University of San Diego Magazine 75th Anniversary 2024

Conference Reflections from Michael Lovette-Colyer, PhD “

There remains tremendous value in Catholic higher education in an era full of division and conflict. “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Catholic higher education have incredible wisdom to offer. If we are going to address humanity’s urgent challenges, we should draw upon the wisdom we have in our tradition.” USD has an obligation and opportunity to continue its efforts related to sustainability. “Cardinal McElroy’s talk highlighted that Laudato Si’ really ought to be seen as a guide for the mission and identity of the Catholic university. How are we embodying our commitment to being good stewards of the Earth’s resources? How are we educating people about the importance of that and how they can do it in their own lives? We need to continue what we’ve done in this regard and amplify these efforts.”

T he Eucharistic Liturgy of the novel the official beginning of the university’s 75th anniversary — appropriately themed Lighting the Way Forward. “It is timely for us to gather at this moment to rethink, reimagine and rearticulate our deepest purposes and our highest aspirations,” USD President James T. Harris III, DEd, said during his welcome speech. “I sincerely hope this conference will provide an opportunity to draw wisdom from the incredibly rich history of Catholic higher education and chart a course forward to navigate a more inclusive, sustainable and hopeful future.” Roughly 250 individuals representing more than 40 Catholic colleges and universities and numerous K-12 districts participated in the conference, held to explore what it means to be a Catholic university at a conference carried a distinguished air as both a warm welcome to guests and

time in history riddled with urgent global challenges including climate change, structural racism, lack of trust in institutions, polarizing political discourse, breakdown of communities and more. Cardinal Robert W. McElroy provided the keynote plenary session on Care for Our Common Home. After his talk, McElroy, the bishop of San Diego, was named a Laudato Si’ fellow for his efforts promoting Care for Our Common Home (see page 6). Other plenary topics at the conference included Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging; Pope Francis’ Pontificate and Catholic Colleges and Universities; the Liberal Arts; and the Emerging Needs, Challenges and Opportunities of Generation Z. The genesis of the conference emerged during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fall 2020. USD Vice President of Mission

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