Throughout the writings of Augustine he argues that we are story-shaped people, stretched between what we should be and will be. As the graduating class of 2015 steps away from being taught into doing what they have been taught Augustine’s writings are on my mind. This group of new alumni and all the alumni that have gone before them take on the responsibility of the knowledge they have accumulated and translating that into what they will do and who they will become. Simone Well wrote that a the key role of a teacher is to “teach what it means to know.” We all wrestle with the responsibility of knowing and doing. These new businesspeople will use their knowledge to change and impact others as they step into the business world with diploma in hand, knowledge, and passion. We have students leaving Jewell to engage the world of banking, public service, healthcare, entrepreneurship and many other fields. Knowing what they know, they now have a responsibility to act, as we all do, to move the world a bit closer to what it should be. We greatly anticipate hearing and seeing the impact of the story-shaped alumni of William Jewell on our world.

Sincerely, Dr. Kelli Schutte, Chair of the Department of Business and Leadership