BW: A Better Way for a Better World

January 19, 2026

"The difference between a dreamer and a visionary is that a dreamer has his eyes closed and a visionary has his eyes open." — Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King reminds us to begin the year with a clear-eyed understanding not only of the challenges that lie ahead but also a vision of the opportunities to work together in service of something larger than ourselves. His work reminds us that that "BW" means Get Better at Who You Are. To Get Better at What You Do. To Chart a Better Way for Your Future. And a Better World.

Throughout American history, our greatest leaders have brought people together across political, social, and cultural divides. In 1845, our founder, John Baldwin, a quarry owner whose mother had been denied entry to an eastern university because she was a female, was joined by other business and civic leaders to launch The Baldwin Institute. We were a school committed to education "regardless of race, gender, creed" or ability to pay. The earliest classes included nearly as many women as men, and students who could not afford an education were offered jobs to help cover the cost of tuition. Our first graduate, Maria Poe, was a woman.

Today, we continue John Baldwin's legacy by preparing our students to be engaged citizens who value diverse perspectives and foster civil discourse. Our strength is our willingness to listen, engage, and align around a shared purpose and common vision.

I'm inspired by the work we do on our campus through the work of BW's David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement, providing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to serve local and global communities through meaningful, ongoing projects. Our students participate in alternative breaks, service-learning courses, and community partnerships that build civic responsibility while addressing real community needs. I'm also inspired by the work of our BW WISE Center (Worldviews and Interfaith Social Ethics) that brings together diverse views to build interfaith understanding.

Throughout this week, we'll honor Dr. King's legacy by creating opportunities to connect, serve, and uplift one another. See all the events here.

Peggy and I will be participating later today in our BW campus service project, creating winter care kits for unhoused members of our local community and preparing and sorting books for the Cleveland Kid's Book Bank which supports literacy access throughout Northeast Ohio. Our BW service project is also collecting non-perishable food items for the BW Campus Pantry, which supports our students experiencing food insecurity.

Baldwin Wallace University doesn’t just teach about a better way for a better world. We help build it.

Lee Fisher
President, Baldwin Wallace University