What do we have in abundance at ODU? That was the question Associate Vice Provost Remica Bingham-Risher asked attendees at the Academic Affairs Summit. Rather than simply opining and sharing our answers verbally, Professor Bingham-Risher asked us to draw a picture of what abundance looks like at our institution. After we drew our pictures, she asked us to make a list on the bottom half of the paper answering the question, “What do we value at ODU?”
I’m not going to share my picture – partly because we shared our drawings with other participants through a snowball activity, which involved crumpling up our drawings and throwing them across the room for someone else to find, and partly because my drawing looked ridiculous. It must have been my lucky day, because I picked up the picture drawn by Dr. Vukica Jovanovic, Professor and Chair of Engineering Technology. I have included a photo of her picture below.
In my opinion, this photo probably says more than 1,000 words in response to that question about what we have in abundance at ODU. Here is a quick summary of ideas I had from Dr. Jovanovic’s drawing:
- We illuminate possible pathways to solving an array of societal problems and work with the community to choose and implement optimal solutions.
- We ask complex questions and identify (or create) different puzzle pieces that help us deepen our understanding and respond to those issues.
- Our ideas are interconnected across campus and flourish the way that vines grow in natural settings.
- Across the institution, we value genuine heartfelt empathy and love.
- We embrace social mobility and guide its expansion through our efforts and values.
- Our actions undergird career progress for our students, staff, and faculty.
Certainly, pictures drawn by other summit participants may have told different stories. I must say, though, that many of the pictures I saw in the room included hearts and light bulbs. Skeptics will claim that these items are easier to draw! A look at our accomplishments shows that bright ideas, professional development, empathy, and love were driving forces over the past year. Consider the following:
- Members of the ODU community donated a record amount of food to local families and students, received national acclaim for providing free health care to residents from underserved communities, and spent countless hours cleaning up local creeks and conducting community-based research.
- The Center for Faculty Excellence, Academic Affairs Leadership Academy, and partnership with Academic Impressions were created to promote professional development across the institution.
- Faculty and staff from multiple divisions – including the Division of Academic Affairs, the Division of Research and Economic Development, the Division of Technology and Transformation, and Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University – joined forces to conduct groundbreaking research focused on artificial intelligence.
- In the aftermath of the horrific tragedy resulting in the death of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, we came together as a community and showed that love and compassion can overpower hate and callousness.
- Just last week, more than 150 faculty staff participated in the Academic Affairs Summit, which included a presentation by Michael Smith, author of The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World. Smith’s presentation aligned quite well with the foundational principles of our Forward-Focused Digital Transformation.
- Our Monarch Internship and Co-Op Office received a two million dollar Strengthening Institutional Programs grant from the Department of Education. The funding will be used to fully develop internship clinics and undergraduate research programming across the University, with a specific focus given to preparing students for their future careers.
What do we have in abundance at ODU? We have so much to be proud of! I am grateful to each of you for the contributions you have made over the past academic year.