Rev. Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
President of Saint Louis University
Thursday, August 24, 2006
St. Francis Xavier College Church

Class of 2010 - Welcome to Saint Louis University! Your family, friends, your future teachers are all excited and anxious to read your individual chapters in your life's journey. So welcome to the next chapter in your life!

I, too, am so pleased that you chose to write your next chapter here at Saint Louis University.

Yes, we selected you from thousands of applicants, but, more importantly, you selected us from a number of colleges.

Biondi addresses the class of 2010.

A year or two ago, you heard about Saint Louis University - perhaps from a booklet you received in the mail or through a Google search or from a college counselor or family member - and you decided to take a closer look at SLU.

Then something clicked. Maybe you were drawn to our Jesuit tradition or our highly ranked academic programs. Or maybe you liked the campus environment. Or maybe we had just the major you wanted. Or maybe you heard about our volunteer/service program opportunities. Or maybe it was your desire to apply for and receive some financial aid and scholarships from our $76 million student scholarship pooled endowment fund. Or maybe you really just wanted to be a Billiken!

Whatever it was, something about this 188-year-old institution sparked your interest and inspired you to apply.

And while I am sure you chose SLU rationally - after much thought, reflection and discussion with your parents - I also know that you are here because of a feeling you got about SLU. An intangible. A sense that you would be right at home here.

Well you were right. You are at home here.

You are now part of the Saint Louis University family. And just like your real family, we have great expectations for you.

As you begin your journey here, all of your new SLU family members - faculty, staff, coaches, advisers, vice presidents, deans and your president - want what is best for you. We want you to thrive. We want to assist you in realizing your full potential.

It may not be easy all the time, and we may even have to resort occasionally to some "parental-style" nagging, but that is because at SLU, we are in this together. Your successes are our successes, your challenges are our challenges.

So, like members of your real family, I cannot help but offer you some friendly - even "fatherly" - advice on how to make the most of this new - this exciting college experience which is beginning to unfold for each of you.

And since you are the class of 2010, I could not resist the temptation of making my own Top 10 list of advice à la David Letterman!

Number Ten: Take every opportunity to learn - to learn in and outside of the classroom, laboratory or library. This may seem obvious - after all, learning is what college is all about. But remember that learning happens inside both our academic buildings and our residence halls. It happens on service trips and fraternity and sorority committees, on the athletic and intramural fields. It happens in lecture halls and Student Government meetings. Lessons can be found everywhere, even outside of textbooks, the Internet and PowerPoint presentations, so remain open to them at every turn.

Number Nine: Reach out to new people. Your window to the world has just gotten a lot bigger. You are seated here today with students from across the country and from around the world. There are 57 nations represented by your fellow students. The professors you will meet next week bring their own diverse backgrounds to our campus community. Get to know your classmates and your teachers. Share your perspective with them, and let them introduce you to new views. You will be richer for the experience. Be prepared! Your faculty members will challenge you. But they will be your advocates. They will also be your champions.

Number Eight: Take care of yourself. College - any college, even a fine, prestigious institution like Saint Louis University - is full of temptations. You will have much more independence here than you have probably ever had, and it is easy to pick up some bad habits. From overeating, to not sleeping enough, to experimenting with alcohol, it is easy to stray from what you know is best. I am telling you right now. Don't. Your parents and your new friends at SLU want you to remain healthy, happy and strong.

Number Seven: Get involved. There are more than 170 student organizations here at SLU. Surely there is at least one organization that is just right for you. Do you want to climb mountains? We have got a club for that. Do you think your iPod has the best playlist ever? Stop by the campus radio station and see if you can be a deejay. Do you play an instrument? Join our Billiken pep band and be a part of the action at basketball games. Do you like to write? Join the staff of The University News. Do you play cricket or rugby or enjoy fencing? Our club sports teams have a place for you. Do you want to get a jump on your career in engineering, law or dietetics? We have clubs for all of those (plus many other careers). And do you want to share your culture with the SLU community? Many groups here, including the Indian-Asian Student Association, the Muslim Student Association and the International Student Association, can help.

Number Six: Stay organized. Right now, in the heat of August, final exam week in December seems far, far away. But the next three-or-so months will fly by. So stay on top of your assignments, your commitments and your deadlines. You can avoid a lot of stress if you start term papers early, keep up with your readings and devote a set time schedule to study each day.

