As Davis & Elkins College’s fall semester winds down and Christmas nears, our campus feels more than ever like home. For many of our students, D&E is not simply where they study—it is where they live, grow, worship, celebrate, and find belonging. In countless ways, they have made this campus their home, and during the holiday season that truth becomes especially vivid.
We have literally “decked the halls” to reflect the warmth of the season. Christmas trees glow softly in the gathering spaces of our buildings, twinkling lights brighten the evenings, and fresh pine is in the air. These simple decorations remind us that home is not just a place; it is a feeling—a sense of comfort, welcome, and community. Even students far from their families discover that they are not alone here. They are surrounded by friends, mentors, and a campus family who create a home for one another.
One of the defining qualities of a true home is the way it shapes hearts toward service. This season, our students once again stepped out to bless the wider community, offering their time and talents in meaningful ways. Our students are providing crafts and games to Elkins-area children at the community tree lighting celebration. Led by our Student Government Association as well as Staff Council, food is being both collected and purchased for the community food pantry sponsored by our friends at Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church. Our Greek organizations are sponsoring gifts for local children through the Angel Tree Project, and faith-based student organizations are supporting Operation Christmas Child. These acts of service show that home is not a place we keep to ourselves—it is something we share.
That spirit of togetherness shines brightly at the annual Community Christmas Parade where a few hundred of our student-athletes join Lisa and me as we make our way down Randolph Avenue. We walk this parade route in unity, representing D&E with pride and joy, reminding the greater community that our campus home is an essential part of the heartbeat of our town.
The campus community will soon be gathering for my most beloved tradition of the season: the Service of Lessons and Carols. This evening of worship draws members of the campus and Elkins community together as one family. Inside the Robbins Memorial Chapel, filled with familiar carols and sacred readings, we celebrate the true meaning of the Christmas season.
At its core, Christmas is about giving—giving gifts, giving time, giving ourselves. This spirit of giving naturally flows from God’s gift bestowed to us: Emmanual, God with us. The coming of the Baby of Bethlehem reminds us that we find our true home in Him, and through Him we learn what it means to love, serve, and welcome others.
As we embrace this holy season, I am deeply grateful for the home we share on this campus. It is a home built on faith, strengthened by community, and brightened by generosity. It is a place where students discover who they are and who they are called to become. It is a blessing to celebrate the holidays together in a campus we proudly call home.
May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy, and the warmth of home—here and wherever this season finds you.
The journey continues…
Chris A. Wood
President
Davis & Elkins College
