I am so happy to be here this evening welcoming a new class to Brescia University. As the president of the alumni association board of directors, I typically get to spend time celebrating our graduates. I get to see our alumni start new jobs and grow their families. Today, our alumni family of over 8,000 Bearcats worldwide is growing with all of you.
You are the reason we alumni keep funding scholarships, hosting senior nights, and throwing campus-wide parties. You are the reason we are all here today, because you have made the decision to start your college career with us. And I want to start by saying, thank you.
Longer ago than I like to admit, I made the same decision to attend Brescia University. I went through my orientation. And when it was all over, I went to my single dorm room in Merici hall alone, and I was miserable.
Brescia, and the world, was a little different when I started college. Social media was in its infancy. I personally didn’t have a car. My flip phone didn’t have unlimiting calling or texting or the ability to hook up to the internet. I was hours away from every friend and family member I had. Going to college felt like everyone and everything was changing. And I didn’t know what to do.
So I did nothing. I went to class and then back to my dorm. I ate my meals alone and thought, “I have made the biggest mistake of my life.” I wasn’t on a sports team. I hadn’t declared a major. I didn’t even have good answers when people asked what I liked. And my fear of having made a mistake grew. Weeks after I started at Brescia I still felt alone. It wasn’t until my English teacher asked me to join the newspaper staff that things changed.
David Bartholomy, who we called Bart and whose name is now on the building I work in every day, asked me to consider writing for the student newspaper. I had just submitted my first college paper for English 101 and I thought, I’m not good enough. But Bart thought otherwise, and he said to just show up and see if I like it. He said another first-year student had just joined the staff, and he ask if I knew her. Bart told me he thought I’d like her.
I did not know her. I didn’t really know anyone. But that Thursday night, I did something that changed my life. I showed up. I went to the staff meeting and met the Broadcast staff. I met Katie, the first-year student Bart thought I’d like. He was right, as he often was. Years later, Katie would be one of my matrons of honor as I got married here on campus to her husband’s brother. We now share a last name and get to call each other sisters, but that might be another story.
Back at my first few months of college, Katie asked if I was going on the English club’s trip to Nashville to see the Parthenon. I had heard about this trip and thought it sounded great. But, I hadn’t declared a major. I told her that trip isn’t for me. Luckily, the club president stepped in and assured me all were welcomed. So I showed up for that too. And then I started showing up to the dining hall and sitting with people I didn’t quite know yet.
I showed up to campus ministry dinners; I showed up to student government dances; I kept showing up to my classes. And before I realized it, I had friends. I had older peer mentors who helped me navigate picking classes and buying books. I had declared a major in English, and I found a place with the student newspaper. The next four years weren’t always easy, but I kept showing up for myself. And I had others that could step in when I needed support. I had things to do and connections.
When you feel connected a lot of fears can turn into opportunities. My fear of meeting new people turned into the opportunity to make friends and eventually family. My fear of change turned into the opportunity to transform into a better version of me. And my fear of having made a mistake turned into a life-time commitment to higher education and Brescia University.
Today, I will keep doing what I have been taught through my time at Brescia, and show up. Even when it’s a little scary, or I feel like I might not be the right person or good enough to stand where I am standing, I’m going to show up. I’m going to be supported by the people in my life, and I’m going to do what I can to make a difference.
I hope, as an alumna, I will make a difference in your time here. I hope all of you will join me at homecoming and family weekend. I hope to celebrate our upcoming centennial together. I really hope to see you at baccalaureate and graduation someday. Above all I hope to help you feel connected to this place like I feel connected to this place.
I am honored that you all have showed up. And I’ll end by saying, on behalf of your alumni family with the up most sincerity, Welcome home, Bearcats.