I am honored to serve in the role of your new president and to build upon our legacy of offering a comfortable and collaborative learning environment that prioritizes academic excellence and student success. I especially look forward to meeting our new and returning students, as together we embark upon the 2020/2021 academic year!

As we anticipate a new semester, let us pause to look back at the challenges our campus, like thousands more, faced last spring: First a pandemic, shutting down our communities and changing the landscape for universities around the world. Then a sobering reminder that the battle for equality and humanity is far from over.

I want to take this opportunity to say that our students, faculty, and staff clearly met the challenge of reinventing the university with creativity and resilience. As we enter this new academic year, we are still facing restrictions due to COVID-19, but working together, we will continue to meet these challenges safely, and we will be all the stronger for the energy and enthusiasm of the new students joining our academic community.

UWest was founded by Venerable Hsing Yun of the humanistic Buddhist order of Fo Guang Shan. His vision of bringing East and West together through the experience of a U.S. higher education informed by Buddhist wisdom and committed to diversity is unique. Our values of Character, Compassion, and Community are built upon this foundation and animate our programs. UWest remains committed to providing a whole-person education to prepare our graduates for their roles as ethical global citizens, carrying our values forward to help reduce suffering and increase equality.

The new academic year will bring challenges, but challenges help us grow. The year will also bring exciting new opportunities. Here at UWest you will make new friends with people from cultures and faiths from around the world. You will take classes with faculty who are experts in their fields and be supported by a dedicated team of service providers. From our experienced faculty to the dedicated advisors, from the Success Center to the Library and Residence Halls, we are here to serve our students and alumni as well as our local and global communities.

Please join us as we fulfill the vision of our founder and those who have contributed to our success.

Sincerely,

Minh-Hoa Ta, Ed.D.
President