With Renewed Hope

Dear LMU Community,

I am thrilled to welcome each of you back to our campuses as we embark on a new year and semester together! I hope your holiday break was filled with joy, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones. I am grateful to all those who remained on campus to provide beautiful liturgies during the Christmas season and continue essential campus operations: thank you for your dedication to and care for the LMU community. To our new transfer, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff who begin their LMU journey in 2026: welcome to the Lion family. 

In my inaugural address, “Hope, Made Here,” I framed both our conviction and call to action, showcasing LMU as a forward-thinking and impact-driven institution. I outlined my three hopes for this university: to expand access and open doors; to build bridges between our campuses and communities; and to form leaders through Ignatian excellence. This semester promises many opportunities to realize these hopes through our shared work, in our distinct capacities and with the unique talents we bring as students, faculty, staff, and university leadership. 

The appointment of Professor Kathleen “Kat” Weaver, Ph.D., as executive vice president and provost further strengthens the leadership changes I announced last semester, reflecting the ambitious scope of our work. Together, these decisions are guided by a clear set of priorities: deepening mission integration across the university; consolidating administrative leadership; and centering student and institutional well-being. In the months ahead, Provost Weaver will continue hosting “Community Conversations” to foster dialogue, listening, and mutual understanding. EVP/COO Kiralla is launching Momentum, a blog to offer insights into university administration and decision-making to encourage community transparency and connectivity. I am also actively engaged in the search for LMU’s next SVP for University Advancement, a role that will help catalyze a new era of fundraising success in support of our mission and strategic priorities.

This year marks a significant milestone in the life of the LMU College of Business Administration, as we commemorate its centennial year with a wide-ranging slate of events, honoring its enduring yet constantly evolving mission of forming ethical, globally-minded leaders. In all our scholarly and creative endeavors, we remain grounded in our Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount mission. We renew this commitment through beloved annual traditions that gather us in reflection, worship, and song: the Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer service; the Feast of Saint Joseph, patron saint of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange; and the César Chávez Day prayer service, when we will also honor the valued contributions of the many staff members whose service sustains daily life on our campuses.

As our campuses come alive with activity again, I am filled with excitement and renewed hope for the weeks and months ahead. May we encounter one another with curiosity and openness, and may our work be carried out with clarity and purpose, reaffirming our shared commitment to mission, truth, and service.

With joy and hope,

Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
President and Professor of Chemistry