A Letter from ODU President Connie Gallaher

Dear Friends,

It is my sincere hope that this issue of 1216 Magazine finds you, your family and your loved ones healthy, well-rested and energized for all that 2022 has in store. The arrival of a New Year is a natural time for us to pause and reflect on our lives over the previous 12 months. What were the high points? How did you react to life’s surprises? Who were the individuals who touched your life – and whose life did you touch? I’ve asked myself these very questions lately because, at this time last year, I never could have imagined I’d be here at ODU serving as president – something I consider to be a great honor and tremendous privilege.

The past six months have been unlike anything I’ve experienced in my life professionally, personally or spiritually. In this short time, ODU has touched me in profound ways, opening my eyes to the impact that Catholic higher education has on students’ lives and the doors that an ODU education in particular has the power to open. While we continue to live in uncertain times due to the pandemic, I find inspiration in the resilience of our students, the passion of our faculty, and the commitment of our staff to providing a top-notch experience for all who call ODU home.

Institutions of higher education are entering a turbulent time as the number of high school graduates is expected to decline over the next several years. We must – and will – prepare now to confront that challenge and thrive. This issue of 1216, which is my first since becoming president, details some of the steps we’re taking at this very moment to evolve, grow and innovate so we have the privilege of serving our students and community as we have done over the past 111 years.

American financier and banker J.P. Morgan once said, “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” While I won’t share with you a New Year’s resolution, I will make a promise: ODU is on the move and we will approach 2022 with the same vigor, bold decisionmaking, and inventive thinking that the Dominican Sisters of Peace had when they founded ODU more than a century ago. ODU’s brightest days are ahead of us, and I am excited to work with you to see what we can accomplish – together.

Wishing you and your loved ones the very best in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Connie Gallaher President