Blue skies

For sophomore Kayden Rothery, it is her professor. For Drew Moyer ’21, his roommate. For junior Daniela Mata, her success coaches.

For every Flyer, there are people who helped them find their path, answer a call, discern a purpose — who ushered in blue skies in which they all can soar.  

As we celebrate the successful conclusion of the We Soar campaign, we check in on some of the people who defined this campaign: those who gave of their time and talent, and the students, faculty and staff who attain great heights thanks to the generosity of Flyer Nation.

Because it’s always better when we soar together.

We Serve

“My UD experience is about serving. Volunteering has helped me grow both professionally and personally; I can be a better person, not only for myself, but for others. It’s OK to want more, but also remember to lend a hand to your neighbor and give back when you can.”

— Roland Ivy Jr.
Junior, criminal justice and security studies

We Advocate

“In the Fitz Center, I learned how to advocate for myself and for others. You don’t need to know all the answers, but you can be a bridge to help others get what they need. As  a nurse, I will advocate by building trust through relationships.”

— Daniela Mata
Junior, nursing

we flourish

“When I was a student at UD, I needed a summer job to pay my way through school; it became my version of experiential learning. Having experiential learning as a key tenet of the We Soar campaign increases the certainty UD graduates will flourish!”

— Dave Conway ’83 
We Soar campaign cabinet

we innovate

“When you open yourself to the people of the entire world, you get the ideas of the entire world. That’s how to keep moving forward. I had professors who are in the top of their field, and I had access to state-of-the-art technology. That led me to joining my dream company.”

—Don Lahiru Hettiarachchi ’16
Systems design engineer

we teach

“Students are vital to my research. You see people who emerge from these experiences more confident, more creative, more well-rounded and, really, more workforce-ready. Helping people look in the mirror and become their best selves, learning how to persevere — that’s where I think my gifts are.”

— Bob Lowe 
Associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering

we grow

“How do we support our students, make them successful? As a parent, I see that it’s not just about the academic side, but it’s about growing them over the four years they are here as a person and building their confidence, their maturity, their independence.” 

— Julie Myers
Parent, assistant CIO at UD Information Technologies

we connect

“I love connecting. I also love connecting people to each other. One Day, One Dayton has become one of my favorite days of the year — I’m in touch with people from my UD past and people who I’ve sort of accumulated along the way. We share UD’s story as we catch up.”

— Nancy Riedl ’91 
Nonprofit fundraiser

we welcome

“At the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center, we’re open to building community for anyone and everyone. We’re excited when you walk through the door, and we’ll do everything to keep you here. It’s an opportunity to educate and make people feel comfortable.”

 —Andy Reza
UD engagement and belonging specialist

we explore

“At UD, I’ve had the opportunity to explore courses and extracurricular activities in a variety of areas. This has helped me
discover the skills I enjoy building and the challenges that excite me. Exploration at UD has provided clarity and security in my future career path.”

 —Noah Clemens
Senior, health science

we invest

“The University of Dayton is one of our best and brightest community assets. You invest in the University of Dayton, you reinvest in the University of Dayton, and you pay attention to what they need, because they need all the stakeholders to contribute to the future.”

 —Steve Cobb ’86
Emeritus trustee

we lead

“We talked about it at classes during UD: You should be leading the way in terms of caring — about the community around us, the greater impact. What else are you saying yes to? We are called to a purpose, to challenge ourselves, to grow.”

— Drew Moyer ’22
Sales manager

we foster

“It has been so special to stay connected to the University as a member of the day10 executive committee. Our goal is to foster new and different avenues of alumni engagement and encourage all Flyers to stay connected to UD. I love seeing our alumni family continue to expand.” 

— Morgan Cox ’21
Higher education professional

A version of this article appears in print in the Autumn 2025 University of Dayton Magazine.  EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE