The Inauguration of Dr. Chris Everett Domes Sixth President of
NEUMANN UNIVERSITY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2017 Aston, Pennsylvania
ADVANCING EXCELLENCE I NAUGU R A L A DDR E S S One Neumann Drive • Aston, Pennsylvania 19014-1298
www.neumann.edu
ADVANCING EXCELLENCE THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF
DR. CHRIS EVERETT DOMES Sixth President of NEUMANN UNIVERSITY
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The quest for excellence is never-ending. From the moment Neumann University was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, it has been committed to intellectual and ethical excellence. On the occasion of the inauguration, the University reaffirms its longstanding pledge to advance excellence on behalf of its students and the community that they will serve throughout their lives.
Inaugural Address Dr. Chris Everett Domes October 6, 2017 Good afternoon and welcome I am honored to be here on this beautiful campus among the faculty, staff, alumni, The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, friends of Neumann University, the citizens of Aston, Pennsylvania, and those who cherish this wonderful institution. To Mr. Jim Delaney and members of the Board of Trustees, thank you for your confidence in me. I promise to do my utmost to ensure that Neumann University continues to grow and flourish. To Archbishop Chaput, thank you for your words of encouragement. I am very grateful for your prayers and your support. To Rayanna, Marty, Michele, Dr. Swanik, Dr. Flynn, Mr. Francis, Father Dan, Commissioner Graham, Representative KruegerBraneky, Senator Killion, Congressman Meehan, Deacon Dan, and Sister Kathy thank you for your greetings and salutations. Your presence at this ceremony has meant a great deal to me and to the Neumann University community. To our distinguished college and university delegates, a heartfelt thanks for being with us today.
We are also so appreciative that many of our colleagues and friends from Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio, Massachusetts, Florida, Missouri, and Western New York made the trip to Aston, Pennsylvania, to celebrate the future of Neumann University. I want to acknowledge my beautiful wife Mary. She is truly my partner. When Neumann University said yes to me, you received an additional gift in the person of Mary Domes. She is amazing. I am humbled and inspired to be surrounded by this community of well-wishers who believe in the transformational power of a Catholic Franciscan education.
Neumann University — A Legacy This beautiful campus sits on holy and venerable ground — ground that has been blessed by the dedication and effort of generations of The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. It was here, on this Holy Hill that a college to educate sisters to serve, teach, and minister to people in need came to life. During the last few months I have had an opportunity to listen to the stories of the early days of Our Lady of Angels College, now Neumann University. I have heard stories of compassion and service to others. Each story reflected the sisters’ commitment to excellent teaching, service to the poor, to quality liberal arts education, and the joyful optimism and belief that God is always present.
I would like to thank and recognize our students — the student delegates, volunteers, and all the students who are present this day. Today is about you.
This community of Franciscan women founded this institution of higher learning to bring hope, healing, and life to the people of God. They have nurtured this Catholic mission and remained steadfastly committed to fostering its Franciscan Tradition and values.
It is an honor for Mary and me to have members of our family join us for this occasion. My parents, Bill and Virginia Domes, Mary’s mother, Patricia Gelen, my brothers and their wives, Mary’s brothers, sisters, and their spouses, cousins, aunts, uncles, and nephews made the journey.
Graduates of Our Lady of Angels College, Neumann College, and now Neumann University have always been prepared to be creative, moral leaders with the courage to bring Catholic Franciscan values into the world.
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From the beginning the Sisters engaged and brought along lay women and men to serve alongside them in forming and developing this ministry of higher education. Neumann University has been blessed with strong, compassionate, and competent leaders. One leader stands out, and she is here to share this moment with me and the Neumann University community, Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, President Emeritus. Dr. Mirenda, thank you for your friendship, inspirational leadership, and unwavering dedication to Neumann University. Neumann University stands as a testament to Dr. Mirenda and the educational leaders who have graced the halls of this great university. Their work is alive and well in our classrooms, labs, and residence halls. Those of us who have committed ourselves to this mission have been entrusted with the responsibility of continuing to strengthen this institution. We can never forget how so many have loved Neumann University so well. Leading is a great privilege. It must be taken on with care, guided always by the rich heritage of the founders and relying on our enduring Catholic Franciscan mission and values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship. Our Franciscan educational tradition teaches us that we must prepare our students to embrace the hurt, problems, and challenges of the world, and not to retreat from them. In his teachings and writings, St. Bonaventure captured and framed for us St. Francis’ determination to fully challenge the worst of human nature, through joyful optimism driven by the truth that God is in our midst.
