“You never know what a day will bring forth.” My Irish immigrant father, whose formal education extended only to the fifth grade, passed away thirty years ago. But, I still benefit from the wisdom contained in many of my father’s oft-repeated sayings.
Greece, of course, is renowned as a seedbed of ancient wisdom. But, contemporary Greece and especially my colleagues at The American College of Greece have taught me a lot as well. Among the lessons is humility in planning.
The reality in which ACG operated in 2015 was unimaginable when I joined the College in 2008. In fact, many of the circumstances surrounding ACG’s 140-year history, which we celebrate this year, were unimaginable.
How does one plan in the face of the unimaginable, the unforeseeable? With humility!
As we look to 2016, we are confident in ACG’s mission: “To add distinctive and sustainable value to our students as well as Greece, American education, Hellenic heritage, and the global community through transformative teaching, scholarship and service.” We are also confident that ACG has the very real potential to realize its vision: “To establish The American College of Greece as the premier, independent, comprehensive, educational institution in southeastern Europe.“
The strategies by which we have pursued this mission and vision have produced encouraging results, even in Greece’s recent, unimaginable circumstances. And so, even though I realize now more certainly the inescapable truth of my father’s wisdom – “You never know what a day will bring forth” – my humility about planning for ACG’s future is leavened with optimism. For all members of the ACG community, we wish the best in 2016!
David G. Horner, PhD
President
The American College of Greece