Episode 3: Featuring Brendan Graham

Enjoy this new episode of a podcast from DeSales University hosted by the president, Fr. Jim Greenfield. In this episode Fr. Jim sits down with with Brendan Graham, who is twice a graduate from DeSales University in 2019 and 2023.

Brendan Graham is a Philadelphia native and two-time alumnus from DeSales. He currently works in the Institutional Advancement Office and has held various positions at DSU since his graduation in 2019. His DeSales experience has taught him a lot, not only inside the classroom but also outside. He holds true to the "Salesian Spirituality" that DSU personifies and tries to practice its core values in everyday life, mentally, physically, professionally, and spiritually.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Well, welcome to Sales University World. My name is Father Jim Greenfield. I'm the president here of Myamat or Class of 1984. And this is another episode of Tales from the Sales. And while are you all in for a retreat today? Because my guest is Brendan Graham. He is a graduate of DeSales University two times. Once when you were uh 2019. 2019.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

And what was your degree? I was a math major. Math major, and and then 2023 with my MBA.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

2023 with your MBA. So, Brendan, thank you so much for accepting my invitation. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

So I always kid around, obviously, it's just letting everyone know. Obviously, the president's office is right next to the institutional advancement office. So, in addition to being a two-time alum, Brendan is also a major gifts officer for the university. So tell us what you do as an MGO here.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Well, so basically my job is to fundraise, right? Okay. As to make sure that this place stays open. And, you know, it's it's one of those things that I love doing because I build relationships. And that's the main part of my job is getting out there talking with community members, alumni, friends of DeSales, friends of Alltown College, you know, those who were in the area when it first came about. Um, and just telling them all the great things that are happening, you know, and all the great things that are happening under your reign, uh, before you. My reign. Yeah, your present, whatever you want to call it, right? Yes. Um, but all the the great things that are happening here in Center Valley, it's my job to update those alums and hopefully they feel compelled to be philanthropic and get back to help it for generations. You know, we are 60 years strong and we want to be 60, 160, two, 60 years in the future.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

So well, and you're doing a great job. And prior to becoming a major gifts officer, you were an admissions counselor. And I can't tell you how many students who are still enrolled here who have said one of my decisions, one of my reasons for coming to DeSales University was the positive experience they had with you as an admissions counselor.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Wow, that means a lot to me. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_02 2:13

Well, thank you. You did a great job with that.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 2:15

But before any of that happened to Brendan Graham, I just want to take us back to this moment in time and tell us about this. I think that's a father judge high school cal.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

That is a father judge high school uh tassel and and hood there. Yep. So who's that young lady with you? That is my uh paternal grandmother, who unfortunately is not with us anymore, but she was a major part of my life and she was there for graduation.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:41

Um and just so happened I was digging through photos and found this recently, and I thought this would be good to put on the pocket because I know we have that tie of going back, and we're both judge grads, so go can go crusaders, right? Absolutely. Um so I just kind of, you know, and and we're it's a Salesian high school. So it's where I was introduced to the obliges and they made a major impact, positive impact on my life back in high school, and kind of continued my education with the obliges. So funny story actually about Judge. I um I applied to DeSales in during one of my classes at Judge. So I probably shouldn't be saying this because my teacher is probably like, what you know, I told you to work on your essay, but you applied to college instead. But yeah, so DeSales came and spoke at a homeroom assembly at Judge. Uh I was looking at other schools, was not looking at DeSales, but I loved what the admissions counselors had to say. The next period I was in the computer lab and my teacher said, Work on your essays, and I went and I applied to DeSales instead, and it all worked out. Here I am, you know, whatever, 10 years later almost. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:42

That is fantastic. And uh for those of you who are um watching and listening to this podcast, anytime Brendan and I send emails, I'll be signed at uh Go Crusaders, go bulldogs, go Gram. That's right. And then he'll respond back. Go Crusaders, grow bulldogs, go greenfield. So um, it's a little fun thing. So I love the fact that we have that in common. Um, who are these folks here?

