Our Mission
“Increase in Excellence,” the historic motto of Emory & Henry College, expresses our intention to be a learning community that moves toward fulfilling every student’s potential.
Bishop John Emory, along with the founders of Methodism, symbolizes our belief in the union of faith and learning, while Governor Patrick Henry symbolizes our commitment to freedom and civic virtue.
Mission Statement
We affirm the Christian faith as our spiritual and moral heritage and encourage all our members to grow in faith as they grow in knowledge. We believe in the worth of each person’s religious and cultural heritage, inasmuch as that heritage leads to service to others in our region and the larger world.
We affirm the liberal arts as our intellectual foundation for undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs and we believe that excellence results when everyone actively participates in the educational process. We challenge all persons to confront historical and contemporary ideas and issues and to develop the ability to think critically about all areas of human experience and to pursue research as appropriate.
These traditions provide the context for our pursuit of excellence, as we engage a diverse group of well-qualified persons in educational experiences that lead to lives of service, productive careers, and global citizenship.
Revised by the Emory & Henry College Community, Fall 2016.
Reaffirmed by the Emory & Henry College Board of Trustees, October 29, 2016.
Strategic Plan 2020-23 “Pivot Toward the Future”
From the President, Dr. John W. Wells
Founded in 1836 as Southwest Virginia’s first institution of higher education, Emory & Henry has been educating students for over 180 years. In order to remain relevant and vibrant in the coming years, Emory & Henry must act strategically and proactively to remain a leader in higher education, which is why our Board of Trustees adopted four high-level strategic priorities in the summer of 2017 to guide our efforts in the coming years.
With those four strategic priorities anchoring our efforts, we set out to engage all of our stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and friends of the College) at a series of listening events where we solicited input on what elements a new strategic plan should include. Numerous working groups met, envisioned, reimagined, debated and discussed ideas. What follows are the results of those conversations. Three pillars form the foundation upon which our new strategic plan is built: Connections, Access and Place. In short, we will strive to connect our traditional liberal arts education at the undergraduate level to the “world of work” to ensure that our students are ready to enter the workforce or go on to post-baccalaureate study and make a positive difference locally and in the world. We must remain an affordable option for students and their families that provides access to our world-class professors and curriculum that sets them on a path for success. And we will embrace this special place we call home in the scenic mountains of Appalachia and its people as we forge new partnerships with neighbors, colleagues, businesses and local governments and search for creative and innovative ways in which to improve the economic future for us all.
With your support, I am confident that together, we will act boldly and in such a way to ensure that Emory & Henry’s best days are in front of us.