USD Magazine Fall 2026

Dear Toreros, O ne of the things that has always drawn me to the University of San Diego is the way our mission comes to life beyond our campus. We talk often about educating compassionate leaders, but what stands out is the way our students, faculty, staff and alumni put that compassion into action. We learn alongside our communities, build relationships rooted in trust and recognize that some of our greatest teachers are the people and organizations working every day to strengthen our neighborhoods. That commitment has been part of USD since its founding. Forty years ago, what is now the Karen and Tom Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action was established to help connect our university with the communities we call home. Those relationships have continued to grow over the decades, creating opportunities for students to learn through service while supporting community partners whose work inspires us every day. This has been a meaningful year for community engagement at USD. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected USD to become the academic host of its Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. Having been among the first universities to receive this recognition 20 years ago, it is especially meaningful that we now have the opportunity to support colleges and universities across the country as they deepen their own commitments to community engagement. USD is also the administrative home of LEAD California and the Place-Based Justice Network, two organizations that provide resources and support for colleges and universities to advance civic engagement, public service and student and faculty involvement in campus-community partnerships. We are also grateful that the Mulvaney Center’s College Corps program has been renewed with a $5.5 million grant from California Volunteers, the Office of the Governor and the California State Legislature. Over the next three years, more than 380 USD students will receive scholarships while serving alongside local nonprofit organizations, schools and community partners. That investment is ultimately an investment in our students, our communities and the relationships that connect them.

Light the Way FORWARD

[President] James T. Harris III, DEd [Vice President, University Advancement]

Richard P. Virgin ’24 (PhD) [Associate VP, University Marketing and Communications, University Advancement] Russell J. Yost [Editor] Steven Covella [Contributing Writers] Steven Covella Elena Gomez Kelsey Grey ’15 (BA)

As a valued member of the University of San Diego community, you know firsthand what makes this university so special. Inspire someone you know to become a Torero and help us recruit the next generation of students by encouraging them to apply today.

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Ben Peterson Talya Sanders Mike Sauer Michelle Sztupkay Stacey Truver Russell J. Yost [Design Team] Tricia Caparas

Patrick Simon Marina Woods [University of San Diego Magazine] Published two times a year by the University of San Diego. U.S. postage paid at San Diego, CA 92110. Please note that content for University of San Diego Magazine has a long lead time. Toreros Making Waves will be reviewed and included based on deadlines for each issue. [Contact Us] University of San Diego 5998 Alcalá Park San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 260-4600 publications@sandiego.edu [Website] sandiego.edu [Be Blue, Go Green] University of San Diego Magazine is printed with vegetable-based inks on paper certified in accordance with FSC® standards, which support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

As you read this issue, I hope you’ll see community engagement not simply as a program or an initiative, but as a reflection of who we are as a university. The stories you’ll find here remind us that meaningful change begins with listening, showing up and working together. Whether your community is here in San Diego or somewhere else in the world, I hope they encourage you to find your own ways to stay connected, serve others and continue carrying forward the values we share as Toreros.

Sincerely,

BECOME A TORERO TODAY (619) 260-4506 | admissions@sandiego.edu | sandiego.edu/BecomeATorero

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Christopher Nayve ’98 (BA), ’06 (JD), ’07 (MBA) AVP and Inaugural Endowed Chair for the Karen and Tom Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action

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