President's Blog: From the Heart

By Eric F. Spina

I love visiting alumni around the country, but I also get a kick out of hanging out (virtually) on their porches, too.

During one recent porch talk, moderator Andrew Wong ’19, of the alumni community in Charlotte, North Carolina, asked me to name the “top five things alumni need to know in order to be in the know.”

What? Only five? Here goes:

1. Flyer graduates soar. A full 97 percent of 2021 graduates are working in their fields, attending graduate school, or completing a year of service. *And* our graduates command the highest starting salaries of any graduates of any university or college in the state, according to the The GradReports Salary Score.
2.  The arts elevate us — and philanthropy makes a difference. A huge one. Thanks to the generosity of lead donor Roger Glass ’67 as well as gifts from nearly 700 alumni and friends, the curtain will rise on the Roger Glass Center for the Arts on the southeast corner of Main and Stewart streets in late 2023 or early 2024.
3. The Hub at the Dayton Arcade symbolizes our commitment to the renaissance of downtown Dayton. With 350 students — from entrepreneurship to art and design — taking classes and hobnobbing with local entrepreneurs, the Hub Powered by PNC is a vibrant learning environment for creativity. This joint venture between UD and The Entrepreneurs’ Center is one of the most innovative partnerships in the nation.
4. Learning by doing is a game changer for students. We want every University of Dayton student to graduate with a meaningful experiential learning experience, whether it’s being part of guiding the largest student-managed investment portfolio in the country or traveling to underserved areas to share engineering expertise. Those are just two examples of engaged learning, a hallmark of a UD education.
5. UD’s Catholic, Marianist heritage is not just alive — it’s thriving. A growing number of lay faculty and staff, called Marianist Educational Associates, have pledged to strengthen, sustain and develop the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity of UD. Along with the Marianists, they personify the heart and soul of our campus.

In a wide-ranging conversation that hit on my most challenging class in college (art history), best family vacation (Italy), and favorite board game (Telestrations), we also covered the question I most often hear from alumni. What is your vision for UD?

That’s an easy one. I want us to become the best possible version of ourselves. And I know we can become that with your continued engagement with the University you call home!