End of Year — Students

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”
— H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Dear students:

As Commencement Weekend quickly approaches and we celebrate the end of another academic year, I’m reminded of the many achievements made by our community this year. Truly, it has been another remarkable and productive year at Valparaiso University. Thank you for your tireless dedication, your insatiable curiosity, and your energizing spirit as together we learn and live in this special community we call Valpo.

You have achieved great success.
You won awards for academic achievement and impressed audiences with musical, theatrical, and athletic performances. You conducted undergraduate research, studied abroad, participated in internships, and gained valuable experiential learning opportunities to further your education. Your many successes this year continue to shape our distinctive community of learning dedicated to excellence.

You are globally experienced and engaged citizens.
You have dedicated your time and efforts toward improving the lives of others — at home, across the nation, and around the world. You spent countless hours serving others on spring break trips domestically and abroad. Through SALT’s World Relief Campaign, you helped provide educational opportunities for medics who will serve in Syria. You raised more than $40,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital during the fourth annual Dance Marathon. Because of you, Washington Monthly named Valpo the top master’s university in the nation for its contribution to the public good.

For those of you who will graduate next weekend, I wish you God’s blessings as you go into the world to pursue your vocations. I have no doubt you will continue your success as you go out into the world. You’ve done your best today, and I’m confident you are prepared for a bright tomorrow. Keep me posted on your successes. Continue to do your best and God will do the rest.

And to those of you who will return in the fall, I hope this summer offers an opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, spend time with friends and loved ones, and gain valuable experiences and insights through internships, work, and travel. I look forward to welcoming you back to campus in August and to hearing your stories. Until then,

Blessings,

Mark A. Heckler, Ph.D.
President