SPEAKER_00 4:06

This is my immediate family. So uh my to my right, sort of the left of the viewers, is my sister. So that's Kelly. Um, she's a Westchester alum. She went to Little Flower. That's my mom next to me there, uh, to the left, my beautiful mother Linda. And then that's my older brother Derek, all the way on the right hand side, or all the way, you know, on my left uh in the picture. Um but he is a North Catholic alum, so another oblight educated young man. Um and then uh he went to Drexel. Went to Drexel.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

Um your sister Kelly, you said?

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:39

She went to Little Flower, uh, as did my mother, class of 1948. Oh. So I think Kelly was a little after that.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Just a few years after.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

Where did your mom go?

SPEAKER_00 4:47

But she went to Little Flowers.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Little Flower, we love it. All these little flower pots. That's right. So this is a very special photo for me because I was inaugurated president on April 3rd, 2018. And this is a picture of you on that same day. What are you doing, Brenda?

SPEAKER_00 5:04

I'm welcoming you on behalf of the student body. Yeah. So it was a really, really cool experience. Probably the highlight of my student experience here at DeSales is that I was invite not only invited to the inauguration, but the fact that they asked me to be on stage to give you a short welcome on behalf of the student body was really, really special to me. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 5:21

It was a special day for me, and I was honored that you were able to do that. So thank you. Um, and then this is right after that at the reception. So that was really a fun day.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

That was it was a it was a very fun day. Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday. Honestly, it was a great day. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 5:37

And so here is one of the two of us that I asked you to put in here. This was uh I it had to be in 2018. Uh this is the Relay for Life. So can you tell us about what the relay relay for life is about and why you are standing next to Superman?

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah. Well, I've some people have confused me and Superman, actually, if we're being honest.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

People confuse me all the time for a Spider-Man.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Oh, is that the mask, right? Um, so this is real, as you mentioned, Relay for Life, which is an event hosted by our Colleges Against Cancer to Sale Student Organization on campus, and they raise money for the American Cancer Society. So each year when they do Relay for Life, they have an alumni team, they have student teams, so different sports teams fundraise, different other uh DSL student organizations fundraise, and what they do is they try to raise this year. I know they're trying to raise $30,000 for cancer research and the American Cancer Foundation. Um, but basically the point of the event is to raise money to walk and participate in the event, um, hear stories from cancer survivors, hear stories from those who've been impacted by cancer. So this was something that you know I I got involved with as a student. I wasn't on the exec team, I don't want to take credit where it was where it's not due. I was just kind of part of the event and wanted to check it out and be there. And you just so happen to be there and say, hey, let's take a you know, let's take a pick with with all our superheroes here.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

I love it. Yeah, and that's one of my selfies. I I never once took a selfie until I became president here because I discovered Instagram and students love get a selfie. And I posted so uh that was one of my first. So thanks for sharing that with us. Thanks for having me in one of your first. And you know, Relay for Life, I think it's uh going to be coming up soon here on campus. And I try to go every year April 24th, April 24th.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

So I will see you there.

SPEAKER_02 7:20

Yep, I look forward to it.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

So uh what's this one about? This one is what I was really involved with on campus, and that's Canvas Activities Board or Cab. Cab CAB, yep. So when I first started on campus, it was called Student Night Life or SNL for short. Uh, we did bingo, quizzo, eventually. Anything like Saturday Night Live? Uh I tried to make it like that. My me and my friend, where is Ryan at? Is he not in this picture? So, Ryan, another judge guy who actually was my roommate for three out of four years. Okay. Um, he and I were the bingo and quizzo guys and tried to make it funny like Saturday Night Live and kind of just make sure people had a good time. But this was uh something I'm I'm really proud of uh throughout my DeSales experience because we went from uh, you know, probably 10 or less members in SNL my first year on campus to growing it to as many as 30 active members on CAB. And now it's exploded into what it is today. And I don't think there's a student on campus who, when you say cab, they don't know what you mean, or they know there's something to do on campus every day, every night. There's trips, they bring comedians on campus, open mic night, whatever it may be, there's always something to do. So this is just something, it's you know, my baby. Yeah, yeah. I'm really and you really birthed it well.