Number Five: Volunteer. Here at Saint Louis University we pride ourselves on forming women and men for others in the Jesuit tradition. What does that mean? It means that while you are here, you will be encouraged to look beyond campus life to the greater St. Louis metropolitan community and to be an advocate for social justice. That might mean making meals for the elderly through our Campus Kitchen program. It might mean tutoring children at a nearby grade school. It might even mean traveling to New Orleans to assist with rebuilding efforts. Whatever the activity, put yourself out there and start making a difference.

Number Four: Remember that you do not know all the answers. You just graduated from high school, and you have spent the last year at the top of heap. Now you are freshmen again. And although everyone here is proud of you and your high school accomplishments, you cannot stand still. SLU is a whole new ballgame. SLU is now a new chapter in your life. Adapt, be open and know that there is a vast amount of knowledge waiting for you.

Number Three: Don't get discouraged. I won't sugarcoat it: Saint Louis University is going to challenge you. Classes will be hard. Professors will push you to excel. Your workload will seem daunting. You will, undoubtedly, make some mistakes. But remember that a key part of learning is learning from mistakes. So do not dwell on your mistakes. Make the decision to improve and then move on. And never, never be afraid to ask for help. You are SLU family members now - and all of us at SLU are here to help you. So don't be embarrassed to ask for help - academic help, financial help, emotional or psychological help, physical help or spiritual help. We are ready to help you.

Number Two: Take prudent chances. I don't want to scare your parents - I don't mean that you should take stupid chances or unnecessary risks, like sneaking to the roof of Griesedieck Hall or spending your time and money at the area casinos. I mean that you should push yourself to try new things. Audition for a play. Sign up for an intramural sport. Run for a Student Government office. Try an unfamiliar ethnic dish in our SLU dining rooms. Get outside your comfort zone and you will realize a whole new side of yourself.

Number One: Pray and enhance your faith. Here at SLU, no one is going to wake you up on Sunday and make you go to church. But I hope you will find your way to church anyway, no matter what your faith. Stop by our campus ministry center for information about retreats, prayer groups and our 10 p.m. Sunday night student Mass. As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, we believe in "finding God In all things." This means leading a life open to spirituality and the wonders of the Lord all around us. If you see God everywhere, you will find that each day is full of wonderful possibilities.

Of course, it is easy for me to stand up here and offer advice to you. But you should know that at Saint Louis University, we know that your success here also depends on us.

So I promise you and your parents that we in the SLU community will do many things to help you succeed:

• We will give you the best education possible.
• We will offer you opportunities to enrich your soul.
• We will encourage you to realize your full potential.
• We will care for you like family.
• We will prepare you for a life beyond graduation where you will not only excel in your chosen career, but you also will be committed to social justice, to your community and to your fellow sisters and brothers of all ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs and sexual orientations.

Those are strong promises, but I assure you that the entire SLU family stands behind them. We are here to provide the finest educational environment, and we will. In fact, this is an especially exciting time to be at Saint Louis University.

Class of 2010, during your years here you will see our new $80 million, state-of-the-art biomedical Edward A. Doisy Research open next August 2007. You will be among the first fans at the $80 million SLU Arena - which we will break ground for on Monday, Aug. 28, and will open in March 2008. (If your class schedule permits, please join us for the big groundbreaking celebration.) And you will, by this coming January, workout in a renovated and expanded Simon Recreation Center.

We can thank many generous alumni and friends for making these building projects a reality. Likewise, our outstanding donors are also the reason SLU can offer $76 million in scholarships and financial aid.

It is important for you know that there is a tradition of "giving" at Saint Louis University, a legacy of generosity - of time, talent and treasure. Your education at SLU is not an entitlement. It is a privilege. So be grateful to your parents and families and to generations of generous SLU alumni, donors, friends and benefactors for the fact that you are here today, enjoying all that SLU has to offer.

And let me tell you, just as our alumni have given back to SLU over the years, I also expect you to give back. As a student, I expect you to give your time and talents to the community - both on campus and in the wider world. To share your gifts with those who need them most.

After you graduate, I expect you to continue your community outreach. But I also expect you to remember the generosity of SLU alumni who came before you and who will make your experience here so memorable. Follow their lead, and when you are financially able, please be as generous to SLU as those friends and benefactors who have helped you through their contributions, donations and estate plans to assist present and future SLU students through our scholarship fund program.

Our future at SLU is bright - and so is yours. And with our help, you are destined to follow in the footsteps of our more than 110,000 outstanding living alumni who are changing the world one day at time.

I thank you for choosing Saint Louis University and for joining our family. Just like your parents, we expect great things from you. So go out and make us all proud. We - and the world - are counting on you.

• Return to administration information.