2024 Convocation Address Transcript

President Snyder's Annual Convocation Address
November 12, 2024

"Forward"

Thank you, Chair Viviano.

We welcome today:
Trustees: 
Sr. Maryanne Huepper, C.S.J.; Rev. Eddie Siebert, S.J.; and former Trustee Karen Dial;
Regents: Sandra Chiappari Fuchs; Carlos Cruz-Aedo; 
Chris de Virgilio; Channing Lindsay; 
Diana Loffarelli Montes; Quinn O’Donnell; and Raul Salinas;
President’s Cabinet members, our college and school deans, our senior leaders;
LMU Students; led by ASLMU and GSLMU;
LMU Faculty, led by Faculty Senate President Leon Wiebers;
LMU Staff, led by Staff Senate President Lisa Jackson;
Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange; Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary; the Society of Jesus; 
interfaith leaders;
Alumni and Friends:
Representatives from our partners, including from the Los Angeles Rams;
Convocation committee; student workers;
And LMU African Music Ensemble and String Ensemble, led by professors Divine Kwasi Gbagbo and Ken Aiso, produced by envisioneer-extraordinaire John Flaherty! Thank you for propelling us FORWARD with that thrilling performance.

I thank each of you for joining us this morning in person and via live stream. 

As part of LMU’s recognition of our history, location, and relationship to the Indigenous communities in Los Angeles, let us acknowledge the Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and southern Channel Islands) and the presence of LMU on this traditional and unceded land. We are grateful to live, learn, and create in this place.

My time as president of LMU is as great an honor as I have experienced, and I have cherished every moment of it–even the most challenging, because with thanks to each of you, I have always been accompanied. With another presidential election behind us, some members of our community carry concerns about what may come next; some fear compromise of their safety or civil rights. Please know: Shifts in our political landscape will never deter the Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount values that unite us and shape our work at LMU. We remain committed to freedom of speech and respectful engagement; and we remain committed to a culture of inclusion where all are welcome.

In the spirit of unity and gratitude, today, I will look back on where we have been–together, on what we have accomplished as a community. Think of it as a FOREWORD. Then, we will consider the path FORWARD–no need to spell that–for our profoundly successful university in these complex times. 

Foreword: Where We Have Been

Our institution was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles College. Six decades later, Loyola University formally merged with Marymount College in 1973. This was a landmark moment, rendering more powerful the charisms that guide us. 

In 2015, when I arrived, we were an impressively successful institution in nearly every dimension. I was in awe of what our recent presidents, Lawton and Burcham, and their predecessors, had accomplished. But we had some challenges, too. First, despite our accomplishments, we had a curious bashfulness in singing our praises. We spoke of being the “best-kept secret on the Bluff,” and, prophecy realized, we unfortunately were exactly that. We also had not realized the fundraising prowess needed to fuel the engines of our work in ways consonant with the high quality of our education, student care, and scholarship.

From the beginning, I have emphasized that, in this increasingly competitive marketscape, the most important “real estate” is the retinas and the eardrums of those who have interest in or influence over us–and that we need to fire the photons and ripple the airwaves in light of that. 

I am proud of how our community has achieved renewed visibility, marking a ten-fold increase in annual impressions, elevating our national profile, reputation, and, ultimately, the value of an LMU degree—for today’s and tomorrow’s students, and those of yesterday—our alums. Our partnerships with our city and nation’s leaders, with our many partners, including the LA Rams, and our hosting of the democratic presidential debate in 2019, showcased LMU to a national audience, helping us tell our LMU story with positivity and purpose. For this creative vision and impact, I thank our Marketing, Communications, and External Relations colleagues, under the leadership of Senior Vice President John Kiralla.

In fundraising, we have made significant gains, breaking historical fundraising records over the last two straight years. Though raising money requires an alchemy of art and science, we should recognize that it is founded upon the great ideas that stir passions in our communities of interest, and in the people—including our stellar students—who draw philanthropic wealth toward our mission. And foremost, we thank our donors. From the $1 provided by a 2024 alum to the $25M recently provided through the magnanimous Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, in partnership with our trustee and LMU campaign committee Chair, Kathleen Duncan, we have accelerated our strategic successes. I thank Senior Vice President Peter Wilch and his team for securing a promising future for generations to come.

