this question of what the US relationship with Israel ought to look like. And this is something I think about a lot, because sometimes I get frustrated with our fellow traveler libertarians for I think sometimes seeming a little unrealistic on matters of foreign policy. I think there is frequently a sense of what the US should do aspirationally. But then there also needs to be a sense of what the US should do in order to taper off an existing relationship, recognizing that cutting off ties or cutting off any sort of funding of Israel is not something that can realistically happen overnight and that there would be massive second order consequences that would stem from that if that did happen. How do you look at this relationship between the US and Israel and this US support for Israel? How do you look at it aspirationally in terms of what that relationship ought to be like, but also more practically? It's a tricky question. I know it's a big question and you're not a foreign policy expert, but I'm just curious about how your views on this have evolved over time. I'm not an expert, but I often play one on TV, so I'll do the best I can. The United States gives about $3 billion, I think, dollars a year to Israel. You have a similar amount to Egypt, at least until recently maybe. That is not free money. It is credits. It's $3 billion of credits that Israel has to use in the US military grocery store, meaning it's for purchasing US weapons, aircraft, etc. It is a subsidy both to Israel and the US defense industry. Historically, I've never been in favor of that aid. I've always opposed it. I don't think it's good for Israel particularly. We're now a very rich country. When it was first started, we were a pretty poor country. Israel has a pretty high standard of living. We can pay for our own equipment if we want. I'm happy. I hope the US will continue to sell it to us. I think the trickier part of the relationship is what's happening right now. Right now, there are two aircraft carriers in the eastern side of the Mediterranean and a nuclear submarine. They're there mainly to threaten Iran and Iran's friend, Hezbollah. To say, don't think about opening up a second front against Israel or we'll punish you. That's been really helpful to us, more or less here in Israel. It's not clear whether we do have a nuclear weapon here. That carries a lot of weight, but it's a threat you never want to carry out. I don't know what this would look like right now if the US had not made that implicit threat. I'm sure they've made some explicit threats behind the scenes that we don't know about. That's very helpful to Israel. Having said that, I think it's a legitimate question for Americans to ask whether that serves the interests of the United States. There are many Jews, evangelical Christians, and others who see Israel in a very special light different from many other countries. Whether the average American taxpayer should be funding the ability of the United States to still act as something of the world's policemen, I think, is a complicated question. If Israel had to stand on its own, it would have to devote a lot more of its resources to its own military, which it devotes a significant amount already, but it would have to devote more. It would set in motion a whole bunch of things. Some of them would be good for Israel and some not so good. A lot of people would argue that this moment has taught us that Israel cannot defend itself alone, that it needs the United States to be a counterweight to Iran. That may be true. I think it's going to be very interesting to see how this evolves over the next few years. Whether any president, Biden, whoever wins the next election would carry out threats that are being applied against Iran and risk a world war with Russia, which is Iran's ally and the rest of the Middle East. It's pretty challenging. What concerns me about the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, it's not an unconditional support, but it is a very substantial, like we've got your back kind of thing. I'm morally supportive of the right of Israel's government to defend its people against this kind of atrocity and to seek justice and rescue the hostages and dismantle Hamas to the extent that can be done. What I've been uncomfortable with and become increasingly so is any U.S. aid in that project, because Israel's military is having to make really difficult moral calculations and trade-offs about how many soldiers they're willing to sacrifice in ground operations versus how many civilian casualties to accept with other types of aerial bombings, and they're not easy calls. Frankly, they're not always calls that I agree with, and the more the U.S. has culpability in that with its funding, the worst all around on all sides, that is in my view. It's Israel's fight, and the government of Israel seems capable of prosecuting it. I wonder when you're talking about the difference in Israel's interests and America's interests. Do you think America's, in some sense, tying Israel's hands in ways that makes it harder to defend itself? Well, it cuts both ways. I think America's embrace of Israel, the government's embrace, the military's embrace of Israel has costs for the United States. Those costs may be worth bearing for other benefits. They may be worth bearing for moral reasons. It's not an easy question to answer. I would just add that a friend of mine said the other day that the embrace of the United States of Israel is more like a bear hug. It doesn't just show love and affection, it also constrains Israel a great deal. Many of those constraints we would impose on ourselves here, certainly with respect to civilian casualties, but historically, often Israel has gone along with what the United States wanted because there's a feeling here that we need the United States, so we couldn't rely on that. We would behave differently, and that would be both good and bad, I suspect. Thanks for listening to our conversation with Russ Roberts. For the full conversation, go here. For more clips, go here.


