When I joined the Texas Wesleyan community in the Summer of 2014, I was drawn to the University’s mission to develop students, not only as individuals, but as members of a world community. Moreover, I immediately connected how this mission was pursued: personal attention. I believe interpersonal relationships are the keystone to community development. And Texas Wesleyan’s Smaller. Smarter. brand resonated with my personal values. 

The “Smaller.Smarter.” tagline indicates much more than witty billboards and attention-grabbing commercials. When realized in the day-to-day actions of the faculty and staff at Texas Wesleyan, the "Smaller. Smarter." promise can mean connections, individual experiences and transformative opportunities. You can see this in action with the mentorships that exist between professor and student. Undergraduate students conducting research alongside their faculty members showcases the "Smaller. Smarter." way. Developing a new student organization, participating in alternative spring break, living in a residence hall, or creating new traditions for the campus community are all examples of how this tagline becomes much more than marketing. "Smaller. Smarter.", at its best, is a culture.

Like any cultural phenomenon, "Smaller. Smarter." is sustainable only if its members are bought into it. Texas Wesleyan students are not simply recipients of the "Smaller. Smarter." promise. Rather, the culture requires students in order to thrive. It requires students to engage with each other. It requires students to pursue those opportunities presented to them. While individualized and personal attention will continue to guide our practices on campus, by definition is not a prescriptive experience.

My challenge to you is to think about how each student helps make "Smaller. Smarter." a meaningful promise.

About Student Life Spotlight

Over the new few weeks, a different staff member in Student Life will share a piece of themselves with you. They’ll reflect on what’s important to them, and what they believe will help you to make the most of your time at Texas Wesleyan.

No, they won’t be simply pitching their programs and services at you under the guise of a cleverly crafted article, but rather, digging deep to identify what has been most transformative about their experiences in life thus far, and passing that wisdom as best they can on to you.