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Soccer team off to the Sweet 16!

Friday, November 30th, 2007

The campus buzzed with excitement this morning as the soccer team prepared to leave for Maryland, where they will play the Terrapins in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA soccer tournament. As the players finished up their morning classes, a huge crowd began to gather in Haussler Hall. When the team arrived, they were greeted by the pep band, cheerleaders, men’s and women’s basketball teams, students, faculty, staff, emeriti, reporters, and many cameras!

The team earned an automatic place in the tournament after they won the Missouri Valley Conference title this year. They then beat DePaul and upset no. 6 Indiana to make it to the Sweet Sixteen round. I remember how excited campus was several years ago when the men’s basketball team made it to this point in their tournament, and I am so happy to see the campus just as proud of their soccer team.

We have had a basketball team since the early days of the school, but soccer is a relatively new sport on the Hilltop. Seeing the enthusiasm of the fans today and knowing how talented our players are makes me think that soccer has a great future at Bradley!

Posted in Fall 2007 | No Comments »

Fall colors

Friday, November 9th, 2007

The splendid fall colors we are seeing on campus this week make me think that it’s October. But the cold night air reminds me that it really is November. Still, when the sun shines down in the middle of the day, illuminating the red and yellow leaves, I think that this is the most beautiful time of year on campus.

Students, too, seem to be enjoying these last few weeks of gentle weather. I had such fun yesterday watching members of the softball team build a huge pile of leaves to jump in. They laughed and joked as they threw leaves into the air and watched them slowly fall down around them. I’m sure the grounds crew will soon be out clearing the leaves from the sidewalks. But I hope they wait a few more days, as everyone enjoys hearing the dry, fragrant leaves crunch beneath their feet and seeing the splashes of color decorating the ground.

Posted in Fall 2007 | No Comments »

Tear down that wall!

Thursday, November 1st, 2007

When I first had the idea to establish a school, I wanted to make sure that it was open to all students. Bradley’s charter states that it would accept both men and women, “but neither in the terms of admission nor in the treatment of students, the selection of officers, agents or instructors, nor in the appointment of trustees, nor in any matter whatever connected with this Institute shall there be any distinction made or preference given on account of sect, creed, nationality, politics or party.”

I wanted to ensure that anyone who wanted the benefits of an education would be welcomed here, and that this institution would welcome teachers and administrators from all backgrounds. I am thrilled to see that current students share my belief that we must look beyond a person’s gender, race, or beliefs.

This week they erected in Olin Quad a provocative display called “The Wall of Stereotypes.” Many people walking past the wooden wall said how shocked they were by some of the statements about women, men, ethnic groups, fraternity and sorority members, and certain academic majors. The statements, I believe, were intended to shock, to make us see how ugly attitudes about certain groups of people can be.

On the display, the students wrote: “Each day people constantly miss out on opportunities to increase their appreciation for diversity because of the wall stereotypes build keeping them apart.” Well said!

Yesterday afternoon they held a ceremony to “tear down the wall.” Many students, joined by Provost Johnsen and Associate Provost Galsky, took turns swinging a huge sledge hammer at the wall. It took a while, and it took the efforts of many, but finally the wall lay broken on the ground. I rejoiced with the students!

I hope students embrace the symbolism of the destroyed wall and look beyond their attitudes toward certain groups of people. I know this will make their lives much richer.

Posted in Campus traditions | No Comments »

Archive for November, 2007

Soccer team off to the Sweet 16!

Fall colors

Tear down that wall!

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