Pumpkin is tasty and high in nutrients, making it an excellent human meal, but can cats eat pumpkin? Absolutely. Adding pumpkin to your cat's diet has several advantages, and your physician may even advise you to use pumpkin to help you some stomach disorders. Is pumpkin poisonous to cats? Absolutely not. In fact, it's a fantastic meal that most cats can consume without difficulty. Giving pumpkin to your cat can result in numerous key health advantages as long as you properly pick the pumpkin that you give him and gradually introduce it to him. As you painstakingly sort through the pumpkins at the pumpkin patch or the bin at the supermarket this month looking for the perfect carver, I'll bet you don't stop to think about your cat. Understandable, unless you're planning on carving an image of your cat's face into that perfect squash. But it's definitely time to start thinking about feeding your feline friend pumpkin. I'm not talking about pumpkin pie or pumpkin lattes, rather just plain old cooked pumpkin. Fix it with fiber. If your cooked pumpkin is packed with all the fiber it takes to relieve most cat's mild constipation, you'd better believe that your cat will prefer eating tasty pumpkin over using other constipation remedies, like enemas. The benefits that fiber adds to your cat's diet don't end with constipation relief, fiber can also help clear and prevent painful anal gland issues. Additionally, fiber moves hair through the digestive tract so that you can stop cleaning hairballs off of your floor. Also, fiber does more than just soothe your cat's bowels, it can also absorb excess fluid in the gut, relieving or at least reducing mild diarrhea. Waste away the weight. If you have a pleasantly plump kitty then you're probably are aware of how hard it is to promote weight loss. After all, it's near impossible to pump up her exercise plan, so weight loss in cats is based mostly on diet, something most kitties don't take kindly to. Pumpkin can help you with that. That healthy fiber that we've already talked about will help keep your dieting cat feeling satiated between meals with fewer calories than her normal cat food. Pumpkin can help your cat feel full. All that fiber in pumpkin makes your cat's food bulkier, and that means he feels fuller after he eats. This can be helpful for an overweight cat who needs to lose weight. Adding some pumpkin to your cat's meal means he gets plenty of nutrition, can help satisfy your cat's appetite so he doesn't feel the need to overeat or beg after his meal. Pumpkin is full of nutrients that are good for cats, too. It contains vitamins A and C, which together support your cat's immune system. There's also zinc in pumpkins, and that promotes a healthy coat and skin. Pumpkin is a nutritious food that makes a great meal topper or supplement to your cat's diet. Pumpkin packs a punch. That said, don't think that feeding pumpkin to your cat is just filling him with empty calories. In fact, pumpkin provides many healthy nutrients. Pumpkin contains vitamins A, C, and E as well as calcium, iron, lutein, and beta-carotene. These nutrients are essential for healthy immune function, eyes, skin and coat, and are rich in antioxidants. While a high-quality cat food will provide all of these, those out there who are feeding their cats a raw or homemade diet may want to consider adding pumpkin as a source of these essential nutrients. In addition to the pumpkin flesh, pumpkin seeds can also be fed to cats. Be sure to clean, roast, and grind them for proper feeding. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of omega fatty acids and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, so they make great supplements for cats that experience chronic urinary issues or even arthritis. