The BW Way is the Dolly Parton Way

August 31, 2026

"Find out who you are. And do it on purpose.”
— Dolly Parton

We can learn a lot from the way that Dolly Parton lived her life.

She never pretended to be anything other than who she was.

What made her so beloved behind the rhinestones and fame was that she remained the same woman who grew up in a small cabin in the Tennessee mountains, and who never forgot where she came from. She embraced her roots rather than hiding them. She knew who she was and she did it on purpose — and with purpose.

Dolly Parton's music has a special connection to Baldwin Wallace. Last fall, our nationally acclaimed music theatre program presented "9 to 5: The Musical," with a high-energy stage adaptation of the 1980 hit film, featuring Dolly's music and lyrics. The show's message is powerful. It celebrates women who refused to let others define their potential. It reminds us that success comes not from fitting someone else's mold, but from having the courage to bring your own talents, ideas, and personality to the work you do.

Another Dolly Parton song, Coat of Many Colors, tells an equally important story. In the song, a young Dolly receives a coat her mother made from scraps of cloth. Other children saw only a patched-together coat. Dolly saw something else. It was valuable to her because it reflected her story. The coat became a symbol of the idea that our worth is not determined by what others see on the outside, but by the character, values, and story we carry within us.

Each of our students comes to BW with a unique story, unique gifts, and unique challenges. We help them discover who they are and then commit themselves to getting better at who they are. Growth does not require you to abandon who you are. Growth requires you to build on who you are.

That idea is at the heart of The BW Way: Be Who You Are. Get Better at Who You Are.

If you get better at who you are, you get better at what you do. And if you get better at what you do, you'll chart a better way for your future, and you'll help make this a better world.

So we ask our students to be confident in who you are, and to find your voice.

Then commit yourself, every day, to becoming a stronger, wiser, smarter, and kinder version of yourself. Become a better student, a better teammate, a better leader, a better friend, and a better human being.

The BW Way is the Dolly Parton Way.

Be who you are... on purpose.

Live your life... with purpose.

Lee Fisher
President, Baldwin Wallace University