During his tenure, Loyola nearly reluctant, but Salmi advocated on the ‘My life is all about doubled its resident population students’ behalf. “These students need the College’ from 2,200 to 4,100 students. Salmi support, just like any other students. If Garanzini recognized in Salmi restructured the residence life program we want to help students to succeed, we leadership capability and nominated and implemented Living Learning can’t pretend that they’re not here or him to interview for the position as Communities in first-year residence that they don’t have concerns of their president of Spring Hill College. In halls. He also spearheaded an awardown,” he argued. September 2008, the College announced winning campus coalition to address Salmi won the battle, and the that Salmi would take the reins as alcohol misuse and abuse. students were permitted to form a president, following the retirement of “We were able, with a lot of hard campus group. “Sometimes as an the Rev. Gregory F. Lucey, S.J. work and imagination and ingenuity, to institution it’s hard to step outside “Ten years ago, I remember saying, take what had been a commuter school our comfort zones, because we’ve done ‘I don’t ever want to be a president.’ Be and make it a nice residential campus,” it this way forever and it’s worked,” careful what you say,” Salmi warned. he said. “I’m proud of the fact that we he said. “So, I was very proud of the “But, I looked at Spring Hill and saw were able to add a lot of programs and way the university stepped outside its that this is a college with a lot of address student needs and to form a real comfort zone to meet the needs of these potential – and also a lot of challenges, students.” but I’m convinced that Student affairs we can meet them.” professionals working “It’s no secret. We’ve all been impacted When Salmi at Catholic institutions visited Spring Hill, by the recession. The top priorities are are often caught in he was struck by the financial stability and hopefully growth.” difficult situations, Salmi beauty of the campus, explained. He and Dr. the commitment to a Sandy Estanek, a high quality education, the community. The campus had not been school friend of Salmi’s who worked at enthusiasm of the faculty, and the really unified, and now they are a real nearby Ursuline College, initiated the professionalism of the student body. campus community.” Institute for Student Affairs at Catholic Last fall he met with a group Furthermore, Salmi developed a 10Colleges and Universities. The institute of students on a beautiful Saturday year strategic plan for Loyola’s athletic was designed to address these complex afternoon. “I don’t know what I was department to improve the NCAA issues and to educate student affairs expecting, but I wasn’t expecting to walk Division I program. He supervised professionals in Catholicism. into a room and see a group of young the renovation of the student fitness Out of the institute sprang the men and women in coats and ties and and recreation facility, and prepared Association for Student Affairs of dresses. I thought, oh, this truly is the to launch a campaign to improve the Catholic Colleges and Universities, a South!” he exclaimed. “I was both taken varsity athletic facilities. summer conference that covered topics aback and impressed not only by how When Salmi joined the university, such as campus ministry immersion well dressed but also how well prepared Loyola had cut its deficit in half, yet programs, disciplinary issues in they were for that interview. They asked the deficit was still $17 million. Salmi housing, and safe sex within a Catholic very good questions, and we had a very credits President Michael J. Garanzini, context. good conversation.” S.J., and his administration’s teamwork “It showed people that you can Back in Cleveland and Chicago, with turning around the university’s discuss these things and still be true Salmi’s family and friends were shocked financial position. to being Catholic. They don’t have to that he was moving to “rural” Alabama. “What I’ve learned in be mutually exclusive,” Salmi said. “In Salmi joked that he spent a lot of time administration is that you develop fact, once you get into the Church’s convincing his family that Mobile has your team, and you empower them to documents, often times we found interstates, cars, stores and restaurants. do their best work,” he said. “You have the work we were doing was very “It is a small city, but it has big ideas to take leadership and step up, but complementary to what the Church was and big plans, and I like that,” Salmi it’s a lot easier to do that when you’ve asking us to do.” said. got a group who really believe in the In 2002 Salmi took his passion for As a new president, Salmi has mission of the college and are willing student affairs to Loyola University spent much of his time meeting with participants in living out that mission.” Chicago. As vice president for student each department on campus and affairs, he managed numerous areas of forming relationships with the Mobile student life including student activities, community. He is focused on addressing residence life and intercollegiate the challenges the College is facing, athletics.
Spring Hill College • Winter 2009
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