President President letter from the

Nya:wëh Ska:noh (Thank you, and I wish you well),

Warm greetings! I am excited to be back at Medaille — an institution of higher education committed to student learning in an environment that is welcoming, supportive and safe. While honored by the support of the Board of Trustees, I remain humbled by the tremendous responsibility that comes with the presidency.

Throughout this academic year, I have been reflecting on this year’s theme, chosen by our faculty: Building a Community Through Empowerment. During New Student Academic Convocation this fall, faculty, staff, alumni and trustees welcomed new students to the Medaille community. My comments to students highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational words that encourage people to take action today in order to build a better tomorrow. While the road may seem long at times for students, I reminded them that we are walking it together toward a better tomorrow.

At Medaille, I encourage our campus to cultivate a community that is welcoming, diverse and inclusive — one that thrives and grows from acknowledgement of the richness of our differences, experiences, perspectives and knowledge. I encourage faculty and staff to collectively think about how our programs can ensure that we develop individuals who are, in fact, equipped to meet the needs of a growing, diverse population. Our faculty are committed to encouraging imagination, innovation and collaboration, so that our students are enhanced by instructors who do all they can to ensure learning occurs both within and beyond the classroom. Our staff are committed to working together, drawing strength from each other and sharing the talents, skills and resources required to serve our students through compassion, care and empathy.

Our campus is working together to listen more openly, respond more sensitively and support, more intentionally, efforts in building and maintaining a community where every member is respected and valued. This requires a commitment to living the principles of the Haudenosaunee “Good Mind” — through our thoughts, actions and behaviors — which provide me guidance on a daily basis.

I invite all members of our Medaille community to consider with me how we can conduct conversations and develop strategies that provide greater opportunities for all students to become vibrant, respected and valued contributors to our decision-making processes. Medaille’s most important assets lie in its people, especially those who empower students bringing with them new futures to be imagined and new possibilities to be realized.

The strength of our community lies in the promises and commitments we make to each other. When our students and alumni succeed, our Medaille family succeeds.

I thank each of you for being part of our Medaille family.

Dëjíhnyatà:’së’ (our paths will cross again),

Lori V. Quigley, Ph.D. Interim President

The Medaille community congratulates Dr. Quigley on being named to the 2022 Buffalo Business First “Power 200 Women” list and on being selected to receive a 2022 Buffalo Business First Woman of Influence Award. Dr. Quigley, who also has served as chairwoman of the Seneca Gaming Corporation Board of Directors, was honored for her professional accomplishments, business acumen and valuable contributions to the community, which fuel economic, social and cultural growth in our region.