SPEAKER_02 8:28

Uh when I went to school here, I graduated in '84. People always said, Oh, it's like everyone goes home on the weekend. And there was a fair amount that did. Um, nowadays, you know, uh, I'm delighted there's tons of things going on here, seven days a week and seven nights a week. Yes. So, and this is one of the reasons. So, we're really happy about that. So, here is the end of your college career, but your commencement into all new things. And did you ever think that you would not be leaving DeSales University, really?

SPEAKER_00 9:02

So uh so does that mean I'm I'm secure for life? I'm good, I'm not leaving. I think you are. We'll have to find a way to give you tenure as an MGO, right? Okay. Um, you know, if you would have asked me when I was a student, I would have said no. But it wasn't because I didn't have a positive experience. It was more just because I was a math major, I didn't know what I wanted to do, I didn't want to teach. I was looking at sports statistics and possibly that. I was looking at finance jobs, I was looking at jobs in the business realm all over the place. Um, and it was really thanks to you and the leadership at the time, you, Father Kevin, Jerry Joyce, who all kind of said, hey, like And Jerry Joyce, who's now college president at Mount St. Mary's University. That's right. Okay. So another, another alum doing great things. Um, but just one of those things where you you opened the door for me and opened my eyes to the fact that higher ed is a career and it's an it's a vocation. Um and it's it was an opportunity for me. So um, you know, I if you would again, if you'd had asked me, I'd have said no, um, I'm gonna go spread my wings a little bit, but I do not regret, and I am happy to say to this day that I've been gainfully employed since I graduated from the university.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

That's fantastic. Did you have something else you were thinking about? Because I remember when the position opened up in admissions and then we were looking at candidates. I remember that. Um, but were you thinking about anything else?

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Uh I had a few. I had I had an interview at another university, actually, funny enough, for a student affairs position. Wow. I met with uh Aetna to maybe do an underwriting job there. So I had a few interviews and an offer, but once this one came about and I interviewed and I met the team, uh, I knew it was just it was the right fit for me.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

That's great. That's fantastic. Well, we're really happy you're here. So here is a nice photo. It looks like the admissions team. That's the admissions team. So my first role. Yeah, I love it. And who's that young man up front there? That's Abe.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

Abe. So uh, as you know, we work with the Mercy School for Special Needs and Special Learning.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

You're in the Diocese of Allantan. Yes. Right? Okay, and tell us about Mercy School so everyone knows listening.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Well, it's just uh for those who who are who need special learning. So those who need accommodations, um, and they help everyone in the air in the area and in the valley. If you know, if there's someone who uh has a mental disability, a physical disability, they're there to to help that that person. So it's a really special, really special cause. And I know we have a great connection with them. The the university does uh with Mercy School. And so what what we do is, or what I believe they still do it in admissions, is that they had students from Mercy School who uh had job kind of counselors, and they would take them out into the field and get them some job experience. And Abe was our helper in admissions, and he was great, and he and I became really close. Uh and this is actually on his birthday. Oh, yeah. So uh we got he's a big fan of Cars, the Disney movie. All right. So we set up a little display for him. We got him a cake, you know, we we sang happy birthday to him, and then he went to get a picture with all of us, so we got together for a picture.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Yeah, you know, um uh we talk about the enrollment cliff in higher education. So we look at uh birth rate data, especially in the northeast part of this country, and uh, lots of universities, just like DeSales, are competing for the same fewer students. Um DeSales for the past few years has had record enrollments, and as of this taping, we are poised to continue that same trend. Um, as a former missions counselor, how do you interpret um what's in store for DeSales University in the future, knowing that there are just fewer students, and often those students want to go south and want to go west, especially after this winter we've just had, right? So I'm ready to go south and go as I'm ready to go nuts. So tell us, uh inspire us, enlighten us. How does the sales university stay viable in that environment?