Over the past decade, you have risen to realize these challenges and accomplish so much more. We have much to be proud of:

First: Enhancement of our academic excellence. We reached landmarks, like attaining R2 status from Carnegie, which placed us into the arena of nationally ranked universities; adding a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; and launching the DBA, our first new doctoral degree in more than a decade. These accomplishments rested on the prowess of our faculty; and our continued encouragement of learning and care for the whole person, as exemplified by our faculty, student development professionals, and campus ministers. And we must also recognize our new colleagues—LMU’s faculty grew by 22% over the last nine years, made possible in part through the acquisition of our Playa Vista campus, which allowed us to expand our enrollments to fund new positions, and also through the leadership of Provost Tom Poon and our deans.

Our strength in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is at an all-time high. This has required sincere dedication of every member of our community in assuring that we seek to become a quintessential place of welcoming, demonstrated by the creation of the Mbongi Spot and our Undocumented Student Support Services. As Chair Viviano mentioned, LMU has indeed become more diverse: 54% are students of color; and Pell-eligible students have increased by 50% over the past decade. And let us be proud of the search committees who have expanded the diversity of our senior leadership, faculty, and staff, along with the strength and persistence of our Vice Presidents for DEI: Abbie Robinson-Armstrong; Jennifer Abe; and Emelyn dela Peña.

Our enrollment accomplishments and data are impressive: We have increased our number of applicants by 77% to over 23K per year, with significantly improved quality in all measures, from GPA to SAT to a level of diversity that has brought us official HSI and AANAPISI statuses. Bravo! to all who have helped make this happen—to our students sharing their Lion Pride on social media, to Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Maureen Weatherall and her team—and to our faculty and student development professionals who work so generously with Admissions.  

Our garnering of sponsored support—grants—has also set records, now 4 years straight. I call out Vice Provost for Faculty, Research, and Strategy, Kat Weaver and her Office for Research and Sponsored Projects leader Angela Rochat, and the 150 Grant Writing Academy participants that LMU has trained, the 841 external funding requests that have been submitted, and the roughly $90M in grant funds that LMU faculty and staff have brought in. My heart goes out to you for your dedication and the realization of your dreams–thank you.  

Our Finances are strong, and not all institutions can boast that. This comes from not just our enrollments, our grant acquisition, and our fundraising successes, but also from the keen stewardship of Senior Vice President and CFO Aimee Uen.

Under the leadership of EVP and COO Rosemarie Rae, we have taken on new processes that are helping us steward our resources, in light of our many demands, in innovative ways, including planning for adding Lion-quality new facilities over the next few years. And: our addition of inaugural SVP/ General Counsel Loretta Martinez strengthens our ability to pursue these and other opportunities (without getting sued!). And let us celebrate: Palm North and Palm South residence halls, the Drollinger Family Stage (thank you, former Trustee Karen Dial!), and the Howard B. Fitzpatrick SFTV Pavilion (shoutsout to my buddy Howard Fitz–and to former EVP Lynne Scarboro, who stewarded these projects amidst a global pandemic).

We have brought an impressive cadre of world leaders to our campus, from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to President Bill Clinton to Philippine President Benigno Aquino. These successes came from colleagues like the late Professor Tom Plate—my effervescent friend Tom Plate!—Professor Michael Genovese, and, now, the leadership of Associate Provost for International Programs and Partnerships, Roberta Espinoza, with the collaboration of Professor of Political Science and International Relations Jennifer Ramos—and the international blueprint they have inked for us.

Athletic Director Craig Pintens has brought unparalleled successes to our courts, fields, and courses, with LMU teams finishing as high as 3rd in NCAA tournaments and securing victories over top-ranked and undefeated teams. Nine of our fourteen teams have either won a conference championship or participated in an NCAA tournament over the last three years. Success in college athletics brings as fast a path as any to institutional renown, while providing a bonding experience for students, faculty and staff, alumni, and our neighbors—all at once. And shoutsout to our student-athletes, whose passions exist not just for their sports, but also for their impressive academic and community work.

