Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

It’s the dream of most college students to graduate debt-free. But Aidan Garland ’25 walked across the stage at graduation owing close to $10 grand, and it’s all his fault. 

No, he didn’t rack up record fines at Roesch Library or become public enemy number one of UD Parking Services. Garland is giving back to the place and the organizations that have meant so much to him these past four years. 

“As Christians, I believe that we’re called to live generously,” said Garland as he talked about his decision to make a $9,300 pledge to the University directed to UD Cru. “And that is something that I haven’t been able to do because, well, college is expensive.” 

Garland knows exactly how much a UD degree costs. His parents have helped when possible, but he’s worked hard to pay his own way by earning scholarships, working campus jobs, and holding internships and co-ops. He even stretched his entrepreneurial muscles by starting to offer photography services. He was between graduation shoots when he sat down to talk about his experience — and his pledge.

“I just felt like it was a no-brainer to give back to a group that was so impactful to me in my faith and in my college experience,” said Garland. “If you’re young in your faith and you’re looking to grow, but you maybe don’t know how to or don’t have the support system to be able to do that, Cru fits that really well.” 

Although Cru, which was formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ in the U.S., doesn’t have any staff on campus, Garland said they have a super tight relationship with UD Campus Ministry. When he first joined, Cru had one student officer. Today, visiting the UD Cru site shows that they have seven officers, 99 members, and have hosted 345 events. 

That positive growth is a big part of Garland’s UD story too. He might be reluctant to take personal credit for the change, but he would definitely take every chance he could to participate. He chose UD over several competing top engineering schools because of the openness to diverse opportunities and experiences that he found in the people he met here during his second tour — one he said he really attended on a whim because he lives nearby.  

“I was speaking to the tour guide who had this very packed experience where she got to do all of these things and still pursue her degree, and UD was very supportive about it,” said Garland. 

He said it was at this point that he knew UD was for him, because that was exactly what he wanted for his college experience. 

“It felt like I would be supported by my professors and my classmates, because it sounded like everyone was involved in so much.” 

And get involved he did. Garland was in marching band — including leading as drum major for three years; head operations ambassador for the School of Engineering Student Ambassadors; president of Cru; and a member of jazz band, Flyer pep band, jazz ensemble and the symphonic wind ensemble. He studied abroad for a semester in Madrid, visiting nine countries while he was there. He also completed four internships, and he even managed to get engaged.  

His last internship was with Stryker Corporation. He landed a permanent role there before beginning his final year at UD, working part-time remotely over the course of his last semester. As his UD career drew to a close, he ramped up his hours — and that is what really led to his pledge.

“As I’ve been setting up my budget for starting full-time work and living on my own, I wanted to incorporate that giving side of it from the get-go, because I didn’t want it to become something that I tried to add later.”

Now that, fellow Flyers, is a young alum with a plan and someone to keep your eyes on. What else is on his to-do list besides getting married and moving to Kalamazoo to start work at Stryker? 

Garland eventually wants to earn his MBA because, at heart, he believes that the experiences that arose because he chose UD, whether in the Pride of Dayton, the School of Engineering or Cru, all helped him come to understand that leadership is his true calling. 

As much as he looks forward to developing products at Stryker, developing people there probably won’t be far behind for this Flyer.