President Harris’ Perspective

As a child, my parents would take me along with them when they went to the polling place in our neighborhood to cast their votes. My family had a strong commitment to civic participation, and I can remember my mother even going door to door in our community advocating for a particular candidate or issue. This commitment to civic engagement left an indelible mark on me and to this day I continue to believe that voting is not only a constitutional right but also a responsibility that each of us has as citizens to participate in.

On this election day, I hope all of you will take the time to exercise your constitutional rights and vote. In the last presidential election in 2020, 76% of our USD students registered and voted and I hope we can grow that number this year.

Thanks to the work of USD Votes, our university’s nonpartisan democratic engagement group, more Toreros are registered to vote and are informed about this important civic duty. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge even recognized our university for our high levels of student voter engagement in the 2022 midterm elections.

USD Votes Campaign student volunteers

In tandem with voting, it's just as important to practice civility with one another – no matter the outcome of the elections. At USD, we believe that diversity of ideas and beliefs are essential for education. When we take the time to listen to others and truly hear their perspectives, we work closer to creating the culture of respect and inclusivity that all communities should strive for.

After the election is over, there will still be multiple events and programs to practice civility, whether it is election-related or simply navigating conflict in your daily life. Civil Discourse Ambassadors, a team of students who are helping others “engage constructively with complex issues” and enhance civil discourse on campus, will be walking around USD ready to help those who want to learn more.

Or, attend a Civility Café conversation to learn from a campus expert about a topic related to civil discourse. It’s all part of the Toreros Together for the Common Good programming organized by a group of campus partners.

As we wrap up the election season, I’m reflecting on Pope Francis’ words about a "culture of encounter" where "we find brothers and sisters, in which we can also speak with those who think differently, who hold other beliefs." I hope our campus can be such a place, where we welcome diversity of thoughts – after all, this is what makes our campus the inclusive and unique place that we all love.