Dear Friends,
Greetings from retirement! This issue of Portraits will publish nearly a month after my retirement, which makes these my final words as president of Saint Anselm College. To be clear, this is not “goodbye,” but rather a transition to the next chapter of my connection with the Hilltop.
I am so grateful to this special community for taking a chance on me. Paddy and I are thankful to the presidential search committee and the board of trustees for selecting me as the 11th president of Saint Anselm, to our colleagues in the administration, on the faculty and staff, members of the monastic community, students, alumni, and friends. It has been a wonderful journey, and we will always count these years as blessed ones.
Portraits is a fitting place for my final remarks, as it was through this magazine that I was first introduced to so many members of this incredible Anselmian family.
Looking through the pages of this issue, you will meet Jimmy Moore from the Class of 2006, a former Hawks basketball star who now works as a thoroughbred horse race starter; you will be introduced to Amelia McCue from the Class of 2018 whose humanities education is helping her work in cancer treatment; you will learn how Professor Max Latona and the Office of Partnerships is establishing meaningful connections between Saint Anselm and key businesses and leaders in the community; and you will hear how we believe our transition from Division II athletics to Division III is in the best long-term interest of the college. Of course, there is so much more, including a bit on me and the 12th president of Saint Anselm, Dr. Mike Lewis.
In our time here, Paddy and I have met hundreds of students, faculty, staff, monks, trustees, alumni, and benefactors who simply love Saint Anselm College. (Special thanks here to Bob and Bev Grappone, Roger and Francine Jean, and so many other generous donors.)
Often during our first year, we would comment that neither of us had been at a college where there was such long-lasting affection by alums and others connected to it. The best compliment we ever received was from an alum during Reunion Weekend. We were sharing a beer in the pub and he said, “You know, when you came, we had our doubts. You did not attend the college nor have a connection with it. But we have watched and listened carefully to what you do and say, and now know that you are one of us. You are an Anselmian through and through. Thank you for all you have done for the college.”
We will always be Anselmians. We hope to see you when we come back to celebrate big and small events on campus. We are so grateful for each of you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us and for the college. May God bless us all and may God bless Saint Anselm College!
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D.
President
Some of our favorite photos from President Favazza’s letters over the last seven years include, clockwise from top: an overdue celebration for the Class of 2020; the Women’s 50th Anniversary mural dedication; an early photo shoot with our 11th president; celebrating homecoming; signing diplomas for President Favazza’s first Saint Anselm commencement.