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high-quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. Tips for feeding your cat pumpkin To start, make sure to buy plain canned pumpkins without any added sugars or spices, like you'd find in pumpkin pie filling. You might be wondering if you can feed bits of whole pumpkin to your cat. This usually isn't the most convenient way to give pumpkin, and it's important not to feed elements like the skin or pulp. Chances are, most of the pumpkin will go bad before you can feed the whole thing, so it's usually best to stick to canned pumpkin. Always refrigerate the leftover pumpkin between feedings. You can add pumpkin right on top of your cat's food, and most cats find pumpkin pretty tasty. It's best to introduce pumpkin slowly, adding just a teaspoon or two. As your cat gets used to the pumpkin, you may be able to add a little more. Definitely consult with your vet before making dietary changes, and only change your cat's diet gradually to avoid digestive upset. If your cat goes wild for pumpkin and you end up feeding a bit too much of it, he might experience some diarrhea. If this occurs, it's best to skip feeding him pumpkin for a few meals until your kitty's tummy returns to normal. Feeding pumpkin to your cat Hopefully, by now you're convinced to get your cat into pumpkin season with you this year. But you may be wondering, where to begin? It's not quite as simple as dumping a nice ripe pumpkin in your cat's food bowl, but it is almost that easy. Pumpkin straight out of the can is quick and easy for kitty. If you prefer to do it yourself, you can roast or steam your own pumpkin as well. Raw pumpkin works too, but is a little harder to eat and therefore less palatable. Avoid the stems, skin, and the stringy innards as well. Be sure that the canned pumpkin you get is not pumpkin pie filling with all the added seasonings and sugar. You want the pure, unsweetened stuff. You can start by feeding a couple of teaspoons a day, and if your cat tolerates and enjoys it you can up the quantity to roughly 20% of her daily food intake if you're trying to achieve weight loss. A tablespoon or two once to twice a day is enough to help with most constipation and diarrhea issues. Serving pumpkin to cats If your cat enjoys pumpkin, the best way to serve it is straight out of the can. Avoid any canned pumpkin products that contain added flavoring or sugars, especially if your cat has diabetes. You truly just want plain pumpkin, Myers says. A mix between 1 and 4 teaspoons of canned pumpkin with cat food one to two times a day. Your veterinarian can advise the specific quantity of pumpkin to serve, depending on your cat's condition. If your finicky cat refuses pumpkin, consult your veterinarian for alternatives. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, 1 to 4 teaspoons per meal of psyllium or 1 to 2 tablespoons of wheat bran can also be added to canned food as fiber supplements. As long as your cat is well hydrated, any of these additives may assist in treating constipation. Be sure to speak with your veterinarian first, before making any changes to your cat's diet. Risks of pumpkins for cats Pumpkin is a relatively easy and safe additive, Majolo assures. While it's unlikely that pumpkin will upset a cat's stomach, eating too much can possibly cause diarrhea. If this happens, it's best to skip the next serving or feed a smaller amount. Your veterinarian can advise you on how to modify the serving size, if symptoms occur. Keep in mind that you should not serve the stem, skin, or pulp of a pumpkin to your cat. These parts of the pumpkin simply don't have a high enough nutritional value to be beneficial for your cat. It is also best to avoid feeding leftover jack-o-lantern, as it may have rotted by sitting outside too long. Plain canned pumpkin is the best option for your pet and will stay fresh in the refrigerator up to about a week after opening. Even though your feline friend may not be able to have a bite of your Thanksgiving pie, there is definitely a place for plain pumpkin in his diet. Get your cat pumped about pumpkin. The benefits of pumpkin for your cat can be enjoyed with any member of the Fall Squash family so you may even choose to mix it up a bit during this season. As with any supplement or dietary additive, always consult your veterinarian before starting feeding. Pumpkin is a great natural addition to your cat's diet. It can help relieve minor digestive issues and promote weight loss. Most kitties love it as well just as much as we all love our pumpkin pie. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.