Our religious—Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange; Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary; Society of Jesus—are our counsel, assuring we remain authentic to our sacred mission through the spiritual wisdom and expertise they bring to us through their participation in myriad roles. I thank Vice President for Mission and Ministry, John Sebastian for building upon this intertwined, foundational legacy and ensuring that it breathes life into every area of campus.

So much of our progress over the last five years resulted from our Strategic Plan, “Creating the World We Want to Live In.” This plan, crafted by garnering ideas from the entirety of our university family—using the powerful gift of Ignatian communal discernment—was led by Chief of Staff and Vice President for Institutional Strategy John Parrish and the numerous colleagues who worked to design and implement it. Thanks to each of you.

And with great pride, I express a sterling shoutout to our current executive team. To a person, members of our President’s Cabinet work painstakingly to assure that our colleagues are best positioned for success. I hear frequently from colleagues throughout the nation that they are considered the best in their fields.

Forward: Where We Are Headed

Let us now migrate Forward—the title of this talk. Where may we go from here? 

We are and must be keenly aware of the moment, and its movement. We live in a world in which higher education does not carry the luster it did, even ten years ago. One in which truth too frequently lands somewhere between something to be ignored and something to be consciously manipulated, if not violated. Ironically, this has occurred even as humankind’s ability to harness greater swaths of truth has expanded wonderfully.

Our technological globalization and our abilities to communicate en masse have been brilliantly democratized, but in recent years, we’ve experienced an erosion of democratic norms. 

Efforts in assuring diversity—that which is essential!—to success in any creative enterprise—are being dismantled by the likes of the 14 state laws enacted against DEI initiatives. Our work in DEI is being brandished by opponents–and by leading national columnists–as contributing to lowering our intellectual standards and even founding campus unrest associated with the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Persons who differ from the majority–in background, citizenship status, ability, and other assortments of ways–are at times threatened or disparaged. 

And if the challenges already outlined aren’t enough to unsettle us, consider the array of other issues we are concurrently addressing: navigating the ethical landscapes of AI, adapting to dynamic changes in the workplace, tackling mental health crises, and grappling with polarization, suspicion, and isolation within our communities. Colleagues, I recognize the gravity of these issues, BUT:, at LMU, we are uniquely positioned to contribute positively towards healing these fractures. We understand the value of our mission and remain committed to acting through Truth, Creativity, and Care—each of which has guided us thus far and will illuminate our path FORWARD. Let me touch on each of these. Truth. Creativity. Care.

Truth

The first and foremost pillar of our mission remains “the encouragement of learning.” In the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, this translates to the pursuit of truth and the cultivation of the virtues that truth-seekers need.

As a Catholic university, we are neither dogmatic about matters of faith, nor ignorant of them, but, instead, engaged deeply with the questions that faith poses and the aspects of truth that help reveal the whole of reality. This expands our academic freedom, welcoming into the land of objectivity: the experiences–data–of faith and spirituality.

As a Jesuit and Marymount university, we seek to find God’s truth in all that we sense. We must continue to engage with reality in sacred devotion and as a social duty, rather than escaping from or denying it. In the pursuit of truth, we will continue to shape an intentional culture of encounter.

Because we engage with the whole of reality, honestly, courageously, faithfully, restlessly, actively!, our students will leave the Bluff prepared to light our way forward into a brighter world.

Creativity

At LMU, creativity has always been vital. Going forward, creativity will require increased collaboration across disciplines. We must continue to explore new interdisciplinary and integrative frontiers: The latest collaborations between CBA and SFTV, the Master in Entertainment Leadership Management, and between CBA and Seaver, the M.S. in Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Innovation, will shape leadership and original ventures in fresh ways.

