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Dear Colleague:
Last month, I turned 61 years old. For more than 12 of those years, I've been president of Saint Louis University. And for 42 of them, I've been a member of the Society of Jesus.
As is almost always the case with birthdays, it was an occasion for me to reflect a bit on my life and milestones the last year has brought. Quite honestly, I really don't feel 61. It seems just like yesterday that I was a young Jesuit scholastic studying at Loyola Chicago. Was it really 24 years ago that I received my doctorate from Georgetown University?
By the time my next birthday rolls around, many significant things will have happened. America will have elected a new president, new congressmen/congresswomen, new senators. And for me personally, I will have celebrated the 30th anniversary of my ordination.
The year 2000, for sure, will have its share of tragedies and treasures that we can't even imagine. Let us pray that we avoid the tragedies that 1999 brought -- the war in Kosovo, the horrific images of the Columbine massacre or natural disasters such as Turkey's earthquake.
I hope that when we come together in 2000, it is to celebrate. At this time last year, we were transformed by the overwhelming power of the papal visit to St. Louis. Let us seize once more the exuberance we shared then as we look forward to the more simple pleasures the future holds. When we remember 1999, we can fondly recall the successful St. Louis Rams, the exuberance of Y2K celebrations around the globe, the thrill of our Women's World Cup soccer champions.
I believe that the next year holds great things for Saint Louis University. In fact, the next century does.
Here are some things I'm looking forward to in 2000:
I'm looking forward to commencement, seeing the first graduates of the new century meet and face the world -- just as alumni of this University have since the early 1800s. I welcome a new generation of leaders bringing a new promise for the future.
I'm looking forward to the further implementation of Project SLU 2000 and the great things this will mean for our University. Every day, our combined efforts make SLU's future even brighter.
I'm excited about the cutting edge research projects going on at our University, and what new discoveries in science and health care our faculty researchers can share with the world in the coming year. Because of the tireless efforts of these individuals, the future holds potential for a cure for the diseases and other problems that plague our world today.
I'm looking forward to welcoming the class of 2004 this fall. I know it's a few months off, but our applications are on the rise again this year, both in quantity and quality, and I am always thrilled to greet such a talented group of people who are as excited about SLU as I am. Their enthusiasm is contagious.
I'm looking forward to reconnecting with our alumni at Reunion Weekend this fall. Planning has begun for this event, and I am eager to welcome our alumni as they mark their SLU history and gather here to share memories and make new ones.
It's a new year and a new semester, and we can make it our best yet. This month, as our students return to classes, I want all of us -- faculty, staff and administrators -- to ask ourselves an old question. How can we better serve our students here at Saint Louis University? Students should be at the center of everything that you do, no matter what your job is.
At the beginning of the 20th century, William Banks Rogers, SJ, a visionary Jesuit who was president of SLU at the time, led SLU to a new level of greatness. My Jesuit brother William Barnaby Faherty, SJ, calls him "the second founder of Saint Louis University."
I hope that I, our trustees, regents, vice presidents, vice provosts, deans and directors can continue to lead this University on the right path during the next year and well into this century. I pray that with your help, our vision will come
Lawrence Biondi, SJ
University President
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