From the president

James Hardy is a second year student at University of Dayton majoring in Political Science and is a student leader both on and off campus. His many commitments on campus are grounded in his commitment to diversity and inclusion, which include Black Action Through Unity, African Student Association, Women of Remarkable Distinction and more. Off campus, James is a member of the 2025 River Steward cohort, a three year leadership and civic engagement program focused on social and environmental justice issues. These leadership roles and commitments, along with being a Newman Civic Fellow, are shaping James into an informed, engaged citizen and leader for the Common Good.

Eric Spina

President

University of Dayton

Image

Personal Statement

Growing up I always wanted to be outdoors with my family and the people closest to me. This caused a great appreciation for the environment and the people within it. Appreciating the environment lead me to take action into my own hands. These actions led me to step out of my comfort zone and develop being comfortable with being uncomfortable. As I have grown with this newfound ability leading and taking proactive steps to effectively change things for the better has been the foundation of my goals. I have accomplished these goals by supporting and helping out neighborhoods by starting and helping aid in community clean-ups, thanksgiving food drives, and youth mentoring. Within these outreach opportunities, I have developed the ability to be adaptive within leadership. This approach has given me the wherewithal and understanding to positively impact social issues through cross-cultural communication and engagement. My future endeavors will focus on this particular aspect of life increasing knowledge and engagement between communities can lead to positive change in social economic and environmental issues. I plan to use my abilities to guide and develop change within the communities I intend to serve.

James Hardy

Political Science

University of Dayton