Letter from Pres. Harris
James T. Harris III, D.Ed. / President
What are your passions? Do you think about where your passions and your God-given talents intersect? Do you know how best to connect your passions with the knowledge you are gaining in the classroom? Do you have the confidence to try something different, something outside of your comfort zone and not be afraid of failing? Have you considered aligning your passions in ways that help those who are most vulnerable in our society?
Opportunities for you to make a positive difference in this world do not have to wait until after you graduate from college. They can happen now.
The transformative power of higher education can change individuals for the better, and I think it is one of the great forces in the world today. As a first-generation college student, my higher-education experience changed me.
Three very important things that transformed me as a man and as a leader happened during my college years. First, I found my faith and converted to Roman Catholicism. Second, I found my vocation. I fell in love with the idea of teaching and became an educator. Third, I found the love of my life, my wife, Mary.
The positive impact of higher education on my life was profound, and the same transformative experiences are happening every day at the University of San Diego. That is what originally attracted me to USD. Students are empowered to collaborate with other students and faculty across disciplines to accomplish remarkable things.
Some of you may not be aware that the University of San Diego is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States and is one of only 44 universities in the world — and the first in California — to be designated by Ashoka U as a Changemaker Campus.
Our campus is intentionally organized to help students distill their passions and ideas, conduct research, effectively scale programs for the greatest impact, write business plans and turn their concepts into actionable solutions. It starts in the classroom, where social change learning objectives are embedded into the curriculum, effectively extending the classroom beyond the four walls of the university.
Through an organization called the Changemaker Hub, students are encouraged to use their knowledge and experiences to figure out solutions in collaboration with others. The Hub, along with other organizations, enables students and faculty to draw upon support from schools and departments across campus that they otherwise may never be exposed to. These organizations also connect students with other faculty advisors, alumni, community leaders, partner companies, non-profit organizations and funding sources.
Annual competitions on campus encourage students to engage in social entrepreneurship, including the Changemaker Challenge, the Venture Vetting Competition and the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge. Students, along with faculty, are incentivized to participate in service-learning projects, including the Changemaker Scholarship, Changemaker Summer Fellows and the Changemaker Fest.
When students successfully turn their dreams into realities, the results are shared with the global Ashoka U network, comprised of more than 40 countries, where the students’ innovative projects are showcased as best practices for the benefit of other universities.
Changemaking at the University of San Diego starts with how students grow as individuals and explores their ability to go beyond themselves to help shape local, national and global communities. The fact that USD has been designated a Changemaker Campus means that we are dedicated to providing the support needed for students to build the foundations for more purposeful and meaningful lives.
The Changemaker designation and philosophy is also strongly aligned with the University of San Diego’s Catholic identity and teachings on social justice. The practice of Changemaking and USD’s Catholic intellectual tradition both reflect a deep conviction to developing ethical, capable and compassionate graduates committed to the common good.
At the heart of USD is the recognition of the dignity of every person as created in the image and likeness of God. This recognition cultivates an active faith community dedicated to the development of the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. This fundamental Culture of Care inspires active, responsible citizens and ethical leaders who acquire the knowledge, skills, and values to make a positive difference in the world.
USD students across every field of study are conceiving ideas and launching solutions that improve the human condition. Through a values-based education and an ecosystem for social entrepreneurship, our students gain practical skills in critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork that equip them with experiences that last a lifetime — and a competitive advantage to bring to the workforce after graduation.
We are so proud of our students, faculty and alumni who venture out all over the world, impacting lives, and making a positive difference.
Through learning, connecting and engaging, you can pursue a wide range of activities at USD. What are your passions? What are your ideas? How will you leverage the resources available to you during your time at the University of San Diego to help change the world for the better?