President's Message

It is with great hope and enthusiasm that I introduce The University of Scranton’s Strategic Plan 2005-2010. It is also with great gratitude that I do so. I am grateful to the many members of the University community who participated so in the drafting of this plan. It represents the values and dreams of every University constituency. Consultation was full and broad based, and that is as it should be because the vision that shapes our future belongs to the entire Scranton community. I especially want to thank the members of the University Planning Committee and its Chair, Mr. Jerome DeSanto. Under Jerry’s capable leadership, the Committee worked diligently and with obvious love for the University. I thank them for their patience and care.

Our hope for Scranton is grounded in our shared pride in the University’s rich history, full of achievements across the spectrum of academic, spiritual, individual and collective endeavors. Taking stock of all that has happened on this good ground since 1888 is an inspiring and characteristically Ignatian exercise. God has been doing great things at Scranton in and through generations of women and men who have gone before us. God’s grace and their example can be our impetus as we shape the University’s future.

Our hope for Scranton is guided by our shared passion for the work of this great Catholic and Jesuit project. There are few better ways to live one’s life than in the service of education and formation. This community exhibits unflagging enthusiasm and indefatigable energy as we live out our days and works as a university. Building any university, Scranton included, is a slow and sometimes painstaking process. All of us, however, can be renewed in heart, mind and spirit when we consider the passion that people at Scranton bring to that process.

Our hope for Scranton is, finally, rooted in a shared sense of promise. All of us appreciate and understand that the University is poised to take its place among the finest institutions of higher education in the nation. In order to achieve that potential, we commit ourselves to the themes and strategies articulated in this Strategic Plan: a relentless pursuit of Educational Excellence, an expanded spirit of cura personalis in our Campus Community, a pervasive emphasis on Economic Strength, and an unyielding commitment to Civic Engagement.

Our aspirations are lofty and will require our best efforts. Building upon God’s blessings, the legacy of Ignatius Loyola and the centuries-old dedication of this University community, we can step confidently into the future. Guided by this compelling Strategic Plan, we bid welcome to the years 2005 through 2010.

	Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.