Stronger Together – Unity Walk 2026

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Stronger Together – Unity Walk 2026

President Nesbitt, student Madison Jordan, and Director of Community, Belonging and Engagement Kira Maddox carry a banner as a crowd of students, faculty, and staff follow behind them.

Embracing differences, upholding shared values

A line of students, faculty, and staff walk away from the camera and across campus.

Putting feet to pavement amid the golden rays and the autumn colors as rich and multiple as the backgrounds and people that make up the campus community, the 2026 Unity Walk got underway October 19.

Organized by the Office of Community, Belonging, and Engagement, the Unity Walk stepped off at Duffy Plaza with hundreds of participants, including President Stephanie Nesbitt leading the way alongside students, faculty, and staff.

The 2026 event was held on the same day that 65 years prior saw the official dedication of the Burrstone Campus. At that time, it consisted of only two buildings – Hubbard and White Halls, with Strebel Student Center still under construction.

“In those 65 years, our campus has grown into much more than those first two buildings,” said Kira Maddox, Director of Community, Belonging, and Engagement. “Our traditions have grown with it, reflecting who we are and what we value as a community. The Unity Walk is one of those traditions. “

Students sign a commitment to uphold the shared values and create an open and inclusive community on campus.

During the event, the University community comes together, holding posters and signs signaling their causes and what belonging means to them.

Maddox asked the crowd to think as they walked about the kind of person they want to be.

“The answer isn't just found in what we say or what we believe,” she said. “It's reflected in the choices we make every day and in how we treat the people around us. Are you someone people can turn to when they need help, or when they're struggling? Are you someone who’s willing to speak up or step in when you see someone being treated unfairly? Are you proud of your actions, and of the legacy you’re creating at this institution? Those individual choices are what create a sense of belonging. Yes, we have this pledge on paper that you’ve all signed, but the true measure of a caring campus is looking at how we treat one another when no one else is watching.”

Other speakers included President Nesbitt as well as Director of Victim Advocacy & violence Prevention Alicia Reed, and Senior Political Science Student and Vice President of the Student Government Association, Madison Jordan.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, a coalition of students, faculty, and staff walked the streets of Utica in a demonstration of unity against people and institutions determined to sow division. Today, the Unity Walk is an annual tradition, celebrating the University's values of community and belonging. The event allows Pioneers to come together to publicly acknowledge the university’s stance on the importance of building a welcoming and inclusive community.

The event highlights Utica University’s common goal of creating a welcoming experience and shows that we are stronger together as Pioneers.

“The walk serves as a reminder that each of us plays a crucial role in creating a campus where all people feel valued and respected,” said Maddox. “It's a way to reaffirm our dedication to embracing differences, supporting one another, and acting as active bystanders to uphold our shared institutional values.”

A crowd of people circle around Bull Hall carrying a banner promoting unity.

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff members then march together around the Utica campus in a symbol of unity.

The crowd made their way around Strebel Auditorium, behind Thurston and Hubbard Halls, around Bull and White Halls, past F. Eugene Romano Hall, and the Science Center.

The event culminated back at Duffy Plaza where students enjoyed thoughtfully decorated doughnuts, took photos, enjoyed music, and chatted with friends and President Nesbitt.