President's Blog: From the Heart

By Eric F. Spina

It’s being billed as “one day like no other,” and Katie Bardine ’23 is all in.

Shortly after the sun rises on April 19, she’ll offer golf cart rides from parking lots for alumni and friends attending the “One Day, One Dayton” opening Mass in the Immaculate Conception Chapel.

Twelve hours later, she’ll emcee a student “knockout” basketball competition in the RecPlex, where students will watch (and cheer) the live announcement of the public launch of UD’s first major fundraising campaign in more than two decades on a big screen.

In between, she’ll switch gears and present not one, but two, research projects at the annual Stander Symposium. As part of her international studies senior capstone project, she’s part of a panel exploring two centuries of persecution and genocide faced by the Hazaras, an ethnic group in north-central Afghanistan. Later, she’ll give a poster session presentation on sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Latin America.

I know you will also find her during the noon hour on the Central Mall celebrating One Day, One Dayton with fun and games, while encouraging her classmates to make a gift of any size to their favorite student organization or academic department.

Whew! That *is* a day like no other, and it will be historic on many fronts for UD students — and generations that follow them.

The Stander Symposium is no small affair, and neither is One Day, One Dayton.

In a new record, nearly 1,000 students guided by 230 faculty and staff mentors will share more than 500 presentations that showcase their research, scholarship, and artistic achievements at the Stander. From rows of poster presentations in the Kennedy Union Ballroom to performances and a “porch project” in the student neighborhood, this will be an extraordinary daylong celebration of student achievement.

The topics are as diverse as they are intriguing, with many taking on a contemporary flavor, such as a “smart parking” device that can autonomously park and retrieve your car from a lot. A number address solar and renewable energy. And, as they have done since the first Stander in 1990, Jim McCutcheon’s guitar students will perform original songs.

In addition, Deans’ Showcases will draw attention to the University’s signature experiential learning programs that, among other initiatives, bring teachers into high-need Catholic schools and give finance students the opportunity to manage a substantial piece of UD’s endowment.

Meanwhile, in a 24-hour display of their love for UD, students and alumni are joining forces and asking at least 4,500 Flyers from around the globe to step forward with gifts during One Day, One Dayton, our fifth annual Giving Day. Last year, donors representing 50 states gave $2.2 million to support student scholarships, research, experiential learning opportunities, and more. Any gift of any size makes a difference in the lives of our students, and a record number of challenge and match gifts can make your gift even more valuable to that part of the University you wish to support

“The groundwork has been laid. This will be a day of celebration,” says Katie, philanthropy chair of Students for University Advancement (SUA), a campus organization that seeds a culture of philanthropy among the student body.

Molly Potter ‘25, student engagement chair for SUA and the next student body vice president, described the energy and excitement on campus leading up to One Day, One Dayton as “vibrant.”

I can attest to that. I recently enjoyed a few lunch and breakfast conversations with a few President’s Emissaries and their friends, and they’re all in. They realize this is their moment to cast their vote and say, “We love this place. We care about its future.”

Are you in, Flyer Nation? April 19 will be a day like no other, guaranteed. As we celebrate our beloved UD, we will make history together.

(Read more about all the events on April 19. To learn more about the Stander Symposium, which is open to the public, check out the abstracts and schedule. Discover how to make a gift during #1Day1Dayton, and join us virtually for the We Don’t Just Fly … Campaign Launch Celebration, live from the Dayton Arcade at 7 p.m. Eastern. Check your email boxes and social media for the link on April 19.)