In February of 2021, the University community began a conversation on guiding principles to “reassert and reinforce what it means for Sewanee to truly dwell together in unity.” Over the course of that spring semester, more than 400 colleagues, students, and alumni from the College and the School of Theology came together to identify and describe our shared values. After six months of gathering and analyzing input, four University values emerged.
At the University of the South, we value:
INQUIRY
We develop open-minded, informed, and intellectually engaged individuals.
COMMUNITY
We cultivate respectful, inclusive, and enduring relationships.
FLOURISHING
We share responsibility for the well-being of one another and the Domain.
COURAGE
We strive for justice, equity, and sustainability in Sewanee and in the broader society.
We would like to note that these represent our shared values, not any one group or person’s values. The committee responsible for developing these values worked conscientiously and collaboratively to ensure our values accurately reflect the input of the larger community. Additionally, these values will be reviewed every five years so updates can be made to meet the needs of the Sewanee community.
