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Mission & Values

Mission & Values

Why we are here

A brighter tomorrow, together.

Everything we do, from how we teach to how we care for the forest, comes back to a short promise we made to the people of the Ridgeline region.

Sunrise spreading across the Ridgeline highlands
Read Our Story
Our Mission

Bold learning, rooted in place

Tumbleberry University opens the door to an excellent, affordable education for every curious person. We teach through discovery in classrooms, labs and the land around us. We work with our communities to solve real problems. And we prepare graduates to lead lives of purpose, in the Ridgeline region and around the world.

Explore Academics

Our values

Chosen by our founding students, faculty and staff

Curiosity

Ask the next question

We learn by doing, testing and wondering out loud, and we welcome being wrong on the way to being right.

Belonging

Everyone has a seat

We build a community where people of every background, ability and belief can thrive and be heard.

Stewardship

Care for the land

We protect our forest, rivers and farm, and we use resources as if our grandchildren were watching.

Courage

Take the harder trail

We try new ideas, speak honestly and keep going when the work gets steep.

Service

Show up for neighbors

We put our knowledge to work for the people and places around us.
A group of five students sitting together outdoors, laughing
Values in Action

What our values look like on a Tuesday

Values only matter if you can see them. Here is where they show up every day.

First-Year Trail SeminarEvery new Bear takes TBU 100, which pairs a big question with a hands-on project.Guaranteed paid junior internshipEvery student gets a paid internship, so experience never depends on who you know.Accessibility ServicesAccommodations, assistive technology and advocacy for students with disabilities.Campus berry farmForty acres where students grow food for Bramble Commons and local food banks.
Rolling green hills near campus in early summer
A glossy cluster of berries with green leaves, the Tumbleberry emblem
Strategic Plan

Trailhead 2030

Our goals for the next five years

Adopted by the Board of Trustees in June 2026 after a year of listening sessions with more than 3,000 students, employees and neighbors.

  1. Keep Tumbleberry affordableHold the average debt of graduates below $18,000 and grow need-based aid by 40 percent.
  2. Make research part of every degreeGive every student a research, creative or field experience before graduation.
  3. Close gaps in student successRaise the six-year graduation rate to 75 percent for every student group.
  4. Reach carbon neutralityPower the campus with 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.
  5. Serve the regionLaunch 20 new community research partnerships across the Ridgeline counties.