Growth can be found all around St. Joe’s as we settle into the new semester. We welcome the class of 2027, with 1,200 students across 27 states and 17 countries, as well as over 100 transfer students from Cabrini University. It will be exciting to see what unique perspectives, ideas and changes these new Hawks bring to St. Joe’s, practicing self-care and care for others as they embrace the Jesuit value of “cura personalis,” Latin for “care for the whole person.”
This principle is present in all aspects of the St. Joe’s community, especially in the work of Cheryl A. McConnell, Ph.D., the university’s 29th, and first-ever, lay woman president. It is crucial for leaders to be involved in and close to the community that they lead, and McConnell fulfills both requirements with grace and dedication. She is committed to improving St. Joe’s while embracing all of its current strengths.
As students, it feels refreshing to have a leader who is approachable and transparent, making us feel heard and appreciated on an individual level. McConnell’s strength lies in her great care for others, in the St. Joe’s community and in her willingness to find solutions to old and new challenges alike.
Strong leaders with a strong vision like McConnell are necessary as St. Joe’s continues to expand both physically and academically. Construction on the new pedestrian underpass below City Avenue, renovations to O’Pake Recreation Center and Hagan Arena and a brand new first-year residence hall along Cardinal Avenue are all in the works as part of the university’s 10-year Campus Master Plan. Over the summer, The Kettle, previously Campion Dining Hall and Campion Food Court, received a refreshed layout and a larger selection of food.
These projects and many more will be undertaken by St. Joe’s in the coming years, and we hope these changes will allow our community to flourish. As we continue to expand, we must also continue to care for those around us, using our new resources to promote diversity, equity and inclusion throughout St. Joe’s ever-growing community.
