President's Blog: From the Heart

By Eric F. Spina

(University of Dayton President Eric Spina offered these remarks to graduating seniors at the 2025 spring commencement ceremonies.)

Good morning, CLASS OF 2025!! And what a joyous morning it is!

Congratulations to each and every one of you! Now…take a deep breath. Pause. Exhale. And let the realization of this moment wash over you. You. Did. It!  You are GRADUATING from the University of Dayton!

I offer a special welcome to all of our families, particularly those who traveled far — especially those from overseas — to share this moment. I can feel your happiness, your pride, and yes, even a little bit of relief. This day is finally here!  This is a day you’ll always remember and cherish.

And to all the mothers with us today — and especially the mothers of the graduates — Happy Mother’s Day!  What wonderful, lifelong gifts your son or daughter is giving you today: a college diploma and a memory of a lifetime!

Graduates, will you please rise, face your mother and other family members and friends, and give them a rousing round of applause for their support and love that made this day possible!

Some of you are first-generation college graduates — the first in your family lineage to graduate from college. You personify the American dream, and you will continue to open doors of opportunity — not just for yourselves, but for future generations of your family. We’re so proud of you AND so proud of the family members who worked hard to enable your dream — and theirs — to come true. 

Will all first-generation college graduates please stand for a special round of applause for them and their proud families!

I also invite all graduating service members, student veterans, and newly commissioned ROTC cadets to stand and be recognized for your service and leadership. Thank you for your selfless service to our country and the ideals on which it was founded.

Members of the faculty and staff: Thank *you* for creating an environment that has allowed these about-to-be graduates to stretch themselves academically, to dream big, to dare to be great. You have prepared them to use their education and faith to make a difference — a real difference — in a world hungry for their community-building skills and innovative thinking.

It’s always a challenge to find the right words to share at commencement. Commencement speakers, including me, strive to find words that touch the heart and soul. Words that will matter to you, the graduates, at this pivotal point in your young lives as you enter a world in need of unity and healing.

Today, as you leave the UD Arena, diploma in hand, your heart will be bursting with joy, hopefulness, and, if you’re completely honest, a touch of uncertainty. You now stand at the threshold of your future — a future without a prescribed curriculum or operations manual, but full of possibilities for the chasing.

At this moment, I ask you to reflect and ask yourself, “What am I called to do? What’s my place and my role in this uncertain world? How can I use my education, my talents, and my gifts for the greater good of humanity? How can I work with others in a nonpartisan fashion to strengthen our democracy and contribute to the communities where I live?

Let me assure you this: as a UD graduate, during this time when divisions in society run deep, differences are feared, and truth is contested — you are ready to respond. Not with fear or contempt but with courage, thoughtfulness, an openness to new ideas, and a willingness to reach across differences. As a Flyer, you are prepared to use your hard-won degree to create a life of great purpose — a life that makes a difference. You’re exactly what this world needs right now.

At this Marianist university, you’ve not only learned to think critically, but also to act with moral courage and with a deep respect for the dignity of every person — including those who look different from you and those who see the world differently than you do. You’ve discovered what it means to build community through moments you’ll never forget, such as collaborating with classmates and faculty mentors on research projects during the Stander Symposium; forming deep bonds during immersion experiences in faraway places like Ecuador and in our own backyard in the city of Dayton; or sharing the gift of yourselves by “adopting” a child from the Dayton Public Schools during Christmas on Campus.

In all these moments, you’ve learned that leadership is about how we connect with others. It’s about cultivating meaningful relationships. It’s about recognizing that when we come together, we can achieve far more than any one of us could alone. It’s the realization that no meaningful change ever happens in isolation. As the Marianists have taught us, and as we have learned together, our greatest strength will always be found in community.

This is the kind of leadership our world hungers for now more than ever. We need you to — indeed, we ask you to — work together to build a more just, compassionate, and hopeful future for all.  A future where the common good — that is, the good of every person — is considered and advanced.

As you step into that future, I’d like to leave you with four pieces of advice — four ways your University of Dayton education inside and outside the classroom has prepared you to lead in the Marianist way.

First, always listen with your heart.

Pope Francis left us a guidebook for living lives that matter, for living lives of great purpose.

He urged us to create a “culture of dialogue” and to be active listeners in an authentic, empathetic way — a way that builds bridges rather than burns them.

In other words, listen with your heart.

The Marianists often talk about “coming to the table.” It’s a round table, where no one sits at the head, and all share in spirited conversations and listen to one another respectfully.  Respectfully.  Each voice at this table has equal importance and free expression is valued. The table is a metaphor, representing inclusivity, respect, and acceptance for the dignity of all people, no matter their identity or beliefs.

