Dear Toreros:

“Buen camino.” These words were heard often during a pilgrimage I made over the summer on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, alongside 32 fellow pilgrims who were members of our University of San Diego family.

The Camino or “The Way of Saint James” is an ancient pilgrimage that has existed for more than 1,000 years.

Our USD pilgrims trekked more than 100 kilometers over the course of six days. While there were days that were challenging — as we climbed hills, avoided cyclists and tried to keep dry in the rain — in the end, it was a spiritual and joyful event.

As USD alumni, friends and students from around the world, we were united in our camaraderie and in our belief that the Holy Spirit guided us every step of the way. What also made the pilgrimage special, were the new people we didn’t know when we started, but by the end, had become friends. 

At USD, each academic year is a journey, a pilgrimage. There will be trials. There will be moments that test our strength, determination and resilience. There will be moments when we must work with people we meet along the way. And there will be moments that strengthen our faith.

I’m thrilled to welcome everyone back. Our campus comes to life every fall when our students, from around the world, converge to begin a new academic year.

Our incoming Class of 2026 is the most diverse and best academically prepared in USD history. This class represents 46 states, 31 countries and two U.S. territories. For the first time in our history, the majority of the first-year class identifies as either a student of color or as an international student. Studies have shown if you interact with people from around the world — people who come from different backgrounds, different faith traditions and different cultures, races, ethnicities and identities — you’re better equipped to succeed in our beautifully diverse world that will continue to change and evolve.

Over the summer, we welcomed Kimberly White-Smith, EdD, a new professor and the Dean of our School of Leadership and Education Sciences. Dr. White-Smith is passionate about urban education and comes to USD with more than 25 years of urban schooling and educator development experience. She’s among 36 new faculty members from our college and schools who will enhance the diverse perspectives we bring to our scholarly endeavors. The university also was proud to announce that Sahmie S. Wytewa, a member of the Hopi Tribe, has been named tribal liaison for our Center for Inclusion and Diversity.

In August, USD hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Knauss Center for Business Education, home of our newly named Knauss School of Business, named in honor of Don Knauss, chair of USD’s Board of Trustees, and his wife, Ellie.

With the opening of this new 120,000 square-foot business complex, which also includes the newly renovated Olin Hall, we are poised to do business differently at the Knauss School of Business. We will expand our horizons. We will open doors. We will aim higher. We will pursue a greater good. We will serve a higher purpose.

Don and Ellie believe strongly that education is the great equalizer and they made this investment based on their belief in USD and its future. As Don said during the opening ceremony for the Knauss Center “we believe that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. We believe this investment is going to create opportunities for a lot of talented students from all walks of life for generations to come … and we believe that’s what will make the world a better place”.

Making the world a better place is at the core of what we seek to accomplish at the University of San Diego and we are continuing to be recognized for our work by our peers. USD continues to be the youngest private institution among U.S. News & World Report’s top-100 universities in the country. Recently, Princeton Review once again named USD the No. 1 most beautiful campus in America and No. 13 best-run college in the nation.

We’ve been consistently ranked by Washington Monthly magazine among the top five universities in the country for our commitment to public service — based on the number of students who volunteer in the community, the percentage of students who are registered to vote and the number of graduates who serve our country in the military or through national service such as the Peace Corps. This commitment to the greater good is one of many ways we help to address some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

As we head into this academic year, I encourage you to enjoy the journey and the adventure you’ll experience along the way. Take heart that you are not alone. Lean on your fellow travelers, who are walking alongside you, embrace every opportunity you are given and make the most of all that it means to be a Torero!

I wish you all a buen camino.

Peace,

James T. Harris III, D.Ed.
President