“Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.” Wendell Berry
We live in challenging times. We look around us and we see change (expected and unexpected), unpredictability, trauma, distress, malaise, tribalism, nativism, jingoism, confusion. How do we respond? How should we respond? How could we respond?
Here at ACC we have four values to guide our work: Courage, Compassion, Joy, and Yes. These values are our accountability markers. Are we courageous in our decision-making and actions, doing what’s best for students? Do we act with compassion towards our students, faculty, and staff as we go through our days? Do we collaborate with our colleagues across “silos” to best serve our students, even when we have to say no? In other words, do we try to find a different “yes” or a “no, but we could do this instead”? And most importantly, do we find joy in our work?
Joy can be hard to find when the world around us is one of disputation and discord. That’s why I love the quote above. We can still be joyful, despite all evidence to the contrary. We can consider the facts and still choose joy. For me, going through life joyfully means finding things that delight me and celebrating those things. Delight at work, for me, is found every day in collaboration, in collegiality, in a professional community, and in commitment to a common cause.
Our joy at work sparks joy for our students, their families and our community. These two pictures from our Spring 2025 graduation say it all. This is why I come to work every day, and this is why I find joy in my work.
I invite you to join me in finding joy – in your work, in your friendships, in your family, and in your community. Consider all the facts, and yet – find joy.