A July 2012 message from the president of Walden University.
I am honored and humbled to serve as the ninth president of Walden University. Like many of you, I am a first generation college graduate. I know what my family sacrificed to make sure I could pursue my education.
Each time I attend commencement, I am struck by the stories of our graduates and by the support of their families and friends. You have managed to overcome many challenges to create a better life for your families and make a difference in your communities. My goal is to continue to support working professionals like you with programs and services that demonstrate our commitment to academic quality, student-centeredness, and social change.
Having been with Walden for more than four years, I have come to admire the commitment of the Walden community to lifelong learning and to promoting positive social change. You’ll find a perfect example in the article on LaTunja Caster. She explains how she transformed her career, and her family’s life, by pursuing her degree at Walden. André Lynch is another example. Not only is he a lifelong learner, he also builds relationships in his community and mentors young people at the start of their careers.
What I would ask of you is to engage with your local community and our alumni, whether it’s networking through myWaldenAlumni, volunteering through the Walden Service Network or on Global Day of Service, or sharing your story through our Scholars of Change contest.
As alumni, you have amazing stories and resources to share. Continue to connect with our community of scholars and expand your network. More importantly, reach out to give back. Offer to mentor students and fellow alumni to help them meet and exceed their goals. Let’s inspire the next generation of graduates to make a difference.
Sincerely,Cynthia G. Baum, Ph.D.