Dear USD Community,

Welcome back to USD for the fall semester. I hope the summer was enjoyable and restful, wherever your adventures took you. For those just beginning your Torero journey on campus, we are excited to welcome you to our community and invite you to experience the many wonderful things that make USD an exceptional place to live, study, teach, work and learn.

This summer I had the pleasure of connecting with our global network of academic colleagues and USD alumni in Ireland. First, thanks to Dr. Darren Kew, Dean of the Kroc School, I had the opportunity to spend time in Belfast meeting with Peacemakers where we gathered to learn about the efforts to maintain peace and the opportunities USD students and faculty have to engage in this important work. Later I traveled to Dublin to be part of the annual USD European Alumni weekend. The strength of our alumni community is one of the many lifelong benefits of being a Torero. Take a moment and read about our outstanding group of 2026 Alumni Honors recipients who will be honored on campus this fall. Like so many other Toreros, they are making a difference here in San Diego and around the world.

As we begin the new academic year, we were excited to learn of several top 25 rankings from The Princeton Review, in areas including accessible professors, public service, sustainability and campus food. A surprise to no one, we are again listed as the most beautiful campus in the country. We also earned another #1 ranking for the quality of life of our students and #2 for the happiest students.

Having a high quality of life can mean many things, but at USD I believe it connects to our vision, mission and core values that uphold human dignity. Together we strive to “ensure that all members of our university community are able to thrive in every dimension of their lives.” These are not just words displayed on a wall or website, it is an invitation to all of us to explore the very nature of what makes us human by challenging our thinking, prioritizing our wellness and serving the common good.

In late May, Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical, entitled Magnifica Humanitas (‘Magnificent Humanity’). This robust letter addresses the effects of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) on a range of topics, including government, conflict and education. The encyclical provides stark warnings about what could happen if the ethical, political and interpersonal implications of new technologies are not carefully considered. But what I find most exciting about Pope Leo’s words are the many ways we are already exploring and putting into practice what he is advocating for.

Pope Leo encourages us to create spaces where “a construction site of hope” can create not just new buildings, “but a civilization of love.” At the end of Magnifica Humanitas, Leo describes a spirituality of “the wise architect who, driven by hope for the kingdom of God, is committed to building the world for the common good.”

What perfect words to think about as we begin this new academic year. Even with AI and the other pressures of the world upon us, we can become - as he points out - “artisans of education,” that "cultivates relationships” and “love, justice and peace.”

You may recall that during the first half of 2026, five working groups of nearly fifty university colleagues were convened to inventory institutional progress on AI. The groups analyzed data, benchmarked USD against peer institutions, conducted focus groups, and prepared recommendations for how USD should move forward. In the next few weeks, Provost Antony and I will be sending a message to the campus about how we intend to act on the major recommendations from the Generative AI Steering Committee Report on AI@USD.

I invite you to explore more about the lessons that come from Magnifica Humanitas during a special faculty panel and discussion co-hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Humanities Center and Mission Integration on Tuesday, September 8 at 4 p.m. in the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Theatre. Later that week, I hope you’ll also join us by celebrating a beloved USD tradition, the Mass of the Holy Spirit on September 10 at 12:15 p.m. in the Immaculata, which will be presided over by the Most Reverend Michael M. Pham, Bishop of San Diego.

Your USD experience is shaped by what you make of it, and I hope you’ll find new ways to connect with each other this year. Attend a lecture on a topic you don’t know much about. Volunteer for an organization that makes our community stronger. Cheer on our Torero student-athletes. Because it is in these moments of togetherness, shared learning and service that we experience the power and the beauty of what it truly means to be human.

Wishing you an amazing year, Toreros.

Peace,

James T. Harris III, DEd
President