Note from the Director

There’s something special about Sacred Heart University. It’s a place of joy and hope in a world full of griefs and anxieties. I feel it whenever I walk around campus or describe SHU to somebody new. I discover it again and again every time I get to have fun and provocative (sometimes even difficult) conversations with my students and other members of the SHU community. We Pioneers are people striving to be big-hearted and unafraid to be full of love in all that we do.

SHU is a place where knowledge, faith, integrity, service and community support everything about the student experience. Pioneer Journey helps tie it all together. Learning at SHU means more than completing classwork and requirements. I can easily say the same for those faculty and staff who live out their vocation as educators. But, most of all, I am excited and challenged by what makes this place distinct, and that’s what I think makes Pioneer Journey so crucial for our students. SHU is one of a kind; we can all feel that. We are a place with a history and mission that’s inviting, relevant and invigorating. I’m continuously amazed by the deep reflection and courage of the conversations we have on our campus.

Pioneer Journey makes clear that human life does not easily fit into categories. What we learn in class can fuel our performance on the playing field. How we create a complex piece of dance teaches us a whole new way to imagine group projects. The Pioneer Journey is how we are teaching the world to have courageous civil discourse about hard topics that impact the whole of our lives. Intentional reflection turns your Pioneer Journey from a checklist into an itinerary, from hoops to jump through into tools that have you ready for an unknown future. The Pioneer Journey is what will make your time at SHU memorable and meaningful, but it requires bravery and some hard work. That’s why SHU is here to support you.

I am so excited to see Pioneer Journey as a resource for every student to embrace what it means to be a Pioneer. It’s our mutual challenge and a commitment. Where will your heart take you?

--Dr. Gillespie