Dear Members of the USF Community,
As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to share my gratitude with all of you — thank you for welcoming me home to USF. My family and I are excited to reunite back in California after almost 15 years of being away from San Francisco.
I hope you are able to celebrate Thanksgiving, whether it be with family or by coming together as part of a loving group or a lively Friendsgiving. Coming home is more than a return to a place; it is a return to a spirit, a mission, and a family that welcomes you as you are. Here at USF, we embrace our Jesuit Catholic mission, and it strengthens our sense of “home” here on the Hilltop.
As part of our values, we are people for others, and this Thanksgiving is an opportunity for all of us to make sure families in our community have enough food, shelter, and clothing. At last Saturday’s 30th Annual USF Thanksgiving Food Drive, I saw students and alumni working together to collect turkeys, canned goods, and other foods so that members of our community can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. In a time with so much uncertainty, this effort can make the difference for our neighbors and friends.
This holiday season and all year round, we can focus on being there for others by celebrating the spirit of community. Consider volunteering or becoming part of a community service project through which you can share your time. Together, I believe we can ignite hope.
I wish you and your families a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
Kindly,
Salvador D. Aceves ’83, EdD ’95
President