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President's Blog: From the Heart

University of Dayton student neighborhood

A Time for Family

By Eric F. Spina

Dear University of Dayton family members,

As I shared with the campus community recently, every Thursday night a large number of UD students assemble around an oversized dining room table and pray together in a home that Marianists share in the student neighborhood.

Before enjoying heaping plates of spaghetti and meatballs, they offer personal intentions — for peace in our world, for the sick, for those spending the upcoming holidays alone or without a loved one, and, finally, for our country.

Those are my Thanksgiving wishes for all of you, too. As we gather this Thanksgiving, may our tables be spaces where everyone feels valued, heard, nurtured, and supported. May our tables expand to include a larger, more inclusive family who are truly present to one another.

Karen, Kaitlyn, Emery, and I wish you a peaceful and restful holiday. For all of us, may this be a time of reflection, renewal — and much gratitude.

With grace and blessings,

Eric F. Spina
President

(Photo by Sylvia Stahl '18)

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