Lead principled lives of purpose and consequence
Mission Statement
Bridgewater College empowers students to lead principled lives of purpose and consequence marked by professional accomplishment and personal fulfillment. Our graduates are distinguished by their collaborative spirit, reason, and resilience of mind in service to a diverse and global community.
Statement of Institutional Values
Bridgewater College lives out its mission by embracing the ideals of Goodness, Truth, Beauty, and Harmony. Grounded in our historical ties with the Church of the Brethren, these ideals animate our mission and inspire us to educate students committed to pursuing truth, to living lives enriched by beauty and aspiring to goodness, and to achieving a vision of unity and community.
Goodness
We strive to produce graduates who engage the world with compassion, integrity, and humility, and who seek to build peaceful and just communities.
Truth
We embrace the open exchange of ideas leading to new understanding and knowledge through a liberal arts education that instills in students the skills and habits of mind to think critically and independently.
Beauty
We educate the whole person and recognize that the fullness of the human spirit requires an understanding of and commitment to passion, creativity, and imagination that give the world substance, vitality and depth.
Harmony
We celebrate the diversity among us while promoting civil discourse. We prepare graduates to live and work in community with others, to thrive as educated citizens, ethical and selfless leaders, and to be active participants in a global society where they serve with respect for the dignity and worth of every person.
Strategic Plan 2025
The Vision for Our Future: Strategic Plan 2025
Connected Learning – Enriching the BC Experience
Creating a transformative student experience integrating curricular and co-curricular experiences
- Revise the Foundations in the Liberal Arts (FILA) core curriculum as a distinctive component of the Bridgewater Experience
- Enhance the scope and impact of Eagles Engage: Rising to New Heights—A Curriculum for Bridgewater Student Life for all students
- Establish a collaborative advising system that includes faculty advisors, peer mentors, and alumni and community members
Ensuring high-impact practices for all students
- Expand study abroad, research, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities
- Enhance interactive learning environments in curricular and co- curricular spaces to improve educational engagement and outcomes
Enhancing the continuity of curriculum, career preparation, and alumni engagement
- Develop an integrative Center for Career Exploration, Development, and Collaboration
- Amplify the relevance of Bridgewater College in the lives of our alumni through engagement with students, faculty, and institutional programs
Distinctive Identity – Communicating the BC Experience
Establishing Bridgewater College’s position in the marketplace as a leading private, liberal arts college in Virginia
- Engage in a comprehensive market research and branding initiative consistent with institutional mission
- Ensure broad campus engagement with brand development
Utilizing market research effectively to strengthen the Bridgewater College value proposition as a first-choice school for prospective students
- Implement new graduate and undergraduate programs that are consistent with BC’s mission and where market demand and opportunity align
- Engage in institution-wide academic and administrative program review and prioritization
Creating a culture that embraces institutional strengths and successes to support competitive positioning in the higher education marketplace
- Strengthen internal communication and shared ownership of institutional priorities
- Foster institutional pride by celebrating the successes of students, faculty, staff, and alumni
- Ensure that all programs—academic, co-curricular, athletic, and administrative—are positioned to enhance and promote an institutional culture of excellence
- Develop and maintain systems for identifying and communicating student outcomes and successes
Implementing a data-informed brand and enrollment strategy
- Strengthen and expand a strategic marketing team that includes all necessary campus partners
- Create and implement an institutional strategic marketing plan
- Develop a brand-focused campus visit experience that highlights opportunities and outcomes of the Bridgewater Experience
- Enhance the recruitment strategy to identify and enroll students who will be successful Bridgewater College graduates
Sustainable Future – Ensuring the BC Experience
Developing innovative and enhanced revenue streams
- Strengthen institutional capacity for evaluating and implementing programmatic and business opportunities
- Explore alternative teaching modalities to promote student access consistent with institutional priorities and mission
- Develop transfer student pipeline model with community colleges
Improving retention and net revenue
- Continue to review and implement initiatives recommended by the Retention Committee
- Maintain competitive pricing and accessibility
Attracting increased levels of philanthropic resources
- Support new and existing initiatives, where relevant, for charitable contributions
- Expand charitable contributions from traditional and non-traditional sources
- Prepare to launch a major comprehensive campaign
Strengthening a high-performing culture
- Achieve and maintain competitive total compensation for faculty and staff relative to peer group
- Invest in professional development for faculty and staff
- Strengthen and diversify faculty and staff
- Broaden and deepen the governing board by identifying and cultivating new trustees
- Ensure consistently effective and efficient services across the institution
