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Sailing into the New Year - In the Same Direction

December 15, 2025

Good morning BW,

“The US Coast Guard Cutter Eagle… is a three-masted rig with 23 sails… Every sail, regardless of size, has a purpose. Every crew member assigned a station at each sail has a purpose. Without sails… the vessel simply drifts... to no purpose... toward no destination…..always keep in mind that every sail, and every member of the crew, has an essential purpose." – Rear Admiral J. Timothy Riker '70, December 13, 2025 BW Commencement Speaker

At Baldwin Wallace, our mission is to ensure that each of us, regardless of our role, is sailing into the new year in the same direction with a shared purpose – forging a Better Way and a Bolder Way for our students’ future and BW’s future. Every interaction reinforces my confidence and optimism in what we can accomplish together.

This past Friday, I participated in the Pinning Ceremony for the 2025 graduates of our top-ranked Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Our program is Ohio’s No. 1 Ranked Nursing Program!

This past Saturday, at our December Commencement, we proudly conferred more than 200 degrees, celebrating students who have completed their BW journey.

My optimism isn’t just aspirational — it’s reflected in the recognitions BW continues to earn for excellence and impact. Some 2025 examples:

  • Ranked among Top Regional Universities in Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, with strong recognition for Teaching, Innovation, Value, and Social Mobility. We ranked #12 on the 2026 list of top universities in the 12-state Midwest Region
  • Named to the Transfer Student Honor Roll for BW’s exceptional support of transfer students
  • Named Best College for Veterans in the Midwest by U.S. News
  • Berea, Ohio Named one of the Safest College Towns in the Nation (#10) by research.com
  • Ranked as a U.S. News' Best Undergraduate Engineering Program
  • BW Engineering students won the National Marine Energy Collegiate Competition
  • BW Accounting Students won the Intercollegiate Ethics Case Competition
  • BW's Mental Health Counseling Graduate program won a $1 million dollar grant
  • BW won a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office, placing BW on a national platform with R1/R2 research universities.
  • Named a Top Music Business School – Our BW Conservatory was named for the 5th year in a row by Billboard
  • Named a Top 25 Drama School and a Top 20 Broadway Talent Pipeline by The Hollywood Reporter and Playbill
  • Named Top Opera Production — The National Opera Association chose the BW Opera production, "Speed Dating Tonight," with the First Place Division I prize in its National Opera Production Competition
  • 97 BW University fall sports student-athletes were named to the 2025 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference team, including 32 from football, 22 from men's soccer, 21 from women's soccer, 9 from women's volleyball, 8 from men's cross country, and 5 from women's cross country. Of the 97 selections,19 are three-time Academic All-OAC student-athletes, 31 are repeat selections, 47 garnered their first selection, and 5 had perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
  • 4 Baldwin Wallace University football student-athletes were selected to the 2025 D3football.com All-Region 4 Team.
  • Earlier this year, the BW Women's Basketball team was honored with the prestigious Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Award — the 13th time in program history and 5th time in the last six seasons.
  • Earlier this year, Michael Petrella '25 won his third consecutive NCAA Division III national championship.

Because of you — because of us — the best is yet to come.

As you head into winter break, I hope you’re able to take time to rest, recharge, and enjoy moments with the people and places that matter most to you. Please travel safely, take care of one another, and come back refreshed and ready for all that lies ahead.

This is my final Monday Morning Message of 2025. I’ll resume it on January 12, 2026.

Have a safe, happy, healthy New Year.

Lee

Lee Fisher
President, Baldwin Wallace University