One of the most important responsibilities of a university president is to be a leader. But it is important to remember that the duty to lead is not confined to just campus. A university and the community in which it is located are inextricably intertwined. Whatever is good for the university is good for the community. And whatever is good for the community is also good for the university.

Consequently, as I have contemplated my work here, I have been spending part of my time thinking about what needs to be done in Victoria in addition to what needs to be done on campus.

My charge from the chancellor is to make UHV a “destination campus.” While I still am trying to get a clear vision of exactly what that means, one thing is crystal clear. For UHV to be a destination, we have to have a place where potential students will be excited about spending three to four years of their lives. And that means that Victoria itself has to become more of a destination.

In talking with area industry leaders, I found that they face a similar struggle. They are not trying to attract college students, but they are trying to recruit young professionals to this area. Many have expressed frustration that they can get a young professional to come to this area, but more often than not, they don’t stay. Quality of life is almost always the reason they leave.

I want to be clear that I am not suggesting that Victoria does not have the quality of life amenities to attract and retain residents. My wife and I, as new residents, have been delighted with what we have found here. But we are not young professionals or students. In my view, there is work to be done to make Victoria more vibrant. The university has a role to play in making that happen.

Toward that end, I have begun meeting with a small group of community leaders. We have talked about past efforts that have come and gone. And we have talked about the best way we can move forward, here and now. Naturally, this group will need to expand over time, and we need to bring more voices into the conversation. And that is the point of this post. If you care about Victoria and are willing to be a part of the discussion, please let me know. There is enough work that will need to be done on campus and in the community to keep a large cadre of committed volunteers busy for a very long time.

A saying that always has meant a great deal to me over the years is one by Reinhold Niebuhr. He said, “There is no greater sinner than the man who does nothing because he cannot do it all.” I fully realize that making UHV and Victoria a “destination” is an accomplishment that will not be achieved during my tenure. Work such as this takes many years to finish. But I – we – can make a good start. We can do the work that is in front of us knowing that it will lead to the desired result. I am committed to dedicating my time, efforts and resources to this work, and I will commit the university to help in the effort in every way that is prudent and appropriate. I hope that some of you who are reading this now will be willing to make the same commitment. If you are, please drop me a line at glennrk@uhv.edu. I would be delighted to bring you into the conversation.

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing with you more thoughts about this topic, and in particular, I want to share a book I am reading that I believe is on-point. It is called “Our Towns” by James and Deborah Fallows. You might want to check it out. More to come.