It’s all too easy to live in an echo chamber and hear only what affirms our beliefs while we tune out the rest. True leaders listen with the heart. This is one of those lifelong learning skills I want you to hone — listen deeply and with empathy and respect, especially to those whose experiences, perspectives, and stories differ from your own. Listen to truly understand. That’s how you can build bridges across differences, spark greater creativity and innovation in your workplaces — and find solutions to the world’s persistent challenges, like poverty and violence.

Always listen with your heart. 

Second, lead with courage.

You will face moments in your lives that will test your core values, make you waver in your beliefs and tempt you with ethical or moral shortcuts. These are the moments that will define you.

Courageous leaders are willing to take prudent risks, but they also lead with integrity. Your UD education has provided you with more than knowledge. It has given you a moral compass.

For our future business leaders, work to create an organizational culture that values the talents of all your colleagues. Be the leader who considers people and not just profits and creates greater productivity in the process.

For our future educators, especially those who work in underserved schools, champion every child.

For our future health care professionals, treat every patient as a person. Honor their humanity as you provide care and healing.  

For our future engineers, always think of the societal context and the consequences for people and our planet as you apply your great talents to harnessing technology.

In all of your professions and endeavors, lead with courage.

Third, serve with humility.

Some people think humility signifies weakness, a character flaw of some sort. That’s just wrong.

At the University of Dayton, you’ve learned the value of service rooted in humility. Many of you have experienced what it means to work for the common good over the glory of individual achievement.

Carry that philosophy with you. 

Be leaders who are willing to concede when you’re wrong and then learn from your mistakes. Reconsidering a situation and changing your mind is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength!  Approach each day with a humble heart and an open mind. 

Remember to stay grounded and serve with humility.

And, finally, keep the faith.

It’s easy to lose faith when facing an uncertain future, particularly for those who had their eye on federally funded science and research positions or working for an NGO, for example. The ground has literally shifted beneath your feet.

But don’t forget how you responded when the pandemic upended all of our lives in your senior year of high school and in your early time at UD.

Your class has already successfully navigated through adversity with resilience, grace, and genuine care for each other. You’ve already thrived in a highly challenging and historic time.

Faith is more than belief in God’s abiding love for you. It’s action rooted in hope. Your professional skills matter. Your voice matters. Once again you’re being called to adapt and change during unprecedented times, and I have no doubt that you will rise to meet this moment.

This is what I ask of you.  This is what your Catholic and Marianist alma mater asks of you.  This is what the world needs from you:

• Listen with your heart.
• Lead with courage.
• Serve with humility.
• Keep the faith.

Conclusion

The future is a mystery. Which way it will turn is an open question, but don’t be demoralized by the question – regard it as an opportunity to shape the future, as it will be shaped, in part, by the decisions you make and the work you do. Your future — and the future of your country — is not in someone else’s hands. It’s in yours.  THAT is something to be excited about, as we certainly trust and believe in you and your abilities.

As poet John O’Donohue, eloquently wrote, “have the wisdom to read time clearly and know when the seed of change will flourish.” Let that wisdom guide you.

Just as you once tackled your first research paper or solved a complex problem in the lab by breaking it down into manageable steps, you can approach your future the same way: by identifying what truly matters to you and committing to it, one small action at a time, one day at a time.

I proudly represent UD in a group called College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a coalition of more than 120 campus leaders who are working to empower our graduates to engage thoughtfully with the world by asking the hard questions and engaging in civil discourse with others even — and especially — when there are differences. The path to healing our divided world begins where you live, in the communities you call home. Your block, your church or synagogue or mosque, your workplace, your town.  This is where you can make the most meaningful change, whether you’re working to address food insecurity, environmental issues, educational reform, or strengthening our democracy. 

Let me reassure you that after living and learning at this Catholic, Marianist university with its dedication to social justice, with its special focus on building community, with its commitment to preparing you to work across differences, you will enter the world well prepared to contribute in these critical ways and prepared to improve our society.

It’s not just because your résumé is strong, though it is. It’s not just because you are armed with marketable skills, though you are. It’s not just because you hold a college degree, `though you now do — proudly.

It’s because you have learned life lessons beyond the textbook. As you imagine and shape your future and the country’s future, I urge you to dream boldly, act with conviction, and lean into the moment. Keep moving forward, without fear, toward lives of great purpose and service.

As your president — and as a representative of the UD faculty, staff, vowed religious, Board of Trustees, and all of Flyer Nation — I salute you and your accomplishments. Please know that the University of Dayton will always be your home, and you will always be welcome here.

Congratulations, Class of 2025! May God bless you and keep you in his grace.

Go, Flyers!

(Photo by Sylvia Stahl '18)