Mission Impossible? Making a Statement

Earlier this summer Del Suggs challenged us to create contemporary mission statements that address why we do things. Sure enough, upon examining the missions of my scholarship and exchange programs, I found dusty and tired lists of the services provided, but not much about the benefit. The statements were certainly not representative of the active, evolving organizations or the students in them.

I struggled for weeks with rewriting why we do things in order to convey a new message of the vibrant nature of our students and goals. I found the best inspiration at a summer staff retreat. The homework exercise required writing a personal mission statement. And BAM. That's what it took. My struggle to define program mission statements had been hampered because I needed to define myself.

Helpful resources were found here and here to point me in a new direction for crafting a personal statement. By redefining self and the values that shape my work in student affairs, my program mission statements found new life and purpose.

Facing mission statement impossible? Try looking within.

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't. --Richard Bach

Do you have a personal mission statement? How does it enhance the work that you do?

Comments

[Nathan T. Wright]

Hi Debra! We are glad that you found inspiration in our Lava Row values statement. In writing it, we tried to boil everything down to the basics, and came away with a laser-like focus on how to approach who we work with and why we do it.

[Debra Sanborn]

Thanks, Nathan.It's easy to become bogged down when describing mission and goals. I appreciate the fresh outlook that Lava Row applied to the process. Thanks again!