MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Building a Franciscan Future… Together, in Our Second Century!

even as we look forward to our second century. Some of these events will look familiar—“centennial-ized” (if that’s a word?!) versions of your favorites—but many will be one-of-a-kind opportunities, including at least

Dear Members of the USF Family,

one world-premiere musical performance.

Welcome to the latest issue of Engaging Mind and

Indeed, the theme for USF’s 2019–2024 strategic

Spirit—our University of St. Francis magazine and one

plan—for which we’re about mid-way through the

way that we strive to remain connected to you:

planning process—is “Building a Franciscan Future…

our alumni, our friends, our parents, our employees

Together, in Our Second Century.” While this explicitly

and our supporters…in short, our USF family.

recognizes that the university is celebrating its centennial, it’s even more important that we do this in

A particular focus of this issue is to begin to lay the

alignment with our mission—as passed on to us by

groundwork for the celebration of the university’s

our founding and sponsoring congregation, the Sisters

100th anniversary in 2020—the planning for which is

of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate. For this reason,

well underway.

our focus is on “Building a Franciscan Future”—which, by the way, is an outgrowth of the theme of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities’ Symposium that we hosted last June—as we aspire to be a leading Catholic Franciscan university. The last component of the strategic plan’s theme—

Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D. President University of St. Francis

which may be easy to overlook but remains critical—is that we’re doing this “Together.” This includes not only our present students, professors and staff members, One key aspect of this planning is our targeted

but also our alumni, friends, community/employer

Centennial Campaign—which looks to raise funds to

partners and donors—each of whom plays a key role

support three key initiatives with which we hope

in realizing our mission…and for whom we are ever

to launch our 100th year of service and leadership.

grateful. (Speaking of donors, please be sure to check

The first is to raise at least $1 million in additional

out the Honor Roll of Donors, which accompanies this

(endowed) scholarship funding for our students, most

year’s annual report at the back of this issue.)

of whom remain the first in their families to attend college. The second is to establish a “Centennial

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy

Quad” in the space being vacated by St. Albert

this latest update about what’s happening at your

Hall—linking the campus from the Motherhouse

USF. And, as always, please know that I continue to

to Tower Hall to the Brown Science Hall to the Sullivan

consider myself incredibly blessed to serve as your

Center—with new gathering areas and open spaces.

president and promise to work hard to earn the trust

And, finally, we plan to establish a new “Centennial

that you have placed in me.

Gateway” on the northern edge of the campus— complete with a monument sign and a welcoming statue of Saint Francis. (Please see this issue’s feature article for some exciting sketches of our plans.) Another aspect of the planning will be a series of events—indeed, a whole year’s worth!—in which we’ll celebrate the university’s history and the impact it has on its students and the communities it serves,

Peace and all good things,