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The BW Promise

November 24, 2025

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Good morning BW,

25 years ago, when I served as President & CEO of the Center for Families and Children, I started a weekly communication called the Monday Morning Message. Since then, I have written over 1,000 Monday Morning Messages in the different positions I’ve held, including most recently as Dean of Cleveland State University Law School.

Every Monday Morning, with the exception of holidays and semester breaks, I will highlight the great work of our BW students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. And I’ll sometimes reflect not only on what we do but also on why it’s so important.

As we head toward Thanksgiving break, I'm filled with unapologetic optimism and deep gratitude.

  • I'm grateful for the many meanings of BW, one of which is Be Welcoming.
  • I'm grateful that BW has welcomed Peggy and me with open arms and open hearts.
  • I'm grateful for our outstanding Board of Trustees who have given me this honor-of-a-lifetime opportunity.
  • I'm grateful for our Students who define our mission, our vision, our values, our purpose.
  • I'm grateful for our Staff who work tirelessly, too often without recognition, to build the foundation on which we stand today.
  • I'm grateful for our Faculty who devote their wisdom, their knowledge, their entire lives to educate a new generation of leaders, and whose confidence and trust I know I must earn and not expect.
  • I'm grateful for our Athletic Coaches who help build the character of our students on and off the court and the field.
  • I'm grateful for our Alumni who give back and pay it forward with loyalty, devotion, and unconditional generosity.

BW also means Build What's Next.

As we transform our future, let’s make a promise to our students that we will stay breathtakingly relevant. Why? Because it's not just about keeping up with the times, it's about leading the way.

Our BW graduates will be:

  1. Leader-ready — through mentorship and real opportunities to grow.
  2. Career-ready — with hands-on experience, clear pathways, and professional connections.
  3. Future-ready — with AI literacy, skills in financial wellness, and ethical and civic engagement.

BW, we must also make a promise to ourselves.

We must promise every day to get better at who we are so that we get better at what we do. Let's promise that we will never be satisfied with the status quo. That we will embrace the constant change and disruption of the new world in which we live and work.

A promise gets its meaning from the people who live it.

So let's live that promise together.

Thanks.

Lee


Lee Fisher
President, Baldwin Wallace University


A Thanksgiving video message from President Lee Fisher

Watch video