SPEAKER_00 13:07

I think it's it just has to stay itself, honestly. Stay itself, okay. You know, don't try to be anything that it's not. Yes, we're competing for fewer students, I understand that. Um but the sales is a I'm not just saying this because I'm biased, because I work here, because I went here. It's a special place. I've heard people who are from the community who are who did not go here who step foot on campus for a play or step foot on campus for a sporting event, and they say they just feel it when they step foot on campus. Um, you know, even my brother and my sister, they came to campus for graduation, they say, wow, I wish I knew about the sales, or I uh, you know, I wish I came here. It was just because of the way they felt when they stepped uh on foot here, you know, or on campus here. We have those five core values that I think set us apart from any other institution. And the five core values are I knew you were gonna quiz me. So gentleness, humility, uh hospitality, gratitude, and wisdom. And wisdom.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

Yeah. And Brendan, you have all five of those working at varying levels every day. So really proud of you.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Um who are these folks here? These folks uh are the first group of Ryan Leadership Institute or RLI students that I was able to um kind of help mentor. So this was actually me going through the program as well. So Father Doug Burns, who you know well, has been head of the program for 20 years now. Um and I was lucky enough that during my time at admissions in 2021.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

And also, too, I think Father Peter Leonard. He was part of it, Tom Daly, Brother Joe Shadowski, uh, Father Pachetta. So a lot of oblates have had, you know, something to do with the shaping of it. Absolutely. But now it's you and Father Burns, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:46

Uh Father Burns, myself, and then actually Carolyn Tiger. Carolyn Tiger. Her husband Blair helps, as well as Father Dan Lannon. Father Dan Lannon is our present chaplain. Correct. Okay. So they're all part of it, and we're all, you know, group leaders, I guess. We don't have a technical title, or you know, there's not one president or vice president or anything like that. We're all even keel and all are just there for the students. So this is a two-year initiative program where uh the students have to get nominated in and then they apply. How do they get nominated? By members who are already in the program or from staff and faculty members on campus. So coaches, student life staff, their professors, you potentially, you know, and anybody on campus who knows them can nominate them. Okay. Um from there, we invite a select number to apply. We usually stay between 15 and 20 in a group just to keep the cohorts small because one, scheduling purposes, but two, the trust. You know, we won we this is a group where they share a lot of mature uh material about leadership, about themselves, and we want to make sure that that trust does not get broken or there's not too many people in in the circle. Uh but it's it's changed my life, it's changed me professionally, it's changed me personally, mentally, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually. It's really helped me. That's great to hear. So, yeah, this was this was the first group. So they're they're a special bunch for me. Every group, I'm I'm I think I'm on my fourth group now. Every group says that you know they're my favorite, you know, kind of like a parent. And they're like, oh, watch what you say because you're gonna be on the record. I'm gonna be on the record. I'm not saying any one group is my favorite. Do you hear me? Not one group is my favorite. Um, but they're they're all special in their own way, and this one's special to me because I was able to experience the program with them. That's great.

SPEAKER_02 16:31

And is this another sh picture of this? It is.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

We have I think there's two more. So this is these this is the current senior group when uh on their retreat. Okay. So we do a fall retreat.

SPEAKER_02 16:41

Uh retreats are like supposed to be at the beach with a bottle and a gym tonic in your hand, and uh not doing zip line, whatever that is.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Yeah, so this is we did uh we go to Blue Mountain Adventure Course. Okay. Uh and it is tough. It's a it's a ropes course. So there's obstacles, and some of them there's handrails, some of them there's not. You have it's a balancing act, you have to jump from platform to platform. Um, but it's all about, again, that trust and spiritual ninja? That's spiritual ninja. I like that. Spiritual ninja, yeah. So spiritual ninja is great for team building, uh, that trust factor and that trust aspect that we're trying to build within uh within the community of RLI. And it also helps them discover something in themselves, you know, that that courage of I didn't think I'd be able to go to level two, but I went to level three today. Or I didn't think I'd be able to complete level four, but you know, my my teammates and my RLI mates behind me were cheering me on and giving me tips. Um, so that's that's a a key part of that that retreat in the fall.

SPEAKER_02 17:40

So as a young professional, I mean, how old are you now? 28. 28. So what's it like being in the role of mentor, of of spiritual guide, of facilitator? You know, you've you've you've been on this campus both as a student, undergraduate, graduate, admissions, now you're working in advancement and doing this. I mean, that's uh you have a lot of responsibilities. How does it feel for you to be in all of those roles?

