From the President
It is my pleasure to welcome you to graduate study at Marietta College. Since its founding in 1835 the College has been widely recognized as one of the outstanding educational institutions in the United States, and we retain today the original goal of educating students in “the various branches of useful knowledge.” As you pursue your program of graduate study you will have the opportunity to delve into your chosen field of “useful knowledge,” to apply yourself in the pursuit of greater depth, and to prepare yourself for the hurdles you will face as a graduate and practitioner. You will surely encounter significant academic challenges along the way. Only by accepting and surmounting these challenges will you truly develop the expertise and authority you are seeking and you will be assisted by outstanding faculty mentors who will guide you through your program of study.
Marietta College offers two graduate degrees. The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies prepares health care professionals to address the most pressing issues facing physicians and patients in Ohio, the nation, and the world. Graduates of Marietta’s program will join this rapidly growing cadre of Physician Assistants and make a difference in the lives of so many patients. The MA program in Psychology serves recent college graduates, current undergraduate students who participate in Marietta’s 3+2 program, and practicing professionals who seek a deeper understanding of the human condition and who wish to advance in their social service career.
On the next page you will see listed Marietta’s seven core values, and you will soon observe that your program is closely aligned with these values. Our undergraduate programs are based on a liberal arts foundation, and your graduate program benefits from the expertise our faculty members have developed across a range of subfields within their disciplinary area. Marietta faculty combine this expertise with a deep commitment to your intellectual and personal growth, and many Marietta alumni, undergraduate and graduate alike, cite close student-faculty relationships as one of the most profound benefits and cherished memories of their time on campus. The core values also express a commitment to in-depth study, and you will surely find this depth in your graduate studies, since each program is designed to immerse you in the latest research and key theoretical advances in the discipline. This will prepare you for the work you will do in your chosen field, and it will undoubtedly provide you with the tools you seek to establish yourself as a leader in your professional community.
As a career educator, I frequently urge students to view their formal studies as a beginning, as the strong foundation needed for a lifetime of learning. None of us can know with certainty the challenges that will arise in our careers or academic disciplines, and so our best, arguably only, recourse is to prepare ourselves to adapt to the shifting landscape we will surely encounter. I firmly believe that this requires a combination of deep engagement, broad interdisciplinary thinking, an agile mind, and a willingness to push our knowledge across new boundaries. You have taken the next step on this deeply satisfying journey of lifelong learning and I congratulate you on your choice. I wish you continued success in your academic endeavors and look forward to celebrating your successes and learning of your future contributions to your field.
WILLIAM N. RUUD