President's Report
Reflecting on the Path Forward

THE FALL SEMESTER offers a fresh start and a time of growth in knowledge and relationships. It is the start of an incredibly special time on campus.

My initial arrival to the USI campus in the fall of 1986 as a student was wrapped in anticipation and some anxiousness. As a first-generation student with parents who farmed and earned high school-level educations, I had to navigate through the higher education process on my own. I knew I found a home at USI and was ready, but had to determine the best path to achieve my goals.

Three years later, my transition to a new USI employee rekindled the same feelings I experienced as a new student: anticipation mixed with anxiousness. Work was not new to me, I worked 32 hours a week throughout my college career at Sureway Foods, a grocery store in Henderson, Kentucky. However, when stepping into my first professional role at USI, I felt something shift inside me. My connection to USI, and sense of responsibility for the students who would follow the path I once did, deepened.

During my 35 years at USI, in each of the roles I've fulfilled, including the most recent, Vice President for Finance and Administration, making a positive difference has always been my focus, something I've embraced from our early campus leaders. Like them, I start with what is right, put students first, take the blame, share the glory and use humor as a tool to relieve stress in myself and others. These were all bits of wisdom imparted to me by our founding president, vice presidents and treasurers: Dr. David Rice, Byron Wright, Richard Schmidt, Michael Whipple '75 and Dr. Linda Bennett, our third President, as well as too many more to name here. While I walked among these and other giants daily, they always made me feel essential. This gift of their leadership may have been their greatest lesson.

In the leadership role of President, I will remain true to the values essential to USI's historic fabric. I am excited to create the same student success I enjoyed as a student—whose expectations were surpassed—for those joining us now and in the future. Tradition has always been important to me and has only been further instilled in me here. At the University of Southern Indiana, our world is tradition-driven but forward-looking.

Have a great fall, visit us frequently, talk about USI often and trust we are working to advance your institution, your home, that has made a difference in so many lives.

Steven J. Bridges '89 M'95 Interim President

MISSION Continuing our core mission as an engaged learning community, committed to exceptional education while maintaining affordability for our students, is what we do best and have always done. We will continue to do so.

ENROLLMENT & RETENTION Our long-established, strong fiscal position depends on the number of enrolled and retained students each semester. We will continue to work to grow our campus and online populations. All of you can help by sharing your confidence in USI as the University of choice and by telling prospective students about your firsthand experience.

RELATIONSHIPS Building strategic connections with all government leaders is central to USI's successful future. This is a state budget year, and I will be asking for the resources we need. I will be telling our story—which is your story—and why state legislators need to invest in USI.

ECONOMICS USI is a prime driver of economic development and an engine for creating an educated workforce in this community and beyond. The University exists because business leaders in the 1960s saw a need for quality public higher education here. We have delivered on their vision and will continue to pay it forward through the resources we provide, including through an alumni body of more than 54,000 strong.

VISIBILITY Our commitment to Division I athletics has elevated USI's name and reputation as it participates in its third year of the required four-year transition into full membership. We attracted national notice last season as Women's Basketball took the titles of Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular season and tournament champions, championship, and again this year as both the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams both won OVC Championships. Across USI Athletics, our student-athletes earned, for the second year in a row, the OVC Institutional Achievement Award for academics. This conference award is presented to the university with the greatest percentage of eligible student athletes with a 3.25 grade point average or higher. Go Screaming Eagles!