Spring Break

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” – Maya Angelou

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

Each spring semester, we take a retreat from the demands of our busy schedules to rejuvenate and refresh, to return home to friends and family, and to participate in new adventures, making memories that will last a lifetime.

As members of this extraordinary Lutheran community, we know the importance of discovery and knowledge gained in the classroom as well as the value of building and enhancing relationships with others, and of our work together to pursue truth and engender positive change.

Valpo’s longstanding commitment to service continues this year, as many of you will spend spring break in devotion to others, volunteering your time in efforts to improve the lives of your neighbors and make the world a more hopeful, more peaceful place.

This year, Valpo students, faculty, and staff will embark on nearly 20 different trips, both domestically and abroad, spanning across a variety of disciplines and areas of focus – from health-care-oriented trips to India, Thailand, and Chile to an engineering focused trip to Haiti, and Union- and Campus-Ministries-sponsored trips to New Orleans, Martin, Ky., Mission, S.D, and many others.

There will be a special blessing for all of you traveling on service trips at Friday’s Morning Prayer Service at 10 a.m. in the Chapel. I encourage you to attend this special send-off service.

Whether you are embarking on a service trip or taking these two weeks to rest and relax, I urge you to keep Maya Angelou’s words in mind. No matter where you are, whether it be at home, on campus, or around the world, you have the ability to be a blessing to others.

I pray for safe travels for all of you, and that you return refreshed and eager to continue your pursuit of knowledge through the remainder of the semester.

Godspeed,

Mark A. Heckler, Ph.D.

President