A Legacy of Excellence

May 14, 2026

Dear ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Alumni and Friends,

This past weekend, as 644 graduates crossed the stage surrounded by proud families, devoted faculty, and generations of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøites who came before them, I was reminded once again that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s true distinction is measured in lives transformed, communities uplifted, and futures made possible through a purposeful education.

This academic year showed the very best of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

Our momentum and national visibility continued to grow in remarkable ways. We celebrated our cheer team’s capture of the 2026 NAIA National Championship, confirming that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s excellence extends well beyond the classroom. Our first-ever mathematics research conference highlighted the growing strength of our STEM enterprise. We celebrated students whose academic journeys exemplify both excellence and possibility, including graduates commissioning into the United States Space Force and scholars preparing to continue advanced study and service in medicine, research, education, and public leadership.

We watched ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøites continue to affirm a truth this institution has demonstrated for generations: talent flourishes when it is cultivated in a community that expects greatness while nurturing humanity.

Among this year’s graduating College of Pharmacy class, an overwhelming majority successfully matched into residencies and fellowships, continuing ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s longstanding tradition of preparing healthcare professionals who will serve communities with skill, compassion, and integrity. This year also affirmed ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s enduring impact. Across disciplines, from the humanities to global scholarship programs, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students continued to distinguish themselves as leaders of intellect, purpose, and service. And yet, the story of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has never been solely about statistics.

It is about students who arrive carrying dreams larger than their circumstances. It is about faculty and staff who pour themselves into the lives of young people. It is about alumni who continue to open doors for the next generation. It is about a community that believes deeply in the moral obligation to cultivate intellect in service to humanity.

Behind every graduate who crossed the stage stands a community of support that chose to invest in possibility. Your generosity helps close financial gaps, sustain scholarships, strengthen academic programs, expand research opportunities, and ensure that deserving students remain at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and flourish here. In many ways, our students are carrying forward a legacy that you helped build.

As ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø traverses its second century under the banner of “A Legacy of Excellence,” we do so with extraordinary momentum and with equally profound responsibility. The need for institutions like ours has never been greater. Our nation continues to require leaders formed by intellect, moral courage, cultural understanding, and a commitment to justice and human dignity. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø remains uniquely positioned to prepare those leaders.

I invite you to continue walking alongside us in this work.

Your support is an investment in future physicians, scientists, educators, pharmacists, entrepreneurs, scholars, artists, and servant leaders who will shape communities across this nation and beyond. Most importantly, it is an investment in young people whose gifts might otherwise go unrealized without the opportunity ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø provides.

Thank you for believing in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and our students. Thank you for helping us sustain this sacred mission. And thank you for ensuring that the next generation of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøites will inherit not simply a university, but a legacy of excellence grounded in Mother Katharine’s promise.

Reynold Verret
President, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø