University of San Diego Digital USD President's Reports USD News 1989 USD President's Report 1989 University of San Diego Follow this and additional works at: http://digital.sandiego.edu/usd-presidentsreports Digital USD Citation University of San Diego, "USD President's Report 1989" (1989). President's Reports. 5. http://digital.sandiego.edu/usd-presidentsreports/5 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the USD News at Digital USD. It has been accepted for inclusion in President's Reports by an authorized administrator of Digital USD. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LO 4881 .S1565 A152 1989 G V N G B A C K Universily or ~a n Oie8o "There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed." -Albert Schweitzer OVERVIEW The University of San Diego is an independent Catholic institution of higher education located on 180 acres overlooking San Diego's Mission Bay. USO is known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community involvement. The institution takes pride in the personalized approach and holistic view of students it brings to the educational process. Chartered in 1949, USO enrolls nearly 6,000 students who may choose from more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university's academic units include the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Schools of Business Administration, Education, Law and Nursing. The School of Graduate and Continuing Education coor- dinates the graduate programs of all schools with the exception of the Law School. Throughout its history, USO has remained committed to the ideals of liberal education and to recognizing the dignity of men and women as human beings and as creatures of God. As a Catholic institution, the university is committed to examination of the Catholic tradition as the basis of a continu- ing search for meaning in contemporary life. A COMMITMENT That is the type of civic leadership so critical to creating a compassionate com- munity in which the dignity of all human beings is valued and respected. G iving back to your community is Here at the University of San Diego, a time-tested notion in America. It began we embrace the concept of community ser- with our nation's founders, who dedicated vice. The university-from its students to its their efforts-and often their lives-to form- faculty, from its staff to its trustees-is ing the republic. involved on a daily basis in activities which The San Diego we know today enrich the life of the San Diego community. results from past decades of selflessness car- Our students, for example, travel to ried out by far-sighted individuals who put Tijuana regularly to build homes for the concern for their fellow citizens and the poor. They collect food and clothing for San common good at the top of their priorities. Diego's needy. Faculty members serve on the Alonzo Horton, George Marston, John governing boards of a host of community Spreckels and Kate Sessions-people who organizations, encompassing the Old Globe shaped for all time the face of downtown Theatre to Habitat for Humanity. Other USO and the splendor of Balboa Park-were employees give generously of their time to among the citizens whose names ring out community efforts like migrant worker from the past. Others, like USO founders outreach programs and youth ministry Bishop Charles Buddy and Mother Rosalie activities. Hill, also come to mind. The tradition con- This year's President's Report tinues today through the efforts of people highlights a few of those special individuals like Joan Kroc, Ernest Hahn, Helen Copley we count among the USO family who serve and others. as " heroes" for altruism. They are generous Does high-mindedness require a men and women who enrich not only the high station? Not at all. The true test of com- life of our university community-but more mitment to public service is demonstrated importantly, the San Diego community at equally by the person next door as well as large. the one in the corporate boardroom. Every As we sa lute these individuals, let day in San Diego, countless individuals com- their stories give you inspiration and courage. plete myriad volunteer tasks, from visiting the elderly and sick to cleaning up our beaches and streets; from serving Girl Scouts as troop leaders to serving the homeless in Ill soup kitchens. President T H E PRAGMATIC SERVANT most ambitious project to date in the United States will unfold here. During the third week in June former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn, will join 2,000 He shatters the stereotypical image of a number-crunching business volunteers in building more than 100 houses professor. People and pain rather than dollars and cents make up his calling card. in San Diego and Tijuana. " Locally, all of our work so far has He relishes his memberships in the peace organization Beyond War and been done in Tijuana, where we moved 33 the home building association Habitat for Humanity. As a member of the universi- families into homes not long ago," Dr. ty's Social Issues Committee, he encourages students to discover the world of Briscoe explains. " Habitat likes to say we are social activism. not just building homes, but building "We seem to be moving into a value set that it's okay to do volunteer communities. And it's clear that lives get work;' he reflects. "This campus encourages that; it's one of the reasons I like it changed." here." "My strongest point of view is to live my faith, to serve other people." -Dennis Briscoe He tells the story of one family from the first Habitat project in Georgia, a tale of a home built with sweat equity and a no- interest mortgage finally paid off. And how a couple who never made it past grade school eventually saw all of their children graduate from college. " Having the chance to own their own home completely changed their expectations for what's possible," he observes. Dennis Briscoe subscribes to the Humanity, an organization which has Dr. Briscoe remembers vividly the philosophy that almost anything is possible, provided some 4,000 homes for the working life experiences which shaped his own if only one's expectations are set high enough. poor worldwide. perceptions about bringing change to the He validated that observation when " Everybody in this town believes status quo. In 1957, his seventh grade teacher he traveled to Peru with his wife and son to you can't do low income housing in San talked a lot about politics and world affairs. build homes for the poor. Diego," says Dr. Briscoe, who has served as Since that time, he says, " Politics has always He confirmed it again in San Diego, president of Habitat's San Diego-Tijuana been a dream, or rather causes and issues IV where he started a chapter of Habitat for chapter the past two years. Yet, Habitat's have been." His religious upbringing was another cardinal factor. " Somewhere early on I defined myself as a lay minister, and I have never seen it differently. I thought seriously about entering the seminary when I was in college, even applied for a scholar- ship. But I have never been comfortable proselytizing. My strongest point of view is to live my faith, to serve other people." Then a few years ago, Dr. Briscoe was approached by representatives from Beyond War. " They really brought me back to my roots. It was a case of ·wow, where have you guys been!' " He started a local chapter of Beyond War, and subsequently has helped organize several organizations involved in social justice causes. " I like to talk, to make the presenta- tions, but I have a strong need to be autonomous, and not much interest in management, once things get going. That's why teaching fits-I like the people side of business, not the numbers side." Dr. Briscoe sees nothing unusual about a business professor devoting much of his time to causes. "There probably is a stereotype of business professors, business- men, of not being involved . But my experi- ence has been very different. Maybe this campus is unique, but I think the stereotype is wrong. Most successful businessmen are involved." V T H E ETERNAL OPTIMIST and I loved it!" she say s, rolling her eyes skyward . That experience, as well as happy memories of her own grade school years, S he is a self-described eternal optimist who hopes people will remember catapulted Moreland toward teaching, a pro- that she cared. fe ss ion she has dedicated herself to at Caring, she says, is a virtue that effects change when one teaches elementary schools in Ramona for the past 10 years. academically challenged youngsters-as she has done for the past decade. Her Reflecting on her cl assroom philos- commitment hasn't gone unnoticed. In 1989 she was one of five educators ophy, Moreland says it is shaped by her nationally to be presented with the Christa McAuliffe Award by the National childhood memories of a teacher always Foundation for the Improvement of Education. being there when she needed direction. "Teachers always challenged me and drove me to do better, try harder. But I always wondered about the kids who weren't getting all A's and weren't in the highest reading group. Was someone there for them?" "When you look back at life, what else is there but caring for each other?" -Adrienne Moreland At Ramona's Mt.