Though it has been eight centuries since St. Bonaventure wrote these words, I believe that they speak directly to our work in Catholic higher education today. • Faith leads to understanding • Compassion is transformational • Enduring hope brings perseverance To truly be alive one must have faith, an authentic belief that God is truly present in our world. We must provide an environment where students can strengthen their relationship with God. This is foundational to Franciscan spirituality. During the time of St. Bonaventure and St. Francis there were knights and troubadours. These were individuals of honor and lovers of an ideal. Knights were generous, fearless, and faithful. St. Francis of Assisi saw his ministry and his life in this image. Framed by this cultural notion of knighthood, Francis preached the gospel message of Jesus. His public ministry and preaching drew upon the ideals of being a Knight for God. To Francis of Assisi a person of faith — a Knight for God — must fight for the poor and marginalized, for the oppressed and the forgotten. Francis armed himself with God’s love and tackled the problems of his time. Here at Neumann University we are the Knights. Sir Francis Knight is our mascot. Sir Francis rallies our community to cheer on our teams and brings smiles to those he encounters. Sir Francis is an example and symbol on our campus of our Franciscan spirit. As you witness and interact with the Neumann family, it becomes apparent that this spirit is alive and well.
St. Bonaventure proclaimed: Three things are necessary to be fully alive regardless of status, gender, or age — truth of faith which brings understanding; love of God which brings compassion; endurance of hope which brings perseverance.
Like Francis in his day we must find ways to strengthen and foster that spirit. I would suggest that our world needs more true Knights. People who have an authentic belief, a passion for a mission. Fearless and faithful champions, people who understand who they are in the world.
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The second notion articulated by St. Bonaventure is to show compassion in our hearts for each person. To be engaged in a transformative way in the world one must have the love of God which brings about real change. We live in a very cynical time. We are in desperate pursuit to find places and people in our lives that express joy, optimism, and compassion. As a society we are hungering for spirituality, meaning, and connections. And at the same time, we have lost trust in, or allegiance to, institutions, organizations, and government. This generation of students find themselves at the epicenter of this reality. Our students are looking for engagement and purpose. In a time when one can find daily examples of deep-rooted anger, high levels of mistrust and division, institutions with strong purposedriven missions can become places of healing, hope, peace, and renewal. Here at Neumann University we have a distinctive, purpose-driven mission. We embrace our commitment to personal teaching and learning, experiential career-focused education, a comprehensive set of academic offerings, and above all, our Catholic mission rooted in a Franciscan message of understanding, compassion, and hope.
However, our Franciscan intellectual tradition tells us that education alone does not instill care for creation, compassion for others, or a commitment to speak the truth. Therefore, we must remain committed to helping our students understand the RISES values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship. We must also show them how to integrate those values into their lives. We must find creative ways to collaborate, to provide access for more students, and we must not be afraid to be bold. Neumann University’s vision and mission is to prepare students academically by teaching them how to think critically and express themselves clearly. It also ensures that we fulfill a higher calling: To instill in our students a commitment to make a difference in the world, to help them become caring, contributing members of their communities, their churches, their professions, their nation, and the world. At Neumann we educate the whole person framed by our Catholic mission in the Franciscan tradition. This is our hope, our perseverance, our call to action. We will do this by:
• pursuing a commitment to excellence in all that we do;
It is our destiny as a Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition to respond to the needs of this generation with compassionate hearts. And then, in turn, we will ask our students and our alumni to respond with a compassionate heart to those they encounter in their lives.
• inviting each student into the experience of servant leadership;
St. Bonaventure’s final element of being fully alive asks us to be people of enduring hope. Through perseverance we are called to never give up on the most important things in life. We are also called to be people of action with an unwavering passion for life. On this idea of enduring hope, I find myself looking out and seeing both opportunities and challenges on the horizon for us here at Neumann University and for Catholic higher education. We must remain committed to strong liberal arts, high quality education, and professional preparation.
• preparing students to be ethical decision-makers and visionary leaders;
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• celebrating diversity and building a strong community;
• showing each student, through example, the importance of living the RISES values;
• supporting the notion of life-long learning;
• marrying real community needs with the students’ desire to learn and help others; and
• ensuring opportunities for leadership in intercollegiate athletics and in service to the Neumann community and beyond. 7
As we begin this new chapter in the history of Neumann University, together we will ensure that every graduate of this institution is prepared to make meaningful contributions and live a life of true success. A life centered in faith, compassion, and enduring hope. In closing I am excited to share with you that I begin my journey as president of Neumann University with a profound sense of optimism. Fifty-two years after the university’s founding, we have come together to celebrate not a person, or an office, but an institution, a mission, an inspiring vision, and a set of enduring values. It is my hope that we truly recognize the potential in our students, and that our commitment to their success will lead us to a bright future. If we embrace the road ahead with gusto, live our mission, and believe in our vision, we will realize our greatest aspiration — to be a living legacy to the founders and educational pioneers who came before us. Standing here today, I am aware that I am in the midst and in the presence of a community of students and teachers, friends and colleagues, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Each of you has traveled a unique path, both literally and figuratively, to arrive at this place, at this moment in time. As you leave this ceremony, I would ask you to think about your place in the life of Neumann University. Your presence here today binds you to this community in a special way; your friendship, your support, your prayers, and your efforts are important and deeply valued. Follow us, come along with us, engage with us, as we move forward and know that you are members of the Neumann University family now and forever. Thank you and God bless Neumann University.
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