Thank you all so very much. I am deeply honored to join the Wittenberg University community, especially in such a time as this. It has become banal to say that these are challenging times, but of course they are. In the last month, I have been reading about the founding of this great institution and the challenges that they faced in the mid 19th century. These “sturdy Lutheran pioneers” had a vision of establishing a school for higher learning in an environment, both physical and economic, that was difficult, to say the least. Yet they pursued their dream. As Harold Lentz observes in his introduction to his history of Wittenberg, “The world owes much to its dreamers. Were it not for them we would ever be mired in the clay of yesterday’s commonplaces. No progress which keeps us up to date is possible except as someone looks ahead into tomorrow’s possibilities and then takes what is at hand to bring them to reality."
What is at hand is Wittenberg University, 180 years old, with alumni, faculty, students, staff, friends, family who love and are committed to this vision of a liberal arts university that embraces the development of the whole person: intellectually, physically, and spiritually. This vision and mission is as relevant today as it was nearly two hundred years ago. In fact, I would argue more so.
The Wittenberg Way of grounding all our study and career preparation in the best of the liberal arts; the Wittenberg Way of competing in athletics, achieving success with honor; the Wittenberg Way of building upon the foundations of our past while shaping the future is the path we will follow.
I look forward to working with our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to build upon these strong foundations. Together, we will stoke the flame of Wittenberg so that its light will shine brighter than ever before.
Finally, I was struck by Ezra Keller’s reflections the day he walked this land that would become Wittenberg University. “It requires some faith to believe that in after years it will be an academic grove, to which hundreds will resort to drink at the pure fountains of knowledge, and go forth into the world to do good, to bless [humanity]. And yet I have faith to believe that this will all be realized.”
Like Ezra, I have faith. Thank you for this great honor to serve the Wittenberg community and to lead us in the Wittenberg Way.
- Dr. Christian M. M. Brady, Wittenberg's 16th President