SPEAKER_00 18:09

It's very rewarding. Very rewarding. Rewarding. I absolutely love it. I love getting to know that's that's why we're here, right? It's about the students. Um, so I absolutely love getting to know the students on a on a deeper personal level. You know, I know some of them just from saying hi around campus and uh, you know, seeing them at certain events, but getting to know them on this level is is something that's special to me and something that it's something different. Um, so I'm honored to have this opportunity. I mean, Father Burns came to me in 2021 and asked, said, Do you want to be a part of this program? Here's what we're looking at, here's the responsibilities. And I again, I just like working at the sales, I don't regret it. This is one of my favorite things that I do in life, not just at the sales, but in life. That's great. This is great. So here we have I wanted to throw this in here just because we celebrated Father Burns' 80th birthday. So not trying to, you know, let everybody know how old Father Burns is, but this is this is the type of atmosphere that RLI creates. Is this was the student's idea. They wanted they brought the balloons, they hung up the sign, they, you know, the decorated the room with with uh with cake, and everything we had cake and candles, and they sang happy birthday. Um, just wanted to put this in there because it was it was really cool to see how the students took initiative there and said we want to reward Father Burns and and celebrate him.

SPEAKER_02 19:23

And we all love Father Burns, right? We do. So um I was the oblate recruiter um way back in 1991. And I recruited Father Burns to the oblate of St. Francis to say. That's right. Well, thank you for doing that. You're welcome. He was a uh teacher at Archbishop Wood, and he was just great, you know. And um, so I've known him for a long time. And yeah, his 80th birthday was great. He's amazingly healthy. I don't think he takes one pill for anything. Um, he defies all of the aging dynamics. So uh DeSales has been blessed by his presence for sure. Absolutely. I agree. Okay, this is this looks like Coca-Cola Park.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Uh so not quite Coca-Cola. We uh went to the Phillies. Oh, the Phillies. So it's so it's alumni night at the Phillies, and this was one of my so there was a I had a stop in between admissions and MGO and advancement. I had a stop in alumni relations. So I worked there for a couple years. Uh yeah, I wish I could No, I'm kidding. Don't tell Dan. No, okay. Um, but this is uh one of my first events, and I thought it was kind of a a cool piece to put in here just to say, you know, where I'm where I am now and kind of where I've been and where I'm coming from. Um so this was just uh it was August 2022. So I had been on the role, I'd been on the job and in the role maybe a month. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 20:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

So and it was it was really fun to.

SPEAKER_02 20:48

This young man next to you was your was your supervisor?

SPEAKER_00 20:50

Was my supervisor, Dan Vellante? I won't hold the fact that he's an Orioles fan against him, yeah, because I'm a Phillies fan. Uh, but we did another alumni event at um Camden Yards in Baltimore. I had a good turnout there. Actually, Brother Joe, who you mentioned earlier, and Father X, Father Xtat, Father John Xtat. Okay. Uh, they were there and they came to the to the ballpark. Gotta wish I were invited. Uh oh, you're invited to you're on the VIP list for everything. Come on now. I love Camden Yards. Uh so yeah, so Dan, I put Dan in there just because you know he was my supervisor in alumni relations, but he's been basically a big brother to me, you know, personally. Like he's helped me with a lot of things personally. Well, he looks like your little brother there. Oh man. No comment. No comment.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

He's gonna kill me when he hears that. He's gonna, yeah. But no, you guys were a great dynamic duo for that. Thank you very much. Thank you. Um, this was us. I remember this. We were in Los Angeles, LA. Yeah. And this was part of the alumni. And in fact, we have to get back on the road. Um, after COVID, we you know lessened some of those tours, but I know the advancement team, we're gonna be getting to different places. But what are some of the things that we used to do at Tour de Sales? That's what we call these. Tour de sales.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Sales was all about, yeah, towards uh was all about the sales alums getting together and just networking and kind of reminding themselves and reminiscing about all the great times that they had on campus. Uh and then usually they heard a state of the university from you or you know an abbreviated version or from somebody, you know, on the website. But since you've you've now had every job on campus, you could start doing the state of the university stuff. If you need if you ever need anybody to fill in, let me know.

SPEAKER_02 22:24

I'd be happy to do that. It sounds like you know you're heading for my job next. You better watch it back. Well, that's great. We love doing this. That was a beautiful night. A lot of TV film majors were there, obviously, in LA. Um, and this one is classic. Um, what are you doing there?

SPEAKER_00 22:42

I am mid-air for belly flop. Okay. Yeah. So uh that's at the you can see the plunge pa.org down there. So that was the polar plunge, which was actually yesterday on campus. Um, and it's hosted by our special our Special Olympics chapter on campus. Um tell everyone about Special Olympics. So Special O, um similar to Mercy School for Special Learning, helps those with disabilities compete in an athletic setting. Um so it gives those opportunities to those who may not be able to compete um at a level that they want to, but they're able to compete uh, you know, with other with others, uh with with whether it's weightlifting, uh they have what else do they do? Boccee ball, they do soccer, uh, they have, I mean, so many different events, but it just allows those with intellectual and um physical disabilities to be able to to compete in sports that they may not have been able to compete with otherwise.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

And what's I think beautiful, uh Special Olympics usually is in the fall, and we've lucked out the past few years. It's a beautiful fall day. We had over 1,000 athletes on campus last September, and I think almost 1,000 student volunteers. So that that's that is like a full display of the Sales University and its mission of being who we are and being that world together. Absolutely. So I love that.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 24:05

Uh this is onward, and I want you to talk a little bit about it because we are in a comprehensive campaign and your responsibilities now in the in the in the institutional advancement um sector of our campus, um, we're raising $60 million for our 60th anniversary, which was in you know 2025. Um we're already at about 35 million raised. We have more work to do. We named the campaign Onward after St. Francis de Sale's episcopal motto, um, non exchidat, which is roughly translated onward, let's get going. Um, what are you doing um in this campaign? And I think our listeners will be very interested in in learning how they can be a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 24:55

I hope so. I hope they do want to be a part of it. Um so what I'm doing personally is uh just my getting out on the road and educating. Um so this campaign onboard has four pillars. So we want to uh build a foundation for all. So that's about student success. So that's scholarships there, that's making sure that the sales can be affordable to any student who wants to come here. Um the next one is we want to fuel discovery. So the second pillar is about that academic innovation. So, you know, with AI coming onto the scene, um, there's a lot of people worried about it. On the scene. On the scene. It's on the scene. You're right, it's not even coming on the scene anymore. It's it's on the scene. Um, so with AI, we want to make sure that we are teaching our students the right way to use that, but then also giving them opportunities if they want to do experiential learning trips, uh, maybe internships. We want to recruit the highest faculty, right? So fueling discovery is making sure that our academics stay up to date as well. Um, then we want to design our our future, right? So I know a big thing of the the armor campaign is our welcome center, which is gonna be our front porch. It's gonna be beautiful. I'm really excited for it, right next to the soccer field there, Preston, uh Preston Lane and Landis Mill Road, right there, it'll be the front porch, right?

SPEAKER_02 26:07

The main entrance to the campus.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Main entrance.

SPEAKER_02 26:10

We're gonna do what they call that SEO, search engine optimization. So if you put the sales university in, it's gonna take you to Landis Mill and Preston.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

I love that. That's right. Well, so just a side note, funny story about that. My first time on campus, I came with my mom to an open house, and I don't know if we missed any, if we just didn't read the email correctly or what I don't remember exactly what happened. All I know is we showed up at the wrong building. We showed up at Gambit, which is the healthcare and business building, and um someone staff members out there to greet us and say, Oh, hello, are you a PA student? And for me, I said, Yeah, I'm from Pennsylvania. And they'd say, No, physician assistant. You know, in high school, I had no idea what a PA was. So um You do now. I do, oh I've I do now. Um, but it's just funny because with that front porch, no one will have that experience that I just say, oh, you know, where do we go? It's the welcome center, the Bresley Welcome Center is where you're going. So we're really excited about that. Uh, along with some, hopefully some internal updates to uh Bolera, to the the gym. I know, I know they want to do locker rooms, they want to maybe do a support gym, right? Um, so there's some plans in in Bolera for the actual. Had a few varsity programs. Why not while we're at it, right? Yeah. Um, and then the last one is the we want to chart our course. So Pillar Four charter course is those mission-driven strategic initiatives. So we want to make sure that we remain flexible in the cliff that's coming out. We want to, you know, if there's an opportunity to grow the uh, you know, the center for faith, we want to make sure that we can grow that. If there's an opportunity to grow another program out to sales or start new academic programs, we want to make sure that we have the funding and the flexibility to be able to do so. Um, which, speaking of new programs, we want to make sure that we plug the new aviation management program that's coming on the scene in fall 2026, right? Um, so those are the four pillars. That's that's onward in a nutshell. But my job is to go out and educate about what we're doing and to let people know that, again, DeSales is a special place. We're not only graduating good nurses, good teachers, uh, not only good computer scientists, mathematicians, I have to, you know, put myself in there, but uh we're graduating good people, right? You always say our jobs, your art, you know, DeSales' job is to get students a job, but also to get them into heaven. Um and graduate good people who are gonna contribute to society, and that's what onward's about, and that's why I'm so passionate about this campaign, this comprehensive campaign, because it's not only changing, it's not only changing lives of our students, but they're gonna go out there and they're gonna change the community. Then changing the community, they're gonna change the state. Then from the state, they're gonna change the nation, the nation, they're gonna change the world. Um, and that's what the non-eschet non-Echadette is about.

SPEAKER_01 28:52

Right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

Amen. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 28:53

That's inspiring as you describe it. Uh, our new Pope, Leo, he talks about drawing new maps of hope. And that's what it reminds me of. Like uh DeSales University is on that map. Um, in conclusion, Brendan, this has been really fun. Uh so thank you. Um our Catholic Silesian mission at DeSales um is the main piece of everything we do. We do it through the the mission of the gospel. Um, you mentioned the university core values, uh, the the Silesian experience of being who you are and being that well. How has it affected your life? Uh-huh. And what advice would you give someone thinking about coming to DeSales, knowing our Catholic Silesian mission is the real uh leap motif of everything we do here?

SPEAKER_00 29:43

Affected my life? I mean, it affects me every single day. So I um I pray the in direction of intention every morning, which is, which is let's hear me recite it. Father, amen. My God, I give you this action. Please give me the grace to conduct myself during it in a manner most pleasing to you. St. Francis de Sales, pray for us. And then I do St. John Chantel pray for us as well, too. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen. Amen. Yeah, so I do that every morning, and I I think what DeSales has done for me is not only I kind of hinted to it earlier, I grew in different facets, right? I didn't just grow as a mathematician. Um, I didn't just grow, you know, by gaining friends. I grew professionally. I learned how to properly shake a hand, I learned how to hold a door for someone. How did how'd you like that? Is that a good one? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:34

Um you know, how to what what side the fork and the knife go on? But the Etiquette Dinner through the Career Development Center, you learn all these little things about yourself at the sales that you didn't know you need it, or you didn't know you want it, but what or I guess I should say you didn't know you need it, or you didn't know you want it, but you needed them. That's right. That's a better way to say it. You didn't know you wanted it, but you needed them. Um and that's what the sales has done for me. It's just it's it puts every persp every day in perspective for me is that it's a gift, right? Every breath we get is a gift. Amen to that. And advice I would give to a student looking at the sales is come to Bulldog Bash. Okay. Um you may or may not see me. I may or may not be there, but come to Bulldog Bash March 22nd, 2026, if you're an accepted senior. If you're not an accepted senior, apply if you're a senior and come that day. Anyone who's a junior or younger or just you know, thinking about the sales in general, um, step foot on campus. Step foot on campus, whether it's a sporting event or an open house or a beautiful campus, right? Five, six hundred acres of just gorgeous. Um step foot on campus, get to experience the student body, the faculty, the staff for yourself. You know, someone will hold the door open for you a mile away, and you don't get that other places in the world anymore. Um, so my advice would be be open to the opportunity that is to Sales University.

SPEAKER_02 31:58

Well, Brendan Graham, thank you for gracing us for Tales from the Sales. Um, I'm grateful to know you. I've known you for a long time now. I'm proud of you and I'm delighted to be your colleague now.

SPEAKER_00 32:10

Thank you very much, Father. I was honored to be here. Thank you so much for asking me and allowing me to talk your ear off. So it was it was it was a real treat.

SPEAKER_02 32:20

So thank you so much, Brendan. Thank you, Father. Peace. All right, peace, God bless.