Its true that academic excellence IS the #1 priority for the Corps these days. It HAS to be, in this very competitive environment where grades count more than ever before - even for military service. Cadets are college students as well as being cadets.
However, our mission statement says that we develop WELL EDUCATED LEADERS OF CHARACTER. Leadership and academics are complementary - not competitive. We still produce a very good leadership product from the Corps - comments we get from corporate America, government agencies, and the US military support that. The Corps has proven that you can do BOTH - you can have a heavy emphasis on academic excellence while also producing high quality leaders. Our graduates have proven that in spades over the past several years. And lets not forget that many of our cadets have assumed leadership roles on campus during their time as cadets (Student Body President, Student Regent, etc), while also excelling academically - something we are very proud of.
We are proud of our graduates, and feel confident that we are producing the right kind of well educated leaders to lead in TODAY'S highly complex, rapidly changing, very dynamic, uncertain global environment that these men and women are entering today.
These cadets are smarter and far better prepared as leaders for the environment they will enter upon graduation that I ever was. And that is ultimately what this great "leadership laboratory" on the campus of Texas A&M is supposed to do: develop well educated leaders of character who can handle the complexities of the global environment we live in today.
My staff and I are WELL aware that there are those who disagree with this approach, and would rather have the Corps experience similar to the way they experienced the Corps when they were cadets. We understand. But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so - with academics and leadership being complementary - NOT competitive with each other.
Thanks again to all of you for your love and support of our Corps. Gig 'em! And Beat the Hell Outta Louisiana-Lafayette!
However, our mission statement says that we develop WELL EDUCATED LEADERS OF CHARACTER. Leadership and academics are complementary - not competitive. We still produce a very good leadership product from the Corps - comments we get from corporate America, government agencies, and the US military support that. The Corps has proven that you can do BOTH - you can have a heavy emphasis on academic excellence while also producing high quality leaders. Our graduates have proven that in spades over the past several years. And lets not forget that many of our cadets have assumed leadership roles on campus during their time as cadets (Student Body President, Student Regent, etc), while also excelling academically - something we are very proud of.
We are proud of our graduates, and feel confident that we are producing the right kind of well educated leaders to lead in TODAY'S highly complex, rapidly changing, very dynamic, uncertain global environment that these men and women are entering today.
These cadets are smarter and far better prepared as leaders for the environment they will enter upon graduation that I ever was. And that is ultimately what this great "leadership laboratory" on the campus of Texas A&M is supposed to do: develop well educated leaders of character who can handle the complexities of the global environment we live in today.
My staff and I are WELL aware that there are those who disagree with this approach, and would rather have the Corps experience similar to the way they experienced the Corps when they were cadets. We understand. But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so - with academics and leadership being complementary - NOT competitive with each other.
Thanks again to all of you for your love and support of our Corps. Gig 'em! And Beat the Hell Outta Louisiana-Lafayette!