I think he wants different kind of snacks If you could marry one person from spy family, who would it be? Who would I pick? Is that a trick question? I'd pick the handler.    Oh, yeah Oh, this is give me PTSD. Oh my god. Oh my god, bro. I can relate.   I swear to God Yeah, you should have cheated I Failed even when I cheated. That's how bad I was I'd write in the wrong order. Oh You're making her go home at night. Look at the waiting for her They're not gonna question why she's home at the late hours of the night.  I went. Oh my god, the y'all function different in Japan or Ostavnia Wherever this is West Rose where West side West Coast Well, I forgot what the name of the city is but y'all are insane man. Oh my god My mom didn't let me go home by myself till I was like 21 Hey bond Wait No There's always a way to cheat trust me, bro. I used to write it on my hands I used to get like a water bottle and I take the wrap off or I'd put the answers on the wrap and I'd face it towards me And every time a new question came up or like the second part of the test I'd flip the bottle over bro worked every single time.  You got this. Just come to me I got a book for you But oh bond can help go to school with her I Want I want some I hate living alone because I can't cook anything.  Oh my how did that not happen to me? It would have happened to me I forgot I thought the lunar phase happened. I don't trust them around girls Unki Unki's oh They're all so secretive.  Yori's hiding his cop life No one's telling the truth.  That's right.  I really hope somebody learns some someone else's Secret identity in this show by the end of the season it needs to happen Biology for good boys and girls. I wasn't reading that biology book I was a bad boy.  My guess is you can never trust you can't trust me in general Yeah Now he's gonna act right My wife Now he's gonna oh god, I can't say it He see he did it. I even have to say he came I'm not gonna why is this a thing Why is this a thing bro? It's in one punch man, too It's like this the the the the guy loves the sister so much Is this like a common theme in anime?  What kind of theme is this? It's like if in america A theme was like the dog loved the owner like the dog wanted to get inside the owner Like if that was a common theme, why is this a theme? Somebody explain to me in the comments I need to know. I'm genuinely asking. I'm curious unless this is a thing. It's a bad I mean if I had a hot sit no, I can't do it The periodal scooter An apparel scooter I want to be an apparel scooter. Yeah.  Oh not verbs and adjectives. Oh, I see. I'm feeling this test bro. This is supposed to be for like six year olds forget about it Flashback. Yes. Oh, I feel you on you look up serious. He is now Because he's gonna get a kiss from his sister later Of course you did I don't doubt that at all you studied for her tests Why why Listen, listen, I need somebody in my life that would do all this for me like I need somebody I will not settle for less So you can have an affair with her What's with the dogs in this show Yes, yes like Elon Musk take over Twitter Yeah, all right, I like you Yori you're acting right right now, but maybe for the wrong reasons, but I'm fine with that What? No, forget what I just said. Yeah, don't teach her anything strange Yori She's still gonna fail. It's just like me no matter how hard I try to fail every time That's my blessing for y'all.   Don't do it. Let let him eat it. It's okay. You don't need a disarm bomb at your age No bonds.   Yeah, or It's all she had to do Oh, no, my heart won't be able to take this if she fails. All right, how are we cheating? That's that's the question Where's your water bottle? I told you what to do where I'm okay They've been doing this a lot lately like two episodes in one Trying to buy their kids grades too bad my family was poor. Maybe that's why I fell double Here goes Lloyd. Here comes the god tier o st. Oh She got this Have some faith in her.  Oh my god, imagine when she's older Why couldn't my dad be like this all to her answer? She's before they're graded Why Why couldn't my dad do this man? Shit, why wasn't he a spy? Instead I just failed.  Oh wait, it's Lloyd Well, am I dumb? How do I not put this together yet? Like like I think there's something wrong with me.  Oh, that's interesting Yeah, we need some competition. I don't know what that was though Is he drunk? Why are you doing that bro?   Oh Lloyd. I love you. This would be me Breaking into a school I'm gonna take some tips go back to my old school You had one job Bro, is this how easy it is to go into schools? Is this why things happen? Oh my god This dude just walked in he says he's famous.   I'm definitely gonna remember now. Maybe every character has to do that. So I remember them He's like oh stop all he needs is the nose Why do I keep laughing like that today man like a windex bottle The the way this dude just rolls out of the room. I'ma try that Next time I leave a room While he's laughing.   She's number one. Don't tell me Because he did good in school. Nah, man.  That's sad, bro. Yo, what's his dad's number, man? I gotta go. I gotta go meet up with him real quick and do something Why is she looking up? She's looking all the way up.  I'll make you. Oh god. Oh, whoa No 2013 where are my swords at? Oh my god.  Oh nah, damian. You're fine duck You duck the other two bros extend That's fine. You soon fail Good girl My ex like being called that Nah, this did not look like my family, bro My dad had the belt writing his hand when I got home He didn't even know what I got but he knew at the same time every time I'd come home with a test in my hand He knew bro. It's like that belt was was uh his side piece like it was just You know how you have to take time to take a bow off now. He was like, uh, I feel like oh my god I still failed after that. You would think that would help me. No, you barely avoided failing all of them how could you I'd be I'd get a cake and praise if I passed by a single point Just add them together. I still wouldn't reach like an 80.  So we got a new character in this episode What was his name? I forgot he said to like five times too.  I watched the episode when I'm done Like I really watch it. I'll sit down and I'll watch and I'll understand it So the next time I I do a reaction to to the show. I know what's going on So the reaction I'm just chilling.  Even if there was a joke that made me laugh. I'm still like this I'm different when I'm off camera. What you're all getting I'm faking it. I'm faking my reactions guys. Exposing Nicholas like tv. It's all it's all a facade I'm joking. Anyways, what you guys think of the episode? I thought it was better than last week It's one of the better episodes of the second part of the season one I'm excited to see what happens next mama becomes the wind I would be blowing all day. Anyways. Yeah, that's it.


