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Gee Mail: Know Your Strengths, Find Your Purpose

I wake up each day knowing my purpose. I know I am meant to guide our students, faculty, staff and alumni to make our campus community and our state a better place for all. Knowing that purpose provides me with clarity and enthusiasm. And that is why I am so pleased our Purpose Center is helping West Virginia University students use their talents to chart their own paths toward a purposeful life.

One tool the Purpose Center uses to identify core talents is the CliftonStrengths assessment. This assessment identifies our strengths and tells us more about who we are, how we show up for ourselves, and how we show up for others. When we lean into our strengths, we can create the change that matters to us.

An individual’s top 5 CliftonStrengths paint a unique picture. The chances of two people having the same top 5, in the same order, is 1 in 34 million. Once you better understand your strengths, you are better able to understand how you learn and work – and how your strengths complement and enhance others around you.

In this GeeMail, I took some time for a Strengths coaching session to learn more about my top 5: Intellection, Learner, Achiever, Arranger and Woo. (I know, everyone is surprised I have Woo in my top 5.) I encourage all of you to know your strengths and better understand how your talents align with others to make a difference – not only at West Virginia University but in the world around you.

Let’s Go!