Dialogue with President Beth Paul

We live in heavy times, marked by violence, mental health struggles, and a deep sense of discomfort with politics and race. While much wonder exists in our world, it often seems that negativity and injustice overshadow the beauty in our lives and the greatness of our humanity. I sometimes worry that I add to this shadow by repeatedly addressing these topics with the campus community. But ignoring injustice does no good, and calling attention to it exemplifies Nazareth’s unique relevance to society’s challenges. Since our founding, the changemaking action of Naz students, faculty, staff, and alumni have been an antidote for society’s illnesses. But deciding what, when, and how to discuss these issues isn’t easy. Nazareth can’t comment on every tragedy — there are simply too many. Waiting for a given situation to settle before commenting helps, but not always. While lines between right and wrong may seem clear, details are usually murky. Who or what to blame can shift, and potenti...

  Today marks one of the nation’s most solemn milestones, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In present day 2023, it’s important to acknowledge that the future Dr. King referenced in one of his most famous speeches – a “promised land” he could see from “the mountaintop” – was hoped to be well-established by now. A world defined by human rights for all people, regardless of the color of their skin.  While today is about appreciating the civil rights advances made in Dr. King’s time and in the decades since, it’s also about taking an honest look at where we as a society have fallen short. Civil rights for many Americans have improved since Dr. King spoke so eloquently of his dream, but his hope that people “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” remains elusive for far too many. Sometimes, to appreciate the present-day advances and challenges of civil rights in America, one has to delve back into the past. Our Martin Luther King Jr. Day speaker,...

  What a great time to be a Golden Flyer! In a historic move as Nazareth prepares to celebrate 100 years of educating our students, Nazareth’s board of trustees has formally voted to approve that the College will soon become  Nazareth University . It is now with the New York State Board of Regents to approve Nazareth’s university status. Once approved, the name — Nazareth University — officially takes effect on June 1, 2023. We have made the conscious decision to take the next seven months for the Nazareth community to thoughtfully transition to University. The decision has been a year-long process as we gathered feedback and perspectives from our Nazareth students, faculty, staff, and alumni about how a change to Nazareth University would affect our next 100 years. I thank each of you who answered surveys or shared your thoughts to inform this decision and shape the transition. I also thank the New York Board of Regents for the new definition of university, allowing Nazareth’...

  Today we observe  Veterans  Day, a day of celebration and gratitude honoring all  military   veterans  of the United States Armed Forces. As the nation salutes those who have served our country, Nazareth proudly recognizes the valuable contributions of student  veterans  and other  military -affiliated students to our campus community. Throughout the year, Nazareth is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment that allows  military -affiliated students and their families to thrive while pursuing their educational and life goals. The comprehensive financial and support services provided here have consistently distinguished Nazareth as one of the nation’s Best Colleges for  Veterans  by  U.S. News & World Report , and earned a 2022-2023  Military  Support College of Distinction recognition. Recently, Nazareth’s  Military  and  Veteran  Services  team began offering ...

  Hello and welcome to our new academic year! I'm excited that we'll soon be together on campus. Welcome to our newest students! You are joining a wonderful community, full of people who care about each other and our world and are here for you in every way. We are eager to get to know you as you bring your unique self to Naz — where you will feel belonging in our community and feel emboldened to pursue your passions!   And welcome back to our returning students. Every day, you make our Naz community the special place it is. We’ve missed you this summer, and we are eager to connect, hear about your summer adventures, and begin a year full of wonderful possibilities and transformative learning and impact. ​I continue to reflect on the significance of the times in which we are living, and draw inspiration and direction from our founders who created Nazareth as an antidote to a time so similar to our own.   What does it mean to be an antidote? An antidote counteracts or re...

Nazareth College Professor Ed Wiltse taught a unique class this past spring semester, Hitting the Road: Journeys in American literature. Half of the students were campus-based here at Nazareth and half were based at Groveland, a men's prison south of Rochester. Wiltse’s work is part of a growing national movement that advocates for access to higher education for all, as a pathway for equity and social justice. He joined three spring 2022 students and one past student from the course for a discussion on the Prez Paul Podcast: Ed Wiltse, Ph.D., professor of English and communication, who has been teaching at Nazareth for 23 years, and in a variety of local jail and prison settings for 20 years. Alec Goldammer  is a May 2022 Nazareth graduate with bachelor’s degrees in education and English literature. He is also a part of the student-veteran community, spending five-years in active duty in the United States Marine Corps before coming to Nazareth. Emily Denzler is a May 2022 Nazareth ...

  This weekend, we celebrate Juneteenth, a national holiday in celebration of June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved Black people were freed in the United States. We commemorate this important historical marker because of its importance for understanding the full narrative of our country.   As changemaker educators, we care about truth, integrity, and dignity in educating our students and ourselves about the full, contextualized story of the evolution of our country. This includes grappling honestly with our legacy of slavery; with how and why human rights like freedom and justice have been delayed and restricted for some people; with the continuing realities of barriers to progress for Black people; and with the strength, tenacity, and pride of Black people, community, and culture in the unwavering pursuit of human rights. It is only through a deeper understanding of our nation’s trials that we will further live up to its ideals.  Nazareth College stands for truth in...

  We grieve for the families, friends, and communities of the 10 people whose lives were senselessly taken and those who were injured in the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday. I am heartsick at what continues to be everyday terror for people simply because of their ancestry or identity.  We must confront — again and again — the terrible reality; hate crimes and acts of racially-motivated violent extremism are a scourge on our society and an assault on our shared humanity.   We as a campus community — as equity-minded changemakers, committed to a socially just, equitable, and anti-racist community — must continue our sustained movement to confront hate in all its forms. The horrific impact of systemic racism cannot be eradicated by a single action or statement — this is and must be our committed movement every day.   We must boldly condemn these acts of hatred that assault our society — that assault our families, friends, coworkers, and neighbo...

  By Beth Paul, President, and  Lisa Durant-Jones, Vice President for Community and Belonging At the beginning of this Spring 2022 semester, we outlined our action-based, community-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment. At that time we promised to be held accountable for results — to ensure that our DEI promises came to fruition. And so today, we share our progress — the important work done by members of our entire community — in advancing our movement and putting our plans into action. With gratitude for the efforts of our students, faculty, and staff in progress toward the DEI goals we all hold dear, we share the progress on these seven initiatives:  Nazareth Bias Response and Education Team (NBRET):  New NBRET leadership disseminated a survey to all students to determine their awareness of Nazareth’s anti-bias commitment, and to gauge their interest in participating in professional development and other learning opportunities to support the work of NBRE...

  A message of pride and gratitude at the end of this academic year from President  Paul . Watch the video If you'd like to send President  Paul  a postcard, letting her know about your adventures this summer, please send it to: The Office of the President, Nazareth College, 4245 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14618.