Dear alumni and friends,

Wisdom is not something found in a moment and preserved. Rather, wisdom is continuous and deep. It requires different ways of knowing: ways that seek the truth, bind the heart and dignify God’s creation. We learn wisdom through study, honest assessment and deep reflection, and through the example of others. We make wisdom our own by having the courage to apply it to new situations where a path is not clearly evident.

In these volatile times, we seek to prepare our students to search for perspective, to ask penetrating questions, to plumb the depths of uncertainty with confidence. The stakes are high. As written in a recent State of the Future report, “... it has become increasingly clear that humanity has the resources to address its global challenges; what is less clear is how much wisdom, goodwill and intelligence will be focused on these challenges.”

For wisdom to prevail, we must engage our students to look beyond the narrow bounds of self-interest and seek answers that will add value and serve the broader good of the world we live in.

In its essence, wisdom is a collective task. We learn from each other. After 10 years as dean of the Mendoza College of Business, I am humbled by the depth and strength and vision of this community—by the desire of our faculty, staff, students and alumni to serve a purpose larger than themselves.

They inspire me as we move forward together.

Blessings from Notre Dame,

Gillen Dean and Ray and Milann Siegfried
Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies