President’s Letter
Dear Friends,
What a year! 1947 was a year of innovation, to say the least. Chuck Yeager climbed into a small orange bullet with wings and flew fast enough to break the sound barrier, the first televised World Series saw the Yankees beat the Dodgers 4-3, and our Basilian Fathers jumped head-first into a bold new concept they had for higher education—‘The University of St. Thomas.’
1947 was also the year that a great American innovator, Henry Ford, passed away. Ford is often attributed with saying, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” The Basilians’ new idea for higher education in Houston was much more than just a faster horse. In fact, it wasn’t really about the horse at all. It was about the rider, an idea to form the rider with the tools needed for success, not just in the race but also for life and eternity.
Seventy-five years later, the result is a smashing success. Educating the whole person, more than just granting professional degrees, is our calling card, and UST graduates have gone on to make a remarkable impact on the world, changing lives and living out the values of Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge on a daily basis.
On this occasion of our 75th anniversary, we honor that original Basilian spirit of bold innovation by challenging ourselves to dream big for the future. We have embarked on a new strategic visioning journey that brings the entire community together to expand the reach and impact of our Catholic mission. As you read in these pages about what is currently happening at UST, or browse the center-spread timeline of our entire seventy-five-year history, I hope that you are proud of our past and even more inspired by the potential we can achieve together in our future!
Crescamus In Christo,
Richard Ludwick
President, University of St. Thomas