The University of West Georgia hosted the official launch of the Becoming UWG Strategic Planning process Tuesday night in a virtual gathering featuring President Dr. Brendan B. Kelly.

The virtual event was hosted by UWG faculty member Dr. Hazel Cole, public relations program head and associate professor of mass communications, and UWG student Ashley Moore, a senior studying political science and mass communications with a concentration in convergence journalism.

During the event, Kelly outlined his forward-thinking strategic vision for the university’s future. 

“A strategic planning process of this scope deserves a memorable experience and a depth of conversation that allows us to be forward-thinking together to start it off,” Kelly said. “It’s a process rooted in confronting our present so that we are better able to create our future. It’s a process that will fuel and guide our institutional becoming.”

“Becoming UWG” will serve as the overarching theme for the planning process but will also be embedded in everything the university does. The process will be guided by three pillars: relevance, competitiveness and placemaking.

Although firmly poised upon foundations dating back thousands of years, to break new ground in the landscape of higher education, Kelly said UWG will need to continue to evolve to stay relevant to the interests and needs of students, and to a changing world and economy.

“UWG is built on the foundation of ancient principles that are relevant to humanity now and in the future,” Kelly said. “People want to engage in experiences that are relevant, that move their lives forward, that make them better. We have to be able to take those expectations and translate them into action.” 

By utilizing these three pillars, Kelly said UWG will be positioned to evolve and grow to meet the needs and expectations of its stakeholders. 

“This process is about us getting better every day,” Kelly said. “Better for the sake of Carrollton, Georgia. Better for the sake of the West Georgia region. Better for the sake of the state of Georgia. It’s a process for our future; it is our collective becoming.” 

To learn more about the strategic visioning process or to watch a recording of the virtual gathering, visit the Becoming UWG webpage.