Dec. 22, 2025
I recently heard from one of our senior students about an exciting life milestone. She stopped by the Administration Building to let me know she had been accepted into medical school.
I am thrilled for her, just as she was thrilled for herself 鈥� gratified that her hard work has paid off and buoyed with confidence for the journey ahead.
As I contemplate the end of the year and holiday season, and look to the year ahead for OCU, I find myself similarly buoyed by a sense of confidence and optimism.
Certainly, higher education has faced challenges in the past year. The landscape seems to change by the day, and many schools across our country have struggled to find and keep their footing.
I am grateful that at OCU our community of stakeholders has embraced a proactive vision so that we can meet today鈥檚 challenges head-on. As I reflect on the year along those lines, it provides an opportunity to extend thanks to those who help our university stay the course 鈥� those who we support, and in turn who support us.
I am, as always, thankful for our student body. I celebrate all of our students and the diverse identities and ideologies they bring to our university. At OCU we remain committed to the concepts of diversity and inclusion, and the idea of students being authentically themselves. I believe this authenticity makes each individual stronger, and in turn strengthens our institution.
Students, your strength and determination power this university. You may not know it, but the talent, heart and hard work you bring to the classroom and campus each day fuels all those who support you.
That includes our dedicated faculty and staff. I see the effort and care they contribute throughout the year and am so very appreciative of their commitment. They strive all year to bring new students to our campus and create a positive and fulfilling experience once those students get here. Their work is vital to our university.
I extend thanks as well to our wonderful alumni and donors. With your support, we鈥檝e set fundraising records in recent years and are poised for bigger and brighter accomplishments to come. Your engagement sets the example for generations to follow and shows our students and employees that we are in turn supported in our efforts to make OCU a special place to learn and work.
Special thanks are also owed to our Board of Trustees and community supporters, who share the vision for a strong and sustainable university. We are especially grateful for our board members who serve on standing and ad hoc committees. They have worked diligently in recent years to understand the challenges of modern higher education, while empowering us to lead our university forward.
Each group of stakeholders I鈥檝e mentioned brings unique talents and distinct viewpoints to the table, and each supports and strengthens our university in their own way. This inclusivity is important, and our students and employees should look for a communication from me in the coming weeks as we continue to affirm our identity as an inclusive community. In the meantime, seeing our various stakeholder groups uniting toward a common vision inspires me with optimism.
That鈥檚 because when we work together, we are capable of great things. And just like our medical school-bound student, we not only are capable, we are living out our values and seeing that hard work pay off.
So, as we head off into this well-deserved winter break, let me once again thank each member of our community for your hard work and dedication to OCU. Take pride in our university and in what you do to support it.
I hope the break and the holiday season bring much joy, camaraderie, rest and fulfillment, and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year!
Sincerely,
Kenneth R. Evans
President
