With America’s 250th celebration next week, we have been reflecting on the leaders who played such a foundational role in our country’s founding and the far-reaching impact of their legacy. Here are two ways you can be inspired to use your authority and influence in good, meaningful, and important ways.
Build Something Bigger Than Yourself. The Founders were not building careers—they were building a nation they hoped would outlast them by centuries. As a higher education leader, your most important work is similarly generational: the students you graduate, the faculty you develop, and the institutional culture you shape will extend far beyond your tenure. Lead with that horizon in mind.
Courage Over Comfort. The decisions that defined the founding era were rarely easy or safe. Meaningful leadership still requires the willingness to make hard calls, hold unpopular positions, and act on principle when consensus is elusive. Your institution needs your courage as much as it needs your competence.
