My friends,

Here is a picture of YOUR trophy.

The first time TBR gives a College of the Year Award and they give it to Cleveland State. I can’t tell you how humbled I feel – how proud I feel of all of you.

We believed we could be a stronger, better college for our students and our community. I told the crowd tonight we did not win this award because we just happened to have a good year. It is the result of years of intentional hard work, innovation and dedication toward student success. We took up a challenge and changed how we do business. We developed a mindset that says Yes We Can!

When we started the Community First plan I said it would take a few years to see the results of our labors and now we are seeing them. Still, the best is yet to come.

We are on an amazing journey together and I greatly appreciate your support and what you do day in and day out.

I wish you could have been there with us tonight. You each deserved to be recognized. We are bringing home the trophy for a year. Celebrations to come. I’d like to get a pic of each of you with this symbol of our success.

Congratulations!

Bill