NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION
Welcome
Karen M. Whitney
Monday, August 23, 2010
Moore Hall, 8:30 a.m.
Good morning!
It is an honor to be before you today to welcome you to Clarion University and to
your new and important role as faculty. I am proud that you have decided to join the
Clarion family in service to the university. It is a particular honor because I, too, am new to
Clarion. So we are all freshmen, embarking on our next great adventure. We are all the
newest Golden Eagles.
In joining Clarion University, which was founded in 1867, currently enrolls over
7100 students annually, and offers over 90 associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree
programs, you are joining over 300 other faculty and over 400 staff who have made this
institution a high quality university that is distinguished by holding the most professional
accreditations of any university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Of
the 14 universities that comprise the system, Clarion University has 27 professionally
accredited programs.
As new faculty I ask that you commit to our mission. The mission of Clarion
University seeks to excel in all that it does and challenges students to develop their talents,
extend their intellectual capacities and interests, expand their creative abilities, and to
develop a respect and enthusiasm for learning that will extend throughout their lives.

As new faculty I ask that you commit and work everyday toward realizing our
Clarion University values. At Clarion -We believe in the learning potential of all our students who are willing to invest
hard work in the pursuit of their education.
We are committed as a faculty, staff, and administration to creating opportunities
for all our students to achieve success beyond their own expectations within an
environment that cultivates tolerance, civility, and respect.
We value the individual relationship between student and faculty as central to the
learning process and recognize the contributions of staff in providing the necessary
support for that endeavor.
We believe that we exist to serve the needs of all people of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and to advance higher education as a public good.
We are committed to advancing our relationships with the larger communities of
which we are a part.
As new faculty please know that I believe firmly that our mission and our values speak
to the core of what we are asking of you. Your work as educators, teachers, advisors,
mentors, colleagues, and campus and civic leaders is vital to achieving our mission.
You may also know that Clarion University is one of one of 14 universities that
comprise the PASSHE system of state universities. Clarion is the only public university for
this region. We are the degree granting, civic engaging center of this region. We are the
largest employer in Clarion County. We are the center of culture, arts and entertainment
for the region. In sum, we have what I consider a duty to apply our teaching, research and

service in ways that engage the civic and commercial life of this region. Your work will be
key to these efforts.
I am going to close my remarks this morning by talking about our students. For the
most part our students come from northwest Pennsylvania although you will find that we
have students from over 45 states and from many other countries attending Clarion. Many
of our students are the first in their family to attend college while at the same time you will
find students who are the 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th generation to attend Clarion. You will
also find that our students want what we all wanted when we went to college—to learn, to
have fun, and to work hard to make a better life for themselves and their families.
You will find from your fellow faculty that Clarion University is known for being an
academic community that cares deeply for its students. We expect a great deal from them
and, in return, we care deeply for our students and work with them to achieve a high
quality education.
There is a well known cheer on our campus that was coined by the last president,
President Joe Grunenwald, who would talk about taking flight and working hard to be your
best. In challenging students to realize their dreams and soar to great heights, he would
say, “Fly Eagles Fly”. As new faculty …. say after me, “Fly Eagles Fly”.
Thank you for joining us and thank you for what you are about to do for our students,
our university, and our community. Fly Eagles Fly!