Dear USD Community,

We’re just days away from the first Commencement ceremonies and I want to wish you the very best as you approach the end of the semester. Whether you are taking exams or grading them - stay strong! We’re almost there.

We are very excited to celebrate the class of 2024. The pandemic greatly altered or upended the commencement experiences of our undergraduates who were in high school at the time. Likewise, many of our graduate students may have also experienced modified or altered celebrations as they completed their undergraduate programs. That’s why this year’s ceremonies are especially meaningful for our graduates and their families. Commencement is an opportunity to recognize your hard-earned accomplishments - and to honor the friends and family members who have made tremendous sacrifices to support you, and have traveled to USD to share in the celebration.

We are fortunate to have a team of faculty and staff working tirelessly to create ceremonies that are celebratory, safe, and filled with all the pomp and circumstance our graduates deserve. I offer a huge thank you to everyone working behind the scenes to make this season special.

With all of these exciting moments ahead, I recognize this is also a time of great anxiety for many. In the past year we have seen significant human suffering in our country and around the world. We have witnessed devastation caused by war, climate change and natural disasters in places near and far. Many members of our community have personal connections to these issues, and feel them deeply.

In recent weeks we have had members of our community inquire into the university’s investment policies. At USD, we have a longstanding practice of aligning our investments with our commitments to social justice, stewardship of the planet, protection of human dignity and the promotion of the common good. If you are interested you can learn more about the university’s position statement on socially responsible investing.

Through it all, I remain grateful to this community for the way we’ve come together to support each other and work together in peaceful dialogue and discussion. This isn’t easy and can be uncomfortable at times. I want to thank you for the respect and compassion you continue to show one another. Our community is at its best when we are all striving to be the living embodiment of our mission, vision, and core values.

To our students: my wish for you is that you find joy and fulfillment in your lives. As you take off for exciting summer pursuits or go forth into the world, the path ahead will not always be clear or easy. But, I have great hope for the future because I have faith in all of you. I am confident in your abilities to serve with compassion, to seek with understanding, and to lead with love.

Those graduating this year have been through so much and I applaud your perseverance and resilience. Please stay close to your Torero community, wherever your life takes you, and know you will always have a home at USD.

Peace,
Jim

James T. Harris III, D.Ed.
President