ANNOUNCEMENT
The university landscape has seen remarkable changes across the country, and those changes have brought challenges to institutions looking to thrive in the future; Valparaiso University is no different. To meet these challenges, faculty, staff, and administrators have come together to put together a strategic plan that also considers the input of students and alumni. The plan consists of four themes: Learn, Serve, Lead, and Thrive.
LEARN
First and most importantly, Valpo’s top priority is and will always be the fostering of exceptional learning experiences, prioritizing education that focuses on innovation and leadership and multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving in a global environment of ever-increasing complexity. Doing this means implementing curricula that are focused on our values, while being flexible enough to accommodate a changing world. The University will also continue to give thoughtful consideration to the implementation of online learning options, giving more students the opportunity to take part in the Valpo experience.
SERVE
Equipping our students with the knowledge to succeed is important, but the second part of the plan ensures that our students have the drive to use that knowledge to serve a greater purpose in their community. To foster this goal, Valpo is committed to finding new ways to give students the support they need to flourish. The Valpo Success Initiative and Summer Bloom programs will help potential students find traditional and non-traditional pathways to higher education, while our partnerships with local organizations such as the Porter County Community Foundation and the Porter County Library will give students opportunities to find their passion for helping those around them.
Responsible stewardship of the planet is another way Valpo will service the world. To help safeguard the environment, Valpo will implement curricular and co-curricular initiatives for environmental sustainability including a greater implementation of renewable energy and environmentally conscious facilities operations.
LEAD
Valpo creates the leaders of tomorrow and, to continue that tradition of excellence, the University is introducing a Leadership and Service portfolio program that will demonstrate the experiences and skills each student will accumulate over the course of their time with us. To help create more opportunities and experiences for these students, Valpo is working to become one of the inaugural recipients of the Carnegie Leadership Foundation’s Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose.
Athletics are also an integral part of Valpo’s plan to develop future leaders. The University’s commitment to the Missouri Valley Conference helps to foster a competitive, energetic atmosphere that will drive enthusiasm and dedication to Valpo.
THRIVE
In creating a plan for the future, it is vital that Valparaiso University remembers the core of its historic identity. That means understanding, defining, and living what it means to act in the Lutheran tradition for ourselves and our constituents. These principles defined, promotional and press materials will shape the University’s narrative, and identify how that narrative can inform our future.
Thriving as an institution also means supporting the people who make Valpo what it is. A major portion of the strategic plan deals with reinvesting the University’s resources in the faculty and staff through competitive salary and benefits, including the exploration of non-compensation benefits such as child care, research stipends, and staff sabbaticals.
Valpo will also recognize the changing demographics heading into college today. By providing support for traditionally underrepresented populations, and by striving for Hispanic-Servicing Institution (HSI) status, Valpo will be ready to prepare the students of tomorrow.
A FISCALLY STABLE FUTURE
Fiscal stability is an integral part of all future plans. By leveraging sponsorship opportunities, strategic use of University owned land, the plethora of summer activities Valpo is able to host, and other revenue generation opportunities, the strategic plan opens a great deal of opportunities for tapping new lines of revenue generation.
This revenue will support the goal of a balanced budget by fiscal year 2026 and a Moody’s Rating to investment grade A.
Through these steps, Valparaiso University will continue to shine as a beacon of academic excellence. The strategic plan’s focus on service, financial stability, and growing with the world around it will help lead Valpo and the people it serves into a brighter future.
GET STRATEGIC
To view the new strategic plan in full online, visit www.valpo.edu/strategic-plan