University of San Diego - President's Postcard

Dear Toreros,

The 75th Anniversary Founders Gala at Petco Park on
Nov. 16 was a monumental evening in the history of the University of San Diego. In addition to commemorating our university’s history and raising more than $5 million in support of student scholarships, the evening was marked by the incredible generosity of philanthropist
Darlene Marcos Shiley, chair emerita of the Board of Trustees, who announced a $75 million commitment that will create the Shiley STEM Initiative.

This is the largest gift ever to USD, one of the largest to any Catholic university in the country, and will usher in a new era for STEM education and undergraduate research at USD.
If you have ever had the pleasure of crossing paths with
Mrs. Shiley, you know what a special individual she is.
Her incredible vision and her faith in USD are inspiring and will truly light the way forward.

As the holiday season approaches, I would like to express my gratitude and extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May you all enjoy a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy holiday season.

Peace,
Jim

James T. Harris III, President

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USD President James T. Harris III, DEd, poses with students in the Military & Veterans Program.

Under the lights of Petco Park, hundreds of Toreros and supporters came together at our 75th Anniversary Founders Gala to support USD scholars.

In a historic moment that amplified this outpouring of support, Chair Emerita Mrs. Darlene Shiley announced a transformative $75 million pledge – the largest gift in USD’s history.

This extraordinary commitment will launch the Shiley STEM Initiative, creating new possibilities for future Toreros.

Follow the University of San Diego on social media @uofsandiego

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY

USD Receives Record-Breaking Pledge During Founders Gala

CHANGEMAKER CAMPUS

McNair Scholars Program Marks Two Decades of Transforming Lives

BLOG: PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Volunteers packing boxes at USD community service event

The Season of Giving

TORERO ATHLETICS

Woman with Diego during the Torero Tailgate

Cindy Fisher Picks Up 400th Career Victory

USD IN THE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Video: USD in the News Highlights

Watch a brief highlight video of USD's appearances in the media during the month of November 2024. Find links to these stories and more on the USD in the News page.

DID YOU KNOW?

USD’s Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic Receives $2.5 million Grant

The Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic housed within the University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences has received a $2.5 million grant to provide free tele-mental health services ... Read More

Connection in Peacebuilding: Women PeaceMakers Complete Two-Week Residency at University of San Diego

For two weeks in November, the Women PeaceMakers visited the University of San Diego campus to participate in events, share their experiences with ... Read More

Regina Dixon Reeves and Renetta Garrison Hull speak to attendees of the Distinguished Lecture Series

Empowering Changemakers Through Mentoring

The Center for Inclusion and Diversity (CID) at the University of San Diego (USD) hosted its annual Roy L. Brooks Distinguished Lecture Series Thursday evening with an evocative conversation between ... Read More

Men's Soccer Win Third-Straight WCC Title

Men's Soccer finished off a dominating 2024 West Coast Conference campaign with an authoritative victory over LMU to secure the title of West Coast Conference Champions for the third consecutive year. ... Read More

School of Law Alumna Shelley Berkley ‘76 (JD) Elected Mayor of Las Vegas

School of Law alumna Shelley Berkley '04 (JD) was recently elected the mayor of Las Vegas. Berkley, who was sworn in on December 4, began her career in public service in 1983 as an assemblywoman ... Read More

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, PhD.

Athletic Director’s Behind-the-Scenes Look at College Sports

Sports shaped the person Kimya Massey is today. “At the Edge of It All” was joined by USD’s new Athletic Director to kickoff a special series that will provide an inside look at the world of college sports. ... Read More

Don Peterson in Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering

A Marine’s New Mission

After serving as a machine gunner in the Marine Corps, Carlos Velazquez ’24 transitioned from the battlefield to the classroom, driven by a desire to expand his knowledge and take on a new sort of challenge. ... Read More

Professor Michael Morse: More Than Meets the Eye

Michael Morse, PhD, is a distinguished professor of electrical engineering at the University of San Diego (USD) with a remarkable career spanning almost four decades. Though his passion for education runs deep ... Read More

THANKS FOR READING!

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Office of the President

5998 Alcala Park

San Diego, CA 92110-2492