NEW Utas fall - Saint Louis University

By Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
Saint Louis University President
I
’m convinced that it must have been a SLU graduate who coined the phrase, “What a small
world.”
I’m sure you’ve all had a similar experience: you’re sitting in a restaurant, standing in line
to check out at a grocery store or even taking in a ball game, and someone around you says
something like, “Didn’t you go to SLU?”
Whatever the opening line, what almost always ensues is a brief conversation between two
people. They may have never met before, but it’s as if an instant connection has been made.
They begin talking like old friends.
Although I realize that this phenomenon frequently happens between
people who share a common identity, I often come away from such experiences
convinced that members of our SLU community transcend the
superficialities of just sharing an alma mater or even a fondness for a particular
sports team.
I truly believe our mission and our Ignatian heritage unites us on a deeper
level. The recent Homecoming festivities only reinforced my belief. As
all of you know, during Homecoming, we welcome thousands of former
students back to campus, putting them in contact once again with each
other and with our current students, faculty and staff.
There were tours of Grand Center, our own home in Midtown, as well as
the new and improved Busch Student Center. There were parties, outdoor
concerts, Billiken soccer, a parade and fireworks. There were golf outings,
class reunions and tailgates. And serving as an appropriate, intimate ending
to the weekend, there was the Golden Billiken Brunch for members of the
classes up to and including the class of 1953.
Alhtough all of these activities are entertaining and help to demonstrate
our appreciation for members of our SLU family, perhaps the most satisfying
element of Homecoming is found in the personal interaction between
longtime friends. For Homecoming is one of the few times during the year
in which generations of Billikens come back to campus to celebrate and
commemorate their shared identity. Alumni reminisce about old times
while also introducing their former classmates to their personal families. We at SLU show off
our campus and introduce our current family of students, faculty and staff, who share their
own thoughts and feelings about the SLU experience.
Alumni often share their own success stories, but more importantly, their stories about family,
friends and faith. They tell me how the philosophy, ethics and theological components
they once grumbled about now serve them well in their everyday lives.
Conversely, we let alumni know that SLU remains committed to informing and transforming
our current students, who, in turn, will transform society in the spirit of the Gospels. I
give assurances that although the nature of higher education has changed, SLU remains true
to its Jesuit, Catholic heritage — just like it has for generations, all the way back to its founding
in 1818.
Yes, we truly see the spirit of Saint Louis University revealed and refreshed during our
Homecoming festivities. It gives me great joy to hear about the ways in which members of
the SLU community continue to make a difference for their families, for their communities,
for their professions, for their world. Though it is only one weekend during the year, there’s
undoubtedly an invisible bridge that links generations of Billiken alumni together. We can be
reassured that SLU continues to succeed in preparing its graduates for a lifetime of service to
humankind.
It’s wonderful to see that SLU is indeed “where the heart is” in so many people’s lives.