Dayton Diary: Dayton, I return to you

I arrived at the University of Dayton in 1994 broken. Like most broken things, I had sharp edges and cracks.

Fortunately, I was surrounded by gentleness at UD. Good, kind people reached out to help. Rough edges were smoothed, cracks mended and I grew into a better person; a person I am proud to be.

Sadly, the hands that reached out to help me at UD were too often cut and pierced by my cracks and breaks. To this day, I harbor incredible regret that for most of the four years I spent there, I received so much from UD and gave so little back and, what I did give was never very good.

As I grew and had a family, I did my best to make sure my children grew into the type of person I so desperately needed when I first arrived at your doorstep. I wanted them to be kind, empathetic, caring and devoted to a greater cause. I wanted them to be the type of person who saw something broken and tried to fix it, even if it hurt them to do it. I wanted them to have all that was missing from me when I first arrived at UD and to have enough so that they could give to others in need.

Today, I look to return to Dayton that which I took. I offer back the goodness, kindness and charity that was shown to me in the hopes that it might be spent on another who is in need. I return to you my son. He is a sweet, kind, loving soul. He carries the light that UD helped me find, and he has enough to share with others who may need it as I once did.

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A version of this article appears in print in the Autumn 2025 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 67. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE