Dear Students,
Welcome to The Catholic University of America! As we begin this academic year, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that in everything we do here, we have you, our students, especially in mind: your flourishing, your education, your formation in virtue, and your wellbeing. We are so happy to have you back on campus.
For those of you who are brand new to our University, both first-years and transfer students, welcome! I often tell people when they ask me what I like the most about Catholic University, “The students really make the place!” Our students are warm, welcoming, energetic, bright, and–perhaps most importantly–always ready to help others and make them feel welcome. I sensed this when I interviewed here for the role of president over four years ago, and it is one of the main reasons I chose to work here.
Our goal as a University is to help you fully discover yourself as a person–your strengths, your weaknesses, your temperament, the deepest desires of your heart, and what will enable you to prosper in our society and culture. As our motto Deus lux mea est (“God is my light”) implies, we believe that allowing God to help you along the way is essential to enabling your journey here to be the very best that it can be. You will be presented with many opportunities to more fully discover yourself and the role that our heavenly Father has in mind for you.
If you are a first-year student, I urge you to be as open as you can to meeting new friends immediately upon arrival. This will help very much your sense of belonging and your integration into our community. I believe you will find your fellow Cardinals ready, willing, and able to help you with this. Our Orientation team has orchestrated your engagement with the community in the first few weeks. Please let me know personally however I can help. One event I would encourage you to consider is our Freshman Retreat, which will take place in a beautiful venue in rural Maryland. This is a great opportunity to meet new friends and learn new things about yourself.
Our campus life and culture offers you plenty of opportunities for engaging in varsity and intramural sports, as well as in social events which our student organizations create for your benefit. I encourage you to find opportunities that resonate with you. I also encourage you to take advantage of the cultural enrichment opportunities and internships that our nation’s capital affords you. By doing so, you will be taking full advantage of everything our University offers.
If I can be of any help to you, I stand ready to do so. I can be reached at president16@cua.edu.
Sincerely yours,
Peter Kilpatrick
President
The Catholic University of America
