Dear Valpo Friends,
Over the past weeks, as I have visited with numerous remarkable people and witnessed some of the countless dedicated deeds taking place throughout our beloved campus community, there is one word—perhaps more than any other—that repeatedly fills my heart and mind: momentum.
As we journey through this important Spring Semester together, I feel compelled to share some reflections on the significance of momentum, where I observe momentum happening in our midst, and how we might build upon our momentum in service to our mission here at Valparaiso University.
While I enjoy learning about momentum through a physics perspective, lately I have been exploring a different type of momentum—a Valpo mission momentum—and how it all differs from mere movement. While movement, in and of itself, can be energizing and somewhat gratifying, movement without direction is simply activity. As I like to share with my fellow running enthusiasts, I can run on a treadmill or run on the road, and in both instances I am tired, yet in only one of the instances have I actually gone anywhere! In contrast to repeated treadmill movement, momentum is like running on a road, as such is movement with direction, and it takes place ideally when the pathway for such movement is discerned through the lens of purpose. As shared by Henry David Thoreau, “It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The questions is: What are we busy about?” For us at Valparaiso University, I believe our momentum happens best when our movement is in the direction of our mission.
As a Lutheran, I believe one of the most compelling illustrations of momentum comes to us from Easter morning, when the stone was rolled away from the tomb (Matthew 28:2, Mark 16:3-4, Luke 24:2, John 20:1). While each of the Gospel narratives shares the story in a distinctive way, what is common in each account is that the stone was indeed rolled away, and it did not relocate on its own. The stone required physical momentum to be shifted, and yet that momentum was far more than physical, as the impact was far more than an opened grave, as it all opened a new world that brought with it a newness of life. When the stone was turned that Easter morning, God did far more than create movement, as God sparked and sustained a type of momentum that carried Good News into the world, transforming history and shaping communities for more than 2,000 years. The resurrection of Jesus reminds us, among other things, that momentum does not merely remove material obstacles, as it can—by God’s grace—open us to a new future.
Since arriving to Northwest Indiana last month, I have witnessed meaningful and encouraging momentum throughout the Valparaiso University campus community, and I wish to celebrate some of these life-giving examples:
• Students are learning for life, serving our world, and shining God’s light, both inside and outside the classroom, daily demonstrating excellence through our Lutheran values of scholarship, freedom, and faith.
• Faculty are teaching and researching with brilliance and care, showing commitment to the search and sharing of truth, with boldness and humility, for the sake of building lives for good into the next generation.
• Staff are serving with steadfast kindness and commitment, embodying our longstanding values with clarity of mission and creativity of methods, especially in the midst of complexity and change on campus and beyond.
• Donors are offering their gifts with renewed energy, showing strengthened confidence in our trajectory and generously providing the resources we need to thrive for years to come.
• Prospective Students and their loved ones are expressing increased interest, including exciting surges in campus visits and sustained attention from those discerning their admission into our beloved campus community.
• Athletics is thriving on the court, in the classroom, and in our community, exemplifying teamwork and discipline, and showing how competitive sports can bring together fans of all ages and identities.
• Community partners are enthused, extending and receiving invitations for collaboration, and strengthening our role as a trusted and engaged neighbor, which will help more people in more places to fully flourish.
• Alumni connections are growing, rediscovering their bonds with Valpo and investing their time, talent, and treasure, leading to new opportunities for companionship and shared growth.
There are many more examples I could share, as there is far more to celebrate, and far more for us to build upon! Through it all, as I reflect upon the numerous people that are generating momentum in our midst, I am reminded of The New Science of Momentum by Don Yaeger and Bernard Banks, which reinforces an important lesson: communities such as ours can flourish when we choose to count our blessings before cataloging our challenges. As wonderfully articulated by Yaeger and Banks, such an approach does not mean denial of difficulties or being naïve about reality, as it is about sparking and sustaining momentum by believing in our mission, honoring our distinctive strengths, and intentionally building upon what we have through a mindset of optimism, abundance, and enthusiasm. As the book reminds us, like the stone being rolled away on Easter morning, when we have momentum there is nothing that cannot be overcome!
To all who are reading these words, please know that I thank God for all that ways you are helping to spark and sustain momentum here at Valparaiso University. With each passing day my excitement to serve alongside you grows, as the progress in our midst is palpable, and our shared future is bright and beautiful. I believe that our changing world needs far more Valpo graduates, so our momentum matters, not just for this semester or the next year, as we seek to provide a public gift to our world long after our personal time in this world. By counting our numerous blessings, aligning our beliefs and passions, and turning together with purpose and courage, we will build momentum in the direction of our mission to ensure our beloved Valparaiso University can forever build lives for good.
May God continue to bless you, this special day and always.
With gratitude,
The Rev. Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D.
President, Valparaiso University
