Dear members of the Hood College Community:

Tragically, the events over the weekend on the University of Virginia campus and in Charlottesville serve as another reminder of the hatred that exists in our society and that such hatred can lead to horrific acts of violence. We mourn the lives so senselessly lost and send support to the UVA community as they prepare to begin the academic year.

The events in Charlottesville demonstrate that colleges are not insulated from the tragedy that may result from such hateful ideology. Hood College’s core values, based on the words ascribed to the four pillars of Alumnae Hall, stand in strong contradiction to such hatred:

HOPE: To believe that everyone can have a positive impact in the world and that education is instrumental in creating and sustaining hope.
OPPORTUNITY: To fully use one’s talents and skills to realize professional and personal achievement and to help create and realize opportunities for others.
OBLIGATION: To fulfill personal and professional responsibilities with integrity and to be a responsible steward and servant to the betterment of others and this world.
DEMOCRACY: To embrace diversity, foster freedom of thought and expression, and to promote engaged citizenship both in self and others.

As we prepare for a new academic year and welcome new members to the Hood community, let us reaffirm our commitment to living these values in both word and deed.

Best,

Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
President