EXPLORATION – "Discovery of Knowledge, Self, and Society Through Expanding Horizons"
The theme exploration is intended to convey the concept of acquiring a deeper understanding of the individual and society by pushing out the boundaries of awareness. For students, this means becoming conscious of new ideas and possibilities. For faculty, it involves extending the frontiers of knowledge and creating new expressions of culture as scholars and artists. For staff and administrators, exploration includes mastering and improving organizational support systems that contribute to educational effectiveness of the university. In each instance, both effort and results are stimulating and meaningful.
The alignment of this theme with the university Vision and, particularly, paragraphs two and five of the Mission Statement, is evident. It is most strongly reflected in the fifth Institutional Purpose and the second and third Educational Goals. The two features of university activity targeted in this particular Thematic Features section are Service-Learning and Research.