Leading with Purpose

Aligned with the launch of Beyond These Towers, WPI unveiled this past fall its new strategic plan—a shared vision for the university over the next five years. Its framework emerged following a comprehensive and inclusive planning process and is focused on three broad areas: Student Access and Well-being, Purpose-driven Education and Research, and Our Inclusive Community.

Groundwork was laid in spring 2019 engaging students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alumni in feedback gatherings, a 120+ attendees Board of Trustees plenary session, and a survey sent to the community focused on crafting a new university mission, which set the tone for the plan:

WPI transforms lives, turns knowledge into action to confront global challenges, and revolutionizes STEM through distinctive and inclusive education, projects, and research.

Though planning was put on hold in spring 2020 due to COVID-19, efforts resumed in the fall with a working group that included representation from faculty governance, the four schools, and all divisions. In addition to a new mission statement, the plan is grounded in articulated values for WPI: Respect, Community, Inclusion, Innovation, and Achievement. 

Cross-functional implementation teams will now work toward a set of defined goals and will track and regularly share key metrics with the broader community. All faculty and staff were invited to bring their passion and skills to the team to assure new perspectives and voices.  

“To lead with purpose, we must boldly and creatively address critical external trends and issues—many identified before, and heightened by, the pandemic—that directly impact our students, our academic and research enterprises, and our community,” says President Laurie Leshin. 

Read Lead With Purpose: 2021–2026 at wpi.edu/+leadwithpurpose.