Reflections Magazine Issue #77 - Fall 2012 | Page 2

Column

from the president
Going for the Gold at Siena
Heights University
We all had the opportunity to view the
Olympic Games this past summer. Whether
you are inclined toward athletics or not, one has
to admire the human spirit demonstrated by so
many of the athletes.
How about the runner from South Africa
who had two amputated legs as a child who
ran and qualified for the semifinals in one of
the races?
Or how about the male gymnast who
wanted to win so he could make a better life for
his family?
And what about the African woman who
ran and hoped to be successful so that she could
support her village?
The Olympics are much more than athletic
events. They are stories of people’s lives and their
will to be the best they can be – for a variety
of different reasons. Some nights I just sat and
watched the television and wondered: what motivated these athletes to do what they do? Some
may think that many are just in it for the prestige
and the money. For some, that may be very true.
But there is so much more.
Each athlete has a story that is most meaningful. The human spirit rises to the occasions
in which it finds itself.
I find that same spirit here at Siena Heights.
We are also on a journey of “going for the gold,”
and we need to know what motivates us. What
keeps us on the course for success? What inhibits us at times? How do we relate to others on
the same journey with us? How do we want to
be in the future as we achieve success?

2

Reflections Fall ’12

These are questions that we must constantly
ask ourselves as individuals and as a University.
The glue that holds it all together is our mission.
The Olympic athletes were on a mission, and we
at Siena Heights University are also on a mission.
We will have setbacks here and there, but overall
if we are true to our mission and continue to live
our Dominican way of life at Siena, then we have
already succeeded and only good things can
come from that success.
Our success is measured by the positive
influence we can have on our students and on
each other, thus making our world a better place.
We need to spend our energy on the students
who are with us this year. We must challenge
them, encourage them, walk with them on their
journey and bring the best out of them on all
levels, emotionally, intellectually, physically
and spiritually.
This is who we are. This is who we are constantly called to be. For we are a University that
professes faith, lives hope and expresses love
in all that we do. May this year hold countless
blessings for us!
God bless us all!

Sister Peg Albert, OP, PhD
President