Dear Albion College Community,

I am honored to officially welcome you on the first day of classes. For returning Brits, welcome back to this beautiful place. To our new students, we are delighted you have joined our strong and vibrant community. To our wonderful faculty and staff, I am delighted to be part of this amazing team.

Like many of you, this is my first semester at Albion. While it is exciting to start a new journey, I will be the first to admit that it can be challenging as well. I can assure you, since moving to this community, I can confidently say we have all chosen an excellent place to live and learn. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming to my family. We, in turn, will be just as supportive in welcoming you.

In my first weeks here, one thing abundantly clear is the true commitment Albion faculty and staff have to our mission. They genuinely care for the student experience, and it shines through in everything they do. We want all students to feel they belong and to cultivate a love of learning rooted in the liberal arts tradition and academic excellence.

We have wonderful trustees, alumni, and supporters who are always looking out for the future of the College and ways to enhance student success. Beyond our close-knit campus, community leaders and businesses have also prepared for your arrival, and I would encourage you to explore all that Albion and the surrounding area have to offer. There’s a definite buzz of excitement in the air as we enter this academic year.

Over the next four months, I’m especially looking forward to spending time getting to know our students. I can’t wait to experience many great traditions alongside you, such as Briton Bash on Aug. 30, Homecoming weekend Sept. 29-30, a host of concerts, recitals, and so much more. I’ll be cheering you on as you take to the stage, courts, and fields throughout the semester.

As we look ahead, I’m also eager to gather more campus and community input on the future of Albion. We have a strong 188-year foundation and hallmark experiences to build upon, including:

• A commitment to the residential liberal arts and sciences experience.
• Our pioneering work to create experiential learning opportunities that grow the capacity of our students as well as those of the local community.
• Our strength in athletic and co-curricular offerings.
• Distinctive institutes and programs in public policy, service, business, belonging, the environment, and health.
• A strong and supportive network of alumni ready to connect with fellow Brits.

For now, I’m wishing you all a great start to the semester — study hard as you pursue your purpose!

Wayne P. Webster, Ed.D.
President
Albion College