(This column by University of Dayton President Eric Spina appears in the autumn 2025 edition of the University of Dayton Magazine.)
Thank you. And you.
And you, over there — thank you, too.
Ultimately, there are so many to thank in Flyer Nation.
This fall, we are celebrating the successful completion of the We Soar campaign. Each of our three goals — engagement, participation and philanthropy — were not only met but exceeded for the number of volunteers, consistent givers and total dollars raised.
It is a success that makes me proud of our past — especially in this 175th year of UD’s founding — and excited about our future.
And we're not done yet.
We did it together, and everyone played a role, from the Reunion Weekend volunteer to the Flyer Funder donor to the UD friend making a lifetime gift. There are so many to thank; here are but a few representatives from key groups:
- Countless STUDENTS shared their time and talent to make the campaign a success, among them Caroline Sullivan ’23. President of Students for University Advancement her senior year, she raised student awareness of philanthropy and painted “Welcome to the Neighborhood” on sheet signs for the campaign kickoff party.
- Dozens of FACULTY AND STAFF volunteered to champion One Day, One Dayton on campus, like UD Magazine staff members Nicole Craw and Dani Johnson, who mounted a Ted Lasso-themed campaign to encourage co-workers to “believe” what could be accomplished together.
- We recognized more than 21,000 individuals as members of the FRONT PORCH SOCIETY for consistent giving. Included are Chris Murray ’89 and Angela Lovett Murray ’93, whose annual gifts support student belonging through the same groups that nurtured their own development.
- Raising $453 million requires LEADERSHIP SUPPORT. This includes gifts from John and Shirley Berry, whose support of the honors program ensures students have exceptional access to research and scholarship experiences to help build a better Dayton and a more just world.
- Started during We Soar, the CAMPAIGN CABINET is made of volunteers who use their personal networks to educate and engage alumni and friends to support UD. This includes Kristin Scheidt Dailey ’98, who turned love for her children into a movement to support all Flyer students by fundraising for their health and wellbeing. (And she made sure every One Day, One Dayton had gifts from all 50 states!)
- We rely on the BOARD OF TRUSTEES for their vision, which guides innovation of a University of Dayton holistic education. Collectively, board members provided $91 million in gifts for enhancing student access, engagement and experience.
And we’re not done. In the last nine years, we’ve built organizations, traditions, programs, areas of study and service opportunities — and the foundation for future success. Continued participation, engagement and philanthropic support remain essential as we advance our Marianist mission of educating the whole person in faith and leadership.
But what will endure is your fidelity and the legacy of the lives you touch.
Yes, we will remember the campaign’s achievements. But what will endure is your fidelity and the legacy of the lives you touch.
Thank you.