Darra Ballance

This document outlines Augusta University's strategic plan, guided by an ambitious vision to become a top-tier university and a destination for education, healthcare, discovery, creativity, and innovation. The plan is structured around five strategic priorities: Learning, Discovery, Student Success, Community, and Stewardship, further supported by interwoven priorities of Innovation, Engagement, and Belonging. It aims to achieve transformative impact, including a goal of 16,000 students by 2030, by focusing on effective teaching, prominent research, comprehensive student growth, robust community partnerships, and strong financial sustainability and philanthropy.

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This document is a podcast transcript discussing the Critical Teaching Behaviors framework, developed to define, document, and discuss effective teaching. The framework consists of six core categories: align, include, engage, assess, integrate technology, and reflect. It provides faculty with objective, learnable behaviors for good teaching, a common language for discussion, and strategies for documenting their professional growth and effectiveness, ultimately aiming to improve student outcomes such as retention and graduation rates.

This document, titled "Our 2026 Guiding Principles," outlines Augusta University's strategic direction, prioritizing student success and well-being as key drivers. The principles emphasize enhancing campus integration, implementing technological advancements, strategic enrollment planning, and fostering holistic student well-being. The institution aims to prepare graduates for leadership and service, provide comprehensive support for physical, mental, and financial health, and cultivate an inclusive environment that values all voices, with a vision extending towards 2030.

The event was the Fall 2025 Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony. Introductory remarks emphasized maintaining decorum, including holding applause until all names were called and silencing cell phones. The ceremony commenced with the ringing of the Arsenal bell by Harum Okasio. Key segments included an invocation by Chaplain Henry Holt, a performance of the national anthem, and greetings from Augusta University Alumni Association President Dr. Annette Range. The student commencement speaker, Dr. Natalie Jackson, shared an inspiring message about perseverance, resilience, and overcoming obstacles such as dyslexia and dyscalculia, emphasizing that difficulty does not equal impossibility. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Zachary Powell, who encouraged graduates to focus on service, compassion, and finding their purpose through a personal 'vision quest' rather than chasing external markers of success.