و أقولوا في القرآن ما جاءت به آياته فهو الكاريم المنزاله و أقولوا قال الله جل جلاله والمصطفة الهدي و لا أتأوله إن شاء الله تعالى in this episode I want to speak about the definition of a Toba What does Toba actually mean? The way I want to speak about Toba إن شاء الله تعالى and define it is first of all what does Toba mean in the Arabic language يعني في اللغة what does it mean And the second إن شاء الله تعالى is I want to speak about Toba in the Sharia And as I said in the introduction We can't really come with repentance We can't come with Toba if we don't understand what it means التوبة في اللغة Repentance in the Arabic language is a verbal noun The word التوبة في اللغة مصدر الفعلي تابة The word Toba is a verbal noun is a مصدر مصدر means verbal noun Of which verb? The verb تابة And the word تابة It originally is rooted from the مادة تواب مادة تواب تواب That's what it was taken from And this word تواب تدور حلم عن الرجوع والعودة والإنابتي والندم And the word تواب revolves around the meaning الرجوع تتنبك العودة تتنبك الإناب to turn back as well And also الندم which is to regret That's what it means in the Arabic language That's what it means linguistically That's what it means lexically Now what does it mean in the Sharia? In our religion in the Sharia What does the word توبة mean?  إخلاصا لله ورجاء اللي ثوابه وخوفا من عقابه You do it with sincerity You do it with hope Hope, hoping reward from الله سبحانه وتعالى And you do it وخوفا من عقابه Fearful of Allah سبحانه وتعالى's punishment وإي يكون ذلك قبل الغرقرة وقبل طروع الشمس من مغربها And all of this has to happen قبل أن يكتبوا من عقابه قبل أن يكتبوا من عقابه أو قبل الطروع الشمس من مغربها أو قبل أن يكتبوا من المغربها It has to be done before those two قبل أن يكتبوا من عقابه وقبل الطروع الشمس من مغربها قبل أن يكتبون قبل أن يكتبوا من مغربها وقبل الطروع الشمس من مغربها That's what توبة means in the sharia That is what the Qur'an and the sunnah mean when they use the word توبة So as you can see The Arabic language adjustment رجوع والعودة والنابة وندم But the sharia gave it more meanings And it has stipulated More conditions to the word توبة So now, الحمد لله You have an understanding of what توبة means You have an understanding of what Repentance means in the sharia Anything I might have said that was wrong or incorrect Is from me and Shaytan and Allah And his messenger are free from it سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد بلا إله إلا الله أستغفرواك وأتوب إلي السلام عليكم If you are enjoying these videos And you'd like to keep up to date With all of the courses we're going to be running Make sure you head over to amauathome.com


Good afternoon. I'm Christine Siegel, Provost here at Fairfield University. Before we start today's program, I ask that everyone take a minute to turn off their cell phones and electronic devices. President Nemic, esteemed members of the faculty, staff, university administrators, students, and most especially members of the Class of 2022. Welcome to the 15th annual first-year academic gathering. We will begin with the invocation which will be offered by the Director of Campus Ministry, Reverend Mark Scalise of the Society of Jesus, followed by the singing of the National Anthem by members of the University Glee Club under the direction of Dr. Carol Ann Maxwell Conductor, accompanied by Beth Palmer. Please rise and remain standing. Let us pray. Good and gracious God, at the dawn of all things, your spirit of creation breathed order and beauty out of the watery chaos. Your spirit of wisdom taught our holy ancestors to discern your fingerprints in the wonders of nature and inspired the prophets to demand justice for the poor and the oppressed. In the fullness of time, your word made flesh gave us an example of self-giving love that unleashes your life-giving spirit and renews the face of the earth. Today we gather together the Class of 2022 as its members begin their academic careers at Fairfield. During their four years here, may the chaos of uncertainty and fear of the unknown be transformed into blessed order, self-confidence, and hope. May they come to cherish the life of the mind. May they find beauty in clear and forceful arguments and in critical thinking. May they delight in discovering you in the workings of the natural world. May they channel their creative energies into works of music and art and writing and filmmaking. May they discover a passion for justice through their study of history and the social sciences and work to make life better for their sisters and brothers at home and around the world. And may they stretch their hearts and minds and grow into loving persons who are fully alive and in so doing set the world on fire and give you glory. We ask