November 16, 2024
President Robert W. Iuliano
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
As Delivered.
Thank you, Ava [Burchell ’25].
Let me begin by repeating something that Ava stated so elegantly a moment ago: Gettysburg College is about the people.
We’re reminded of this every time we get together. We felt it over these past three days and we’re seeing it now on vivid display in our students—and in the talents they’ve brought with them here to Philadelphia.
From Ava’s stirring remarks, to Brooke [Askin ’25] and Diptiman [Das ’27] and Saim [Joardder ’27]—and all those leading our interactive stations—to our Camerata students who sang their hearts out this afternoon, our students are extraordinary.
Will you please join me in giving a big round of applause for all of our Gettysburg students with us here today?
Thank you so much. Well done!
You may have seen that earlier this week, we celebrated a very special tradition. Deb Hydock and her incredible Dining team hosted our annual Servo Thanksgiving.
How many of you remember attending your Servo Thanksgiving as a student?
It’s a wonderful tradition that the College has been celebrating in various forms since the 80s. And it’s such a poignant illustration of what our community is all about—faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni all joining together to rally around our students.
Indeed, it is an all-hands-on-deck moment in service to our students.
Gettysburg students are curious, compassionate, and above all, they’re driven to make a difference in the world.
When I see our students in action, like we have today, I see a future that is bright—a future that I’d invite you to build with us.
That’s why we’re here.
This city [Philadelphia] has played an outsized role in the success of our College for nearly 200 years. From fertile recruiting grounds to a pathway to career opportunities to an alumni base that is passionate, engaged, and gritty in the best possible ways, you make us better.
As we approach our third century, I want to be clear: We need you in our corner.
I believe that with the love and support of those in this room today, we can help Gettysburg go from a college endeared in Philadelphia and throughout the Mid-Atlantic to a college truly revered across the country and around the world.
In other words, in an increasingly competitive landscape, we can ascend to the front of the class—just like Ava did.
That’s the future we’re creating together.
Let me share what that future looks like in practice.
One of the things I love most about Gettysburg is our personal, hands-on approach to education—what we today call The Gettysburg Approach.
Moving forward, we want everything our students learn—inside and outside of the classroom—to expand their knowledge and develop within them those transcendent qualities that are the hardest to teach.
Skills like adaptability, communication, problem solving, teamwork.
We already do this exceptionally well. Gettysburg graduates far outperform their peers in what employers deem as “must have” skills. We want to build on that strength. And we’re doing this in two innovative ways.
The first is through our new Guided Pathways.
It comes as no surprise that our students do a lot! They’re double majors and triple minors. Team captains and club presidents. I’m told they’re even TikTok influencers. Brooke, you’re going to have to explain this to me!
All said, we want to help our students makes sense of all that they’re involved in.
To understand the synergies between their campus experiences, and to gain the language and confidence to articulate what they’ve learned and why it matters to employers and graduate schools.
What’s the result?
You witnessed it in Ava. The ability to tell an authentic story about who she is, where she’s been, and what she hopes to accomplish, thanks to her Gettysburg education. That’s compelling!
We’re even taking it a step farther.
When a student participates in our Guided Pathways, we guarantee that they will graduate with a Career-Ready Experience, like an internship or a research opportunity with a faculty mentor.
These experiences, coupled with a quality education, are proven to make candidates far more appealing to employers.
Again, Gettysburg College is about the people.
And so, the second way we’re preparing our students for success is by surrounding them with 360 degrees of support.
Today, every student who participates in our Guided Pathways has their very own Personal Advising Team.
Students still have a Faculty Advisor, like so many of you had during your time at Gettysburg, but now they also have their own Co-Curricular Advisor, Career Advisor, and beginning next fall, they’ll even have their own Alumni Mentor.
We all need people in our lives who believe in us. A Greg Edelson. A Brian Orsinger. You can be that person for a Gettysburg student. You can become an Alumni Mentor.
Just imagine turning to Jake Asplundh or Loren Buhle for advice as an 18- year-old. Most colleges couldn’t dream of an education with this level of personalization. We’re actively doing it!
While our Strategic Direction will be implemented over the next several years, you’re likely already seeing signs of its early impact.
It’s one of the reasons we jumped up nine spots in the latest U.S. News rankings, including earning #20 among all liberal arts colleges for the Best First-Year Experiences.
Around the room, you’ll find one-pagers that outline our rankings and 24 new initiatives we’re embarking on at the College.
Let me share a few that you might find interesting.
Since I arrived at Gettysburg, I’ve wanted to make two significant upgrades. At their last meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to move forward with renovations of our College Union Building Ballroom and West Quad residence halls.
These residence halls look nearly identical to when you were students, including no air conditioning. It was time.
We’re pleased to make these projects a reality for our students, as well as create more social spaces within Plank Gym right next door. It is one more way we’re building community on campus.
Next, with the endorsement of the full faculty, we also recently announced two new majors: Public Health Policy and Finance.
I know many of you had the opportunity to speak with Linus [Nyiwul] earlier today at the Finance table. We’re really excited about these new offerings. Students will be eligible to declare both majors next fall.
And of course, I’m sure by now you’ve seen that we installed new game lights at Musselman Stadium and hosted our first-ever night football game.
In addition, we launched a new online master’s program with the Gilder Lehrman Institute and a new MBA program with Loyola.
We established a Center for Student Success and created a Center for Quantitative Learning.
We have passed a new core curriculum and invested in our Career Center, Eisenhower Institute, student well-being, and so much more.
Your alma mater is truly on the move.
Let me conclude.
Over the past few days, we’ve spoken to The Philadelphia Inquirer, high school teachers and counselors, top employers, prospective students, parents, alumni, and friends, and they’re all saying the same thing: What we’re building at Gettysburg is special.
We’re here today because we love this College and we love this community.
So you be wondering, how can I help?
First and foremost, get involved. Connect with a student. Speak in a class. Offer an internship. All of it matters.
Second, become an Alumni Mentor. It’s a great way to make a difference in a student’s life. We’re accepting candidates for our first cohort of Alumni Mentors this spring. Learn more on our volunteer webpage and sign up today.
Third, pay it forward. Make a gift to the Gettysburg Fund. Recommend a student. Help propel our College forward.
And finally, spread the word. Tell your friends and classmates about these past three days. Promote the College in your communities and on social media. We’re a word-of-mouth school. Your endorsement is invaluable.
Gettysburg College is about the people—and this is an all-hands-on-deck moment for our community.
It is our time to join together and rally around our students like never before. To truly serve our mission. I am confident we will.
Thank you so much for joining us today. Be sure to visit our interactive stations, speak with our students, and have a wonderful time!
Thank you so much!