An Exerpt From the President’s Inaugural Address

Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to each of you gathered here today. Your efforts humble me, as does your devotion to La Salle. While today you do welcome a new President, more importantly, you honor a fine school with a remarkable history. …

I have often reflected on what it is that distinguishes La Salle University from the long list of others around us. There is a helpful quote from the great American orator and Civil War veteran Robert Ingersoll: “We rise by lifting others.”

And, in thinking more about La Salle, my mind turned to the recent historic visit of Pope Francis to our city and his call to each of us to strive for justice by celebrating the dignity of the human person and the advancement of the common good.

This has been La Salle’s focus for over 150 years. The Brothers of the Christian Schools knew, in 1863, as they know now that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and for us to build authentic community, it can only be done by elevating everyone. Since the beginning, this elevation has been achieved through a mission focus on faith, community, and service.

And it is those Lasallian ties—faith, community, and service—that bind us together and that distinguish us from all others. But in the years ahead, we must get even more serious about this. … We are living in a world that will continue to test the role of the university. As a community, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that our students, regardless of their disciplinary fields, receive a rich and powerful liberal education.

To do that, we must define the unique and specific characteristics of a La Salle graduate and then ensure that those outcomes are mapped to what goes on at La Salle from the first day to the last day of a student’s time on our campus. Whether she is studying economics or he is studying nursing, each of our students must leave La Salle with specific competencies that will allow them to achieve personal and professional success and that, even more importantly, will ensure their cultivation as well-formed, contributing citizens. …

What I have found (during my time here) is a campus community that is fiercely proud and loyal, whose members often set aside their own interests in support of the greater mission and noble vocation of forming young people for lives of impact. …

Together, we will build the vision for this University. It will be a vision of faith, of hope, of commitment to the future and with service to our students and community at its very heart, and it will belong to all of us. … Twenty-two years ago, Brother Joseph Burke, sitting behind me here today, was inaugurated. At his celebration, he drew on the thoughts and words of St. John Baptist de La Salle who, when faced with times of trouble, was often known to pray, “Lord, this work is yours.” It is a prayer that we make to this day here in our Chapel, in response to our intercessions at Mass.

But St. John Baptist de La Salle took that one step further, looking to his assembly of teaching Brothers as he said, “This work is ours.” As Brother Joseph reminded us 22 years ago, and as I am sure Brother Michael confirmed during his 15 years as President of La Salle—this work, this splendid University, is ours.

Today, I have answered your call to service with an enthusiastic “yes!” Thank you for your confidence in my ability to lead this work, and thank you for your continued prayers for La Salle.

God bless you and never stop exploring.