Over the last year, the campus community has been working through the process of developing a new strategic plan for SDSU. As part of the process, a set of core values was developed and one stands out.
People-Centered: We recognize leadership is derived from service to others. We are committed to creating a culture where all thrive and are supported on their own personal and professional paths toward lifelong learning, growth and leadership.
When people talk about their SDSU experience, the stories are always about the people they encountered here. While the facilities and buildings are important to accomplishing the work of a university, the people who use those facilities are what alumni talk about after they leave this place.
The stories of the favorite professor. The stories of the secretary or program assistant who made things happen. The stories of the professional staff member who always offered a smile or a helping hand. The stories of the academic advisor who made sure the requirements were met. The stories of the administrator who helped make the seemingly impossible possible. The classmates who made everything better.
It is this focus on people that inspires the work we do at the Alumni Association. It inspired us to ask you to join us in #JacksGiveBack.
It can be easy to get caught up in our busy schedules and hectic lives and not pause to think about the people who have made our lives what they are today. The help they offered, the decisions they made, the laughs they shared—these are the guideposts for the journey of our lives.
As I think back to my own time on campus, I am grateful for supportive friends who gave grace when mistakes were made. I am grateful for mentors who encouraged and supported, and even cautioned when necessary. I am grateful that I am still connected to many of them and for the people connected to SDSU who have come into my life since then.
I think we have always been a people-centered university, that isn’t new, but putting it on paper, announcing that it is who we are and owning that responsibility has me excited for the future of SDSU. People make a place. People have made this place great.
With loyal hearts so true,
Andi Fouberg
President & CEO of Alumni Association
