It takes a vision to grow a university. If you look up the definition of a vision statement, it will likely read: An aspirational description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish in its long-term future.
Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks, Norfolk State’s first president, had a vision. He would often say that one day Norfolk State would stretch from Park Avenue on the west to Merrimac Avenue (now Ballentine Boulevard) on the east. Dr. Brooks was not willing to settle for the 55-acre tract along Corprew Avenue that the college had acquired in the 1950s and its one building Tidewater Hall. Many may have felt that his aspirations for Norfolk State were not achievable.
Yet when he retired in 1975, the campus extended westward to Park Avenue and consisted of 100 acres of land, two residential towers, a fine arts building, a dining hall and a three-story library. During his 37 years as president, he could transform even the most mundane things into new and exciting ideas. As you’ll begin reading on Page 3, Dr. Brooks knew that the noise and inconvenience of construction on campus was the aspirational ‘Sound of Progress’ — Vision.
Today, Norfolk State continues to build upon the evolutionary and prophetic thinking of Dr. Brooks. This issue of BEHOLD illustrates how the University continues to move forward, progressing toward a more expanded 21st Century vision while affirming the ideals that Dr. Brooks cherished. We’re re-imagining the physical campus, our academic offerings and relationships with the greater community even as we remain steadfast to the principle of “putting students first.”
The Master Plan article (Page 6) chronicles the transformation of the Norfolk State University campus over the last decade and highlights new projects. The dedication of our new Cybersecurity Complex and the launch of two cutting-edge fields of study … cyberpsychology and cybersociology … squarely points us toward a futuristic vision of Norfolk State. The BEHOLD feature (Page 16) reminds us that there are still barriers to overcome. The article profiles the unexpected history-making achievement of a young alumna who broke a barrier in NASCAR. The University’s newest video (Page 24) provides us with a soul-stirring reminder of the important work that faculty and staff carry out every day as six alumni describe how Norfolk State saw the future in them, and changed their lives. We will be sharing that video with you soon.
As we look back to the past and forward to the future, Norfolk State University is an HBCU for the Modern World, grounded by our heritage, focused on the future, and deeply committed to student success. Truly, a place that Dr. Brooks be very proud of.
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