The Office of the President

I am pleased to be here at Nazareth College , an institution that daily makes a difference in the lives of its students, faculty, staff and the greater Rochester community. I am continually impressed by the simple fact that more than 91 percent of Nazareth undergraduates participate in community service. Led by faculty, staff and alumni, these students go into the community to work in schools, hospitals and shelters and, in doing so, are themselves transformed by their experiences. This kind of shared dedication to helping others has created a strong community at Nazareth, one that cultivates thinkers, rewards service, and builds fellowship.

Institutions of higher education have many opportunities to make a difference -- in the lives of students, faculty, staff and alumni, and in the lives of those around us. As Ernest Boyer, one of the great educators of the past decades, wrote: "What is needed for higher education is not just programs, but a larger purpose, a larger sense of mission, a larger clarity of direction in the nation's life." I believe Boyer was correct when he observed that we achieve the larger sense of purpose and mission through the creation of a community. When a college has that mix of excellent learning, inclusion, engagement and compassion, it can make a real difference.

- Daan Braveman, Ninth President of Nazareth College

Visit Presidential Perspective: the Blog of Nazareth College's Daan Braveman.