all these things of you who are our loving God and faithful friend. Amen. Thank you Father Scalise. Thank you Dr. Maxwell and Miss Palmer. Please be seated. Beginning on Sunday, continuing today and extending throughout this week, we, the Jesuits, students, professors, staff, and administrators of Fairfield University are welcoming you, the class of 2022. We know that we will be enriched and enlivened by your presence. We hope that your experiences with us will be transformative as you grow in mind, body, and spirit. Today, on the first day of classes, we celebrate the life of the mind at Fairfield University. You will notice that today members of the platform party are retired, not just in Fairfield Red and Black, but also in academic regalia. The colors and accessories of which represent the institution of higher learning at which we have studied, the fields of academic inquiry that we have pursued, and the degrees and honors that we have earned. So attired, we gather together and with you to mark the opening of the academic year and to welcome you, our new students, to the community of scholars of which Fairfield University is a part. At Fairfield University, this scholarly community is one designed to cultivate intellectual curiosity through our broad-based humanistic liberal arts curriculum and multiple occasions for interdisciplinary study. It's designed to advance human knowledge and understanding through the pursuit of a specific academic major and opportunities to work side by side with professors conducting original research in their fields. And it's designed to seek truth as our deepened reasoning is accompanied by faith and enacted through service learning, clinical placementships, internships, and entrepreneurial endeavors. You will discover that at Fairfield, this scholarly community is not limited to the walls of the classrooms or the confines of our campus. Growth and learning also take place in residence halls through our student clubs and organizations in our intramural club and varsity athletic programs. Understanding can be found in the town of Fairfield and Bridgeport in New York City, Florence, Madrid, and Managua. The entire world is your learning laboratory within reach and waiting to be discovered. I encourage you to seize all the opportunities our scholarly community provides to explore new ways of thinking to discover new areas of interest and to begin the process of discerning who you will become. As scholars, we welcome you and accompany you in this pursuit of knowledge about yourself, others, and the world around you. Welcome to Fairfield. I am now honored to introduce Dr. Mark R. Nemek, President of Fairfield University, to offer his welcoming remarks. Dr. Nemek. As we gather today to welcome the Class of 2022 to the academic community that is Fairfield, we do so with great respect for the exceptional legacy of your predecessors, great appreciation for the fact that you have chosen to join this narrative, and great anticipation for all you will bring to the university. On a personal note, I am most pleased to welcome you as the first admitted class of my tenure. On this journey, I trust you will find, as I have, that this is a unique institution, animated by exceptional scholarship and academic rigor, while embracing the Ignatian obligation to nurture and encourage persons of strong character and true integrity. Our history here is remarkable, and our dual emphasis on excellence in all things, coupled with an overarching mission to form men and women for and with others in pursuit of social justice and productive citizenship, positions us to be a model of the modern Jesuit Catholic University. In joining Fairfield, you are partaking in a long-established, time-tested tradition which we trust will equip you for a lifetime of learning through an integrated approach which recognizes the importance of core personalities and seeks to develop your mind, your body, and your spirit. This approach is not only holistic, but also expansive. For all of your experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom, are part of your education, for they all offer the opportunity for rigorous inquiry and discernment. With this in mind, I encourage you to push yourself and push your peers to be your best and to truly be stewards of this remarkable university, leaving it an even better place than you found it. Welcome to Fairfield. We are thrilled to have you as part of our family. Thank you, President Nemek. I am now pleased to invite Paul Hovey, Associate Director of Admission, to present the Class of 2022 to Fairfield University President Mark Nemek. On behalf of the staff of the Office of Undergraduate Admission, we welcome you to Fairