Making Priorities Our Habits

Hello parents and families!

Hello from Blacksburg and Virginia Tech! As we move through September, the feeling on campus is shifting from new to routine. As I walk around campus to and from my office in Burruss Hall, I regularly listen to students boarding and departing the Blacksburg Transit buses as they move around campus from classes and other activities. It brings me such joy overhearing laughter with friends, tidbits about what they are learning in and out of the classroom, and all the upcoming events they plan to attend.

I continue to be amazed at how quickly students settle into their new normal. I know that the habits they establish early on will either foster or hinder their academic and personal success and well-being. I, too, am trying to form new habits (and revising previously established positive habits) as I settle into my second year as vice president for Student Affairs. For years, I have had a strong habit of daily reading; my current weekly reading streak on my kindle is 122 consecutive weeks. This year I have a goal of reading 100 books. Having just finished my 60th book, I am slightly behind my ideal timeline but still optimistic that I will meet it.

Last year I read the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, and I find myself revisiting some of the lessons I learned from reading it. Clear said, “Habits are like the atoms of our lives. Each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement. At first, these tiny routines seem insignificant, but soon they build on each other and fuel bigger wins that multiply to a degree that far outweighs the cost of their initial investment.”

I have learned from Clear that it is not helpful to “convince ourselves that massive success requires massive action,” but rather to understand that success comes from the cumulative effect of small daily habits. I encourage you to keep this in mind when your student calls to share that they are struggling with time management or are stressed about their grades. Rather than share what you think they should do, I encourage you to ask them about their goals and what small steps they can take to lead to their success.

Our mission in Student Affairs is to promote student learning, life skills, and personal growth through a strong focus on holistic student development and collaborative partnerships that deliver superior service to, and care for, students in the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). Our mission is rooted in our Aspirations for Student Learning, which are our highest hopes for our students. These aspirations include: commit to unwavering curiosity; pursue self-understanding and integrity; practice civility; prepare for a life of courageous leadership; and embrace Ut Prosim as a way of life.

To better serve our mission and advance the Aspirations for Student Learning, Student Affairs has identified strategic priority areas for investment, examination, and alignment. Over the past year, many of the employees throughout the division came together to develop six strategic priority areas that have formed our divisional strategic plan. I have a vision based on the work we did together, and I’m excited to spend this year diving into it.

With these priorities, we are focused on creating a culture of student success and well-being, ExperienceVT, and inclusion and belonging. We aim to create this culture through: employee well-being and flourishing; teamwork, collaboration, and innovation; data-informed decision-making; and administrative excellence and effectiveness. Here, I would like to share more about how I view a culture in which student success and well- being, ExperienceVT, and inclusion and belonging are at the forefront.

In a culture of student success and well-being, we will work to ensure that all students holistically care for themselves so that they can care for one another and the community. In Student Affairs, we help every student across our campuses develop the mindset and skills for defining and achieving their academic and career goals as part of a journey toward self-fulfillment.

In a culture of ExperienceVT, we will do all we can to ensure that every Hokie will encounter the Aspirations for Student Learning as a framework to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to customize their student experience, maximize their learning, engage their community and embrace a life of Ut Prosim.

In a culture of inclusion and belonging, we hope all students can bring and openly express their authentic selves in the classroom and beyond while engaging and developing friendships with individuals who share different perspectives and lived experiences across our campuses.

In Student Affairs, we help create environments where dialogue across differences can flourish in support of healthy civic engagement. Every student at Virginia Tech is capable of academic success — it’s why they were admitted. Our students have big goals for their grades, leadership positions, future internships and careers, and relationships. These goals are important, but equally important are the accumulation of small daily habits that contribute to achieving them. Students have so many daily habits to choose from, such as going to bed earlier, limiting times checking email or social media daily, or putting their phones away to focus on conversations with friends at lunchtime.

As the semester progresses, please remind your students that Virginia Tech is full of people here to help them ExperienceVT!

Be well Hokies,