For decades, the University of Connecticut had been built on the backs of undergraduate students, having been known as a fine public school primarily serving residents seeking a broad-based education in more fields than offered by any other in-state institution. It served that mission well.

But complacency is the enemy of progress. In a world changing at a faster pace than ever before, UConn, too, must continue to shape itself not just as an outstanding teaching academy and a high-quality patient care delivery system, but also as a research powerhouse and economic driver that is better positioned to positively influence the fortunes of Connecticut and a global community than any other entity in the region.

We in University Communications have the opportunity to create and reinforce a new definition of UConn for Connecticut's next generation. How we seize this moment will have a profound impact on the state of Connecticut for decades to come, as we carry the responsibility to guide the state toward a knowledge-based economy so critical to our future vitality and competitiveness.

How we convey UConn's story, realize our institutional potential, and fulfill our statewide leadership role is the most important thing we do. It's one thing to say that we're a national flagship research university and leader in academic medicine; it's another thing to demonstrate it and immerse our myriad of constituents in it.

Given the level of competition and rapidly changing media that has completely re-shaped consumer expectations, it likely never has been more urgent or critical for the university to more aggressively, consistently, and successfully position itself as one of America's elite comprehensive research universities serving Connecticut and the world.

Within our means, University Communications must find imaginative solutions to become a leader in innovative, proactive communication that directly engages our audiences. We must reach them. We must shape and deliver compelling content that in equal parts informs, intrigues, and inspires people. We must repeat, and continue repeating, the quality of the institution's faculty, students, and programs as being among the nation's very best.

Perhaps most importantly, we must be clear, consistent, and bold in doing all of the above. Challenge conventional thinking and process. Unleash creativity. Push the envelope. Stand out and be different. Anything less relegates us to the margin, lost amidst the white noise of cluttered media and a competitive marketplace.