How We Live Our Values

Boston University’s core values—Integrity, Inclusion, Community, Collaboration, Excellence, Learning, Service, and Global—emerged from a year of community dialogue that brought together faculty, staff, students, alumni, and leadership from across the University.

They represent who we are and who we aspire to be.

In these conversations, BU community members share what these values mean in practice and how they come to life in our work every day.

Integrity

James McCarty, clinical assistant professor at the School of Theology, discusses how integrity shapes his teaching and relationships with students. He shares why building authentic connections before conflict arises makes honest dialogue possible—and why showing up as an active citizen helps BU’s values become real.

Inclusion

Yvette Cozier, associate dean and professor at the School of Public Health, explains how inclusion shapes our work and teaching at BU. She shares how creating space for accommodations, rest, and diverse learning styles ensures everyone has not just a seat at the table but also what they need to succeed.

Community

Nicholaus Bates, director of the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, shares how community comes to life through dialogue programs and daily gatherings that bring students, faculty, staff, and Boston neighbors together. He reflects on what it takes to build healthy community where difficult conversations, deep listening, and genuine connection across differences can thrive.

Collaboration

Hee-Young Park, dean ad interim of the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, explains why collaboration is central to biomedical research and medical education. She describes how setting aside personal interests to work toward common goals—and listening deeply to students, faculty, and staff—drives the “big, bold” advances that transform patient care and lives.

Excellence

Kathy Nguyen (CDS’28) shares what excellence means to her as a BU student—not perfection but growth, effort, and becoming a better version of yourself. From Orientation and FYSOP to helping set up a Boston public school classroom, she explains how striving for excellence connects to taking on new opportunities and strengthening our community.

Learning

Tina Durand, clinical associate professor at Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, shares how learning is a continuous, lifelong process that extends far beyond the classroom. She explains how she creates inclusive learning spaces that honor diverse learning styles and how her department embraces a “growing together” mind-set—openly sharing challenges and learning from mistakes.

Service

Jessica Lee (CGS’24, Pardee’26) shares how her family’s story inspired her to address language and cultural gaps in healthcare for patients with limited English proficiency. Using research funding, she partnered with Boston Medical Center to create visual tools that make healthcare communication more accessible—while serving as a peer mentor helping first-year and international students build community at BU.

Global

Clark Warner, lecturer at Questrom School of Business, shares how BU’s global nature comes to life—from Questrom’s six-story atrium lined with flags representing students’ and alumni’s home countries to study seminars that take entire classes abroad. These immersive experiences in South America, the Middle East, and beyond help students understand complex issues in local contexts and prepare them to lead in an interconnected world.