by Wallace Southerland III, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students
“Kindness has a beautiful way of reaching down into a weary heart and making it shine like the rising sun.” — Unknown
With National Random Acts of Kindness Day quickly approaching on Feb. 17, it is important to step back and reflect on ourselves, our campus and our world.
Student Affairs is pleased to introduce a new blog, Michigan Tech: The Kindest University, to highlight the incredible acts of kindness occurring all across our campus. The blog is focused on a single but powerful idea: kindness.
In November 2022, on World Kindness Day, the Student Affairs leadership team endorsed the idea of continuing to promote kindness throughout 2023. We know that kindness is already occurring. But we are sometimes hesitant to acknowledge our kindness because it may be perceived as bragging or rewarding people for doing something that we should be doing anyway.
It’s always a good time to be kind to ourselves and to others. We live in a precarious world surrounded by sadness, pain, frustration, disappointment, anger, fear and despair. But we are also surrounded by joy, hope, resilience, love, faith and compassion. We just need to choose which force, feeling or emotion will get our energy and attention. Our blog is intended to highlight the incredible members of the Michigan Tech community who are choosing kindness.
A simple act of kindness can make a difference to a person. Acts of kindness do not have to be grand. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact and can often change a person’s mood for a moment, a day or much longer. Kindness can also have a positive impact on one’s self-esteem and overall well-being.
This new blog will celebrate kindness. Individuals will be invited to share their experiences, perspectives, research, resources and suggestions related to kindness. Ultimately, we hope the stories will inspire more conversations and acts of kindness at Tech, so that we can be a healthier and more impactful institution in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Help us highlight how Michigan Tech is the kindest university! Whether you experience kindness firsthand or witness it happening to a fellow Husky, we want to encourage you to share your story and thoughts on our blog.
Visit the new Kindness at Tech website to learn more about this powerful concept and what we can do to model and celebrate kindness.