The LMU Board of Trustees has respected and supported our creative endeavors. I am especially grateful to Chair Paul Viviano, who has led our board with his rare experiential combination of CEOship and board-membership, assuring that our Board supports LMU’s creativity—our ability to take risks—our ability to allow our colleagues to pursue their most visionary ideas. 

Thank you, Paul! And thank you, former Chair Kathy Aikenhead and each member of our Boards for helping us make LMU what it has become. 
I also thank our Faculty and Staff Senates, guided by Presidents Leon Wiebers and Lisa Jackson. Their collaboration exemplifies how creative thinking and shared governance can contribute significantly to institutional success.

Our location in Los Angeles, the heart of global creativity, places LMU at the nexus of diverse crossroads; leading sectors such as technology, media, and cultural studies; and the possibility of paradigm-shifting partnerships. These collaborations can innovate beyond traditional boundaries, leveraging our physical and intellectual landscapes.

And make no mistake: Inclusion and diversity, while justified by our sacred mission, makes us landmark-creative. We will continue to power our creativity with increased diversity and the productive collisions of ideas that diversity yields. Diversity must always be a companion/priority for LMU. 

And Now to: Care

The thriving spirit of cura personalis that courses through LMU was evident to me when I first arrived. It was with the search Chair, David Zuercher–the amazing David Zuercher–who took me to a filming location. The generosity of the students, when they learned I was a candidate, was heartfilling. It was a first example of what has remained through every frame of my time as president.

Care? How ‘bout this: Our renowned faculty regularly cite students as their #1 priority. This is not the norm in academia!, and it distinguishes LMU from the eight institutions at which I have worked. And care is not limited to the classroom; our faculty help create lifelong learners who are prepared to meet the world beyond LMU with curiosity–and compassion.

Our staff, from student development professionals and campus ministers to facilities maintenance workers and information technology specialists, and beyond, exemplify LMU’s core values. They are passionate about LMU, dedicating their intellect to ensuring our students’ well-being, and engaging in cross-campus collaboration with grace and flexibility. 

Our students understand the power of their own voices, and they use that power to advocate for the good of others, the world around them, and the future that lies ahead. I am grateful to Senior Vice President Kawanna Leggett and her Student Affairs team, whose creative leadership and care empower our students in these pursuits. 

This is a moment in which higher education has lost some luster. We know the positive impact of an LMU education: we see it in the transformation of our students’ lives, daily. But as we seek to expand LMU’s culture of care to this world, we as educators must redouble our efforts to communicate our vision and our value more effectively–and to do so with generosity.

I have expressed before how, in each of our conversations, we must be prepared to melt.toward others as we encounter opportunities to understand others better. We must be constructive; we must avoid arrogance and condescension. We must recognize the value of communicating with compassion, receiving the experiences and even suspicions of others as potential opportunities to learn, being, as St. Ignatius teaches, “more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it."

We must continue to reject racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and all other forms of dehumanization and disdain, treating everyone as individuals made in the image and likeness of God. And, Yes, firmly, that includes our undocumented students and alumni, whose presence here began with determination and hope, and now boasts accomplishment that indeed makes America greater. 

As part of our Care, overall, we must sustain a robust culture of encounter and dialogue, bolstered by our traditions of free speech and academic freedom; while adhering to a basic principle too often lost: That, prior to speaking or even acting, we contemplate how our messages or actions might be received by those who hear or witness them. I ask that we double down on our thoughtfulness, considering at all moments how our speech affects the well-being of others. 

Our shared, ultimate, care? And desire?: that our students leave LMU knowing their immutable dignity and inherent value–seeing the same in others, honoring each person as a vector for the greater good, igniting the spark that moves us forward toward a brighter world.

With those thoughts–certainly more than four words!–As I close today, I emphasize again my thanks to and love for each of you. Of our accomplishments, including the many I have not listed here, and the multitudinous ones of which I and others are not aware, I am so proud that some were aided by my being here; but the majority are products of our being in collegial community; and some, I recognize, occurred in spite of my being here. 

Thank you. God bless LMU. Or, in the original Latin: Go Lions! All best to each of you.