Dear colleagues,
There are many reasons why I chose the path of university life and continue to stay. After 23 years, it comes down to this – my work is to remain in the world of ideas and use those ideas to move toward something greater. My favorite days are when I am in conversation, and an idea opens the floodgates to new ideas, new curiosities and new possibilities. Staying in that imaginative space and creating something good from it is the work of a university — work that we get to do.
In doing this work, we ignite curiosity in and are likewise ignited by our students. It is advising week, and I met with a student about an independent study. I offered a few ideas, drawing from past conversations, but nothing seemed to resonate. Then I suggested something that wove together his major in journalism, minor in history and his experience in naval science. “Perhaps,” I suggested, “a project on war correspondents and the moral imagination required to tell stories from conflict zones.” He lit up, visibly energized while sharing his interest in James Foley and making connections between the topic and his interests. I recognized that look, that “spark” moment when the thoughts start flowing.
In these encounters, I am reminded that our labor in the world of ideas is a sacred task. Asking questions, doing research and inviting others to share in inquiries are acts of hope. Teaching and scholarship build bridges that can heal divisions, restore imaginations and contribute to the renewal of our world. In a Catholic, Jesuit university, this is not simply academic advising — it is accompaniment. It is the ministry of walking with students as they discern meaning, identity and vocation.
Pope Leo XIV recently reminded the Society of Jesus of its third Apostolic Preference: to accompany young people toward a hope-filled future. He described today’s youth as diverse, dynamic and searching. “Despite their variety,” he notes, “they share a thirst for authenticity and transformation.” As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, our task — our vocation — is to accompany our students and one another on this pilgrimage of hope. There is no pre-set itinerary, but I am convinced that if we commit to discerning how we are being called to be Marquette, we will experience the “spark” of connectivity that will propel us, together, toward a hope-filled future.
Sarah
Sarah B. Feldner, Ph.D.
Acting Provost
Marquette University
