VUCA world for many years. Expectations have changed significantly over the last decade. Students, and more recently employers, expect colleges to anticipate what they need and deliver it how and when they need it. Pivoting to meet these expectations is not what most traditional colleges and universities are built to do. That’s why we are developing a unique approach to higher education strategy and innovation at Lindenwood by incorporating the dual operating system developed by Harvard’s Dr. J.P. Kotter. The dual operating system enables us to incrementally improve the University through our operations plan (operate) while transforming it through our strategic plan (innovate). This “operate-innovate” approach uses accelerators comprised of subject matter experts who are empowered to rapidly design solutions to student problems. Using strategic innovation, we will confront this VUCA world head-on and create brighter futures faster for our students. ROB WESTERVELT Vice President, Strategy & Innovation WELCOME LETTER DATA AND STATISTICS OURROOTS Nourishing WARNER HALL Beverly & John Porter DESIGNING OUR WAY FORWARD 3,000 COVID-19 Vaccines were distributed on the Lindenwood campus through an event partnering with Compass Health Network. The departments of Theatre, Dance, and Music found innovative ways to share their talents this spring. Productions were streamed for viewers to enjoy from the safety of their residences. 15 employees and students participated in the inaugural Social Innovation Challenge. Teams worked to answer the question, How can Lindenwood University position itself as a community leader for diversity, equity, and inclusion?