President's Blog: From the Heart
One Community. One Family.
By Eric F. Spina
("The future holds every possibility you hold in your hearts today," I told the class of 2025 at the New Student Convocation. "The journey begins now." Here are my remarks to the University of Dayton's newest students, who make up the most diverse student body in school history.)
Good morning — and a warm Flyer welcome to the University of Dayton! Your University of Dayton!
Today, as you take the first tentative steps on your college journey, your emotions, understandably, may be all over the place. Am I ready? What does the future hold? And the biggest question of all: Who am I?
Class of 2025, you are destined to be leaders — and, because you are students at the University of Dayton, I know you will be leaders who will serve others with a compassionate heart and a critical mind. Leaders who will discover cures for diseases, inspire youth to dream big, engineer new products that will benefit humanity, and transform the world through your hunger to make it a better, more just place for all.
I want to reassure you that you are ready — more than ready — to embark down this road of self-discovery on the way to becoming the best possible version of yourselves.
And while you are on your own for the first time in your lives, you’re not alone.
You’re never alone here at UD, where we educate holistically — inside and outside the classroom, in Dayton and around the world — and in the family spirit.
Your relatives and loved ones are rooting for you. Your professors stand ready to mentor you inside and outside the classroom. And our caring staff — from campus ministers and counselors to resident assistants and the friendly cashiers in the dining halls — are here to support you.
Remember how you felt UD’s sense of community the first time you stepped foot on campus? Community is part of our DNA. It’s a way of life. It’s a shared vision.
As you settle into life in your new home, you’ll quickly discover you’re part of a community that supports and challenges one another. In our Catholic, Marianist tradition, we value collaboration, prize diversity, and treasure the gifts of all — and call on you to do the same.
That’s because this is your community, and we are always, always stronger together.
While classes haven’t yet started, I want to share an early and important lesson — the most successful and joyful people you encounter in life rarely go it alone. Even the smartest person in the room benefits from new ideas. I encourage you to be open, listen, and learn from each other’s perspectives. You will discover that creativity and innovation flourish when every one of you brings your diverse talents and backgrounds to our classrooms, laboratories, the city of Dayton, internships and co-ops, service projects, and study-abroad experiences.
Besides opening your minds to each other, you must also open your hearts. That means respecting the dignity of every member of our community, as defined by their identity, their background, and their beliefs. It’s a basic concept, as uncomplicated as God’s commandment to love one another. Yet, in practice, sometimes we stumble. When we hurt one another — consciously or unconsciously — show humility, seek grace, work to repair the hurt, and recommit to making our community more inclusive and welcoming for all.
You will meet people of various races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, and political thought. Some of you come from small farming communities in Ohio. Others were brought up in big cities like Chicago and New York. Still others have left your home countries to study here.
Reach out and develop relationships with people who are different from you. You will make new kinds of friends and learn more from those relationships than you thought possible about the world beyond your home street: nothing will prepare you better for the world you’ll enter after graduation.
Remember, we are one community. One family.
As I wrap up my remarks, I return to the three questions I posed at the beginning. Are you ready? What does the future hold? Who are you?
Yes, you’re ready. The future holds every possibility you hold in your hearts today. You are tomorrow’s servant-leaders. I cannot wait to follow you through your UD years and into a world that awaits your competence, character and, above all else, your giving hearts.
The journey begins now. Welcome to the University of Dayton! Your UD!
May God bless you and keep you in his grace.