During the fall of my junior year in college my education policy professor (and mentor) handed me a book he wanted me to read: How to Change the World by David Bornstein.  I remember taking the book in my hands and staring at the bold title.  I thought to myself, “Did my professor really think that I could change the world?”  I felt extremely honored.  That might seem like a strange way to describe my emotion at that moment, but the act of someone I so deeply respected believing in me to CHANGE THE WORLD, quite simply, changed my life.  I set higher expectations for myself.  I worked harder.  I woke up in the middle of the night to scribble down ideas.  But my professor’s intent was not solely to boost my self-confidence; he also asked me to brainstorm methods of sharing the book’s valuable lessons with a large audience in an impactful way.  I didn’t know it at the time, but this conversation served as my introduction to the concepts of social embeddedness and scale.

Fast-forward five years.  I am part of a team of University Innovation Fellows tasked with supporting and enhancing ASU’s efforts to become a New American University. I moved across the country for the opportunity to be a part of this groundbreaking shift in higher education.  I have only been here for four days, but my passion and energy levels soar through the roof.  After years of working towards this moment, I am now in a position to help foster a culture that is committed to positive change for our local and global communities.

To this end, this week I spent most of my time thinking and writing about how we communicate social embeddedness internally and externally.  Here is one simple, yet poignant example of the power of lexicon: My boss and I discussed the need to articulate that ASU is “A” (rather than “The”) New American University.  Use of “the” implies that ASU is the only university that will rethink higher education and take the necessary steps to advance the principles of access, excellence, and impact.  Use of “a” presupposes that more universities will follow suit; ASU is building a model that can and will be replicated.

My next step is to have as many conversations with students, faculty, staff, alum, and community members as possible.  If you would like to talk to me about social embeddedness, please send me an email or give me a call. Tomorrow I will attend the Fall Service Plunge, a university-wide day of community service.  I will be volunteering at a health fair that serves at-risk children.  In my next posting I will share stories about the students I meet.  Students who are getting up early on a Saturday morning to make an impact on society.  On September 25, I look forward to meeting some of ASU’s graduate and professional student leaders at the Graduate Leadership Summit.

Although I am interested in getting to know all stakeholders, I am particularly excited about my interactions with students.  As President Obama declared at Commencement a few months ago, “With a degree from this university, you have everything you need to get started – you have no excuses not to change the world.”