“In today’s world of strife and poverty, few things are more important than the cultivation of educated leaders …”
—M. Lee Pelton

In September, when news broke of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in the southeastern United States, vivid accounts and film footage of the storm’s horrific aftermath triggered highly emotional responses in many of us, along with the natural human reflex to help, even in some small way, to make the suffering stop.

It is these kinds of tragic events — natural disasters, acts of violence or terrorism or accidents — that test leaders and leadership skills, that make leaders of unwitting passers-by and heroes of ordinary folk.

The stark contrast between our circumstances and those of the hurricane survivors brought into sharp focus the responsibility of those of us who occupy higher ground, whose clothes are dry, whose food and water are clean and whose families are gathered safely around us, to step forward and give whatever we have to give to those who have lost nearly everything.

Leadership is not bestowed, it is earned.

In the aftermath of Katrina, Willamette’s leaders at every level — faculty, students and staff — came together to help the recovery effort.

While the loss of life and property is extensive throughout the Gulf states, much of our concern was directed to the students, faculty and staff of the 31 college and university campuses involved in this unprecedented national disaster. From the largest, Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, to the smallest, Tougaloo College near Jackson, Miss., these institutions are facing varying degrees of damage and trauma, but all expect to survive.

Willamette has since enrolled four students who were displaced by the storm, three from Tulane University, one from the University of New Orleans. They will attend Willamette tuition-free for one semester, at which point more may be known about the situation at their “home” institutions.

Faculty, students and staff have donated more than $29,000, which was matched by the University so that $58,502 has been sent to the American Red Cross.

The student leadership of Willamette also initiated a list of projects focused on hurricane relief. In addition to a number of fund-raising efforts, Panhellenic Council sponsored an on-campus Red Cross blood drive, the Office of the Chaplain collected “health kits” for shipment to the Gulf states, and the Office of Community Service Learning plans two trips to the Gulf area for students, faculty and staff who want to participate in hands-on volunteer relief work in January and March.

I am enormously proud of the Willamette community’s response to this devastating event. It has been swift, effective and thoughtful. In today’s world of strife and poverty, few things are more important than the cultivation of educated leaders who, inspired to do good works, commit to making the rewards of this nation available to all, not just the few.

I hope you enjoy this edition of The Scene, which will explore the topic of leadership at Willamette from a broad range of perspectives, calling upon leaders from the University’s past, present and future.

M. Lee Pelton
President