Individual Action, Collective Wisdom

Portland flies its DIY flag proudly, but even in our city Do It Yourself does not mean Do It Alone. Successful start-ups, for example, may take wing on a single idea, but they gain altitude and distance only when people with different skills come together in common cause.

At Lewis & Clark, we have long embraced a similar ethos. For us, superb teaching, independent thinking, and collaborative learning are mutually reinforcing, not mutually exclusive. Our core strengths flourish across all disciplines and schools, equipping our students for success while they are here and after they graduate.

This issue of the Chronicle provides vivid examples of the critical value these strengths produce. We are proud to spotlight:

• An alumnus and pioneering photojournalist who gained unique access to the civil rights movement and its leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
• A young alumnus whose exciting work in theatre and television is earning praise and accolades from critics and audiences around the country
• Innovative scientific research by a professor and her students with the end goal of reducing infections and improving healing after surgery 
• Key milestones illustrating the reach and impact of the law school as it celebrates a 100th anniversary 
• An alumna of the Graduate School of Education and Counseling, recently named New Hampshire’s School Psychologist of the Year for her inspiring work 

These stories also illustrate that, as people of ideas, inquiry, and action, our students, professors, and alumni are always a bit restless and unsettled. Across all three schools, learning is a disruptive act— constructively so—best pursued by those who are not satisfied with the way things are.

Our students carry out these pursuits by thinking beyond present circumstances, imagining something new and different, and working with those whose life experiences—and even beliefs—may differ radically from their own.

That’s a lot to take on. So we provide programs, structures, and most importantly, people to ensure that each journey moves forward at the appropriate pace. Our academic advisors, faculty mentors, career counselors, and student services professionals join together to provide resources that work best for each student.

It all adds up to an education that is personal, powerful, and enduring.

Barry Glassner, President