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Hello, and welcome.

It is my pleasure and privilege to share my thoughts with you.

My unyielding belief in higher education as a public good and as a path for transforming both individual lives and societies has guided me throughout my 30+ year career. At the institutions I have called home over the years, I have acted with the singular notion that we must prepare students to adapt and succeed in a dynamic future—one where jobs as we know them may no longer exist; career mobility is the norm; and individuals are responsible for continuously creating value.

Today, furthering the mission of Western New England University (WNE)—a National University—is my work. As a new Traditional University, WNE prepares learners and earners for the future of work, equipping them to create value and thrive in a complex and hyperconnected world. 

We deliver on this proposition in three ways. First, as a New Traditional University, an institutional model that honors the best in traditional education and that is responsive to, and invigorated by, the challenges of the future. Second, by providing an agile mind education that prepares students to adapt and thrive; equipping them to learn, unlearn, and relearn, which will define success in the future of work. And third, by providing opportunity for personal exploration and growth through continuous, transformational learning so students discover their “why,” find their place in the world, and animate their unique value proposition.

I hope that my thoughts on learning agility, the future of work, and social impact spur you to innovate and add value in whatever pursuits you deem worthy.

I value your feedback and, as a lifelong learner, I hope to gain new insights from our interactions.

Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D.