Linda LeMura, Ph.D., was inaugurated March 20, 2015 as the 14th president of Le Moyne College in Syracuse. LeMura is the first lay woman to serve as president of a Jesuit college or university in the world. She is a native of Syracuse. Here is an excerpt of her inaugural address, "The Primacy of Faith and the Power of the Intellect.''
By Linda LeMura
I am the daughter of immigrants, both of whom came to Central New York without riches, without formal education, not speaking English, and very little in the way of material security. Yet, they had faith... Le Moyne College bears witness to the faith, the hope and the imagination of people like my parents. At one time they were German, Irish and Italian immigrants. Now, perhaps, they are Vietnamese, Sudanese, Mexican, Dominican, Indian, Pakistani, Bhutanese or Somali. What connects the generations of our students -- whether they are from humble origins or from great wealth and privilege, immigrant or native born, whether they are the first generation to pursue higher education or the last in a long line of scholars and professionals -- what connects them all is their belief that education is an act of faith, an expression of certainty and confidence in the face of an unknown future.
When Le Moyne College opened its doors in 1946, Syracuse was booming: it was at the beginning of a period of prosperity and growth that defined not just life in upstate New York, but the very fabric of American culture in the 20th century. Nineteen forty-six marked the beginning of the postwar economic boom, the baby boom and an educational boom. Downtown Syracuse was, for many of us, the center of fashion and commerce. Shopping at local department stores like Addis's, Dey Brothers or Edward's was an event -- women wore pillbox hats and white gloves; men wore fedoras and skinny ties. The Landmark Theatre, with all its gold and velvet, brought a touch of Broadway to Salina Street.
Syracuse was thriving with industry -- Crouse-Hinds Co., General Electric, Carrier Corp., General Motors and Bristol Meyers and the industrial base was expanding. Returning veterans were using the GI Bill to join a growing middle class and the number of college-bound students would increase exponentially over the next 20 years; Sounds good, doesn't it? What better time to open a Jesuit College in a city populated by Catholic immigrants fueled by the American Dream?
But 1946 does not mark the true beginning of Le Moyne College. Bishop Walter Foery's call for a Jesuit college in Syracuse came earlier, at a darker time in history, as America was finally climbing out of the Great Depression and just months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It was a dream sustained throughout World War II, and in the face of great doubt. Who could tell when the war would end, and what the country would be like? Was there really a need for a new college in Syracuse, when the city was already made famous by another university sitting on another hill? How would immigrant Catholics afford a college education for their children? Why not locate the newest Jesuit college in Albany or Rochester, or even in the wilds of the Adirondacks?
These were powerful arguments against us.Yet, despite material concerns and incalculable worries, Le Moyne College became a reality. I want us all to remember that the need for a Jesuit, liberal arts college was conceived during dark times and despite serious doubts. In other words, Le Moyne College itself is a creative, faith-filled response to crisis and uncertainty.
At a moment in history when war loomed and the world seemed to be spiraling toward a bleak future, the Jesuits affirmed the primacy of faith and the power of the intellect. A liberal arts education, as imagined and articulated by the Jesuits who founded Le Moyne, was a call to service in a time of need, and it remains so today. A Jesuit education is not meant to be a luxury, or the capstone to a life of leisure. A degree from Le Moyne College is intended to be the armor that will allow students -- from all backgrounds and means -- to thrive in a sometimes dangerous, always challenging world. A Le Moyne College education opens doors for those who want access to the riches of culture and the benefits of hard work; it invites students to live lives of service, faith, intellect and integrity.
So much has changed in Syracuse -- and really, in many communities -- since the founding of Le Moyne. Those distinctive, local businesses, for example, were replaced by what was seemingly newer, bigger, and less "small town." Little did we realize that some day we'd miss those touchstones. In an irony lost on very few creative entrepreneurs, we now hear members of our community longing for the unique fabric and flavor of the cities they grew up with. Mayors, legislators, urban planners and architects are trying to recreate and rebuild what was lost. At Le Moyne, we don't have to rebuild. While moving boldly forward -- in the sciences, the social sciences, in the arts, in business and the humanities -- we honor our heritage. We remain a touchstone.