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A Conversation about Current Events & Trying Times

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Dear AMU and APU students, alumni, faculty and staff members,

While I have not written to all of you very often, there are moments in the life of the country and the university that call me to start a conversation. I am reaching out to share some thoughts regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the events happening in Afghanistan, as well as the upcoming 20th anniversary of September 11.

Many veterans have strong feelings from memories of service and sacrifice, as will all those old enough to remember what unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001, at the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The outcome of those events changed our lives, including those of many brave men and women who voluntarily put first the mission of service.

I believe the world is a safer place because of your service. The sacrifices our country and our citizens made were not made in vain. The last 20 years of greater security at home, and greater freedom in Afghanistan, are remarkable accomplishments that few predicted at the outset. We might all wish for more, but, still, we can be grateful for what was done.   

Our nation often calls upon the military when politics and policy run out of options. My grandfather served in World War I. He was heartbroken to see the next generation return to Europe to finish the work, but he never doubted that he had done the right thing in his service. He risked his life, helped bring a terrible conflict to an end, and the solution worked—at least for some time. He lived cheerfully into old age knowing he had done what duty asked of him.

Nothing I can offer will change what you might be experiencing, but please know our community is filled with people who would want to talk about the events happening today and over the past two decades. We hope we can share experiences with each other, a squadmate, battle buddy, friend, or family member. I encourage you to consider connecting with a friend who lost someone—even if it has been years since your last communication. Connecting and discussion can heal. It can help someone you may not have realized who needs to reconnect. It can even save a life.

There are many resources to help, and several are listed below. Your APUS faculty and staff are affected as well. We are here to listen and support those who might need it.  We need you to be part of the conversation today and always.

Thank you and God bless you.

Sincerely,

Wade T. Dyke
President, APUS

Please feel free to reach out if we can provide support and consider sharing the resources below with others:

Dr. Wade Dyke is President of APUS. He has a wealth of experience in education and business within private, non-profit and public enterprises. Before coming to APUS in August 2020, he served as CEO of Great Hearts Academies, a charter school network with some 19,000 students. Prior to that, Dr. Dyke was the president of Kaplan University (now known as Purdue Global University), where he worked for nine years in several jobs of ascending executive responsibility, including as Executive Vice President of Higher and Professional Education. He was instrumental in expanding online learning options for campus-based and online students while simultaneously enhancing policies and practices to promote growth and innovation throughout the Kaplan organization. Dr. Dyke has also held the CEO role at Chancellor Beacon Academies, after starting his business career at International Paper Company. He served at the Department of Education as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Secretary during the President George H.W. Bush Administration. Dr. Dyke is a Rhodes Scholar and former White House Fellow who earned his PhD and Master of Arts Degree at the University of Oxford in politics and economics. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Oxford and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He also worked as an assistant professor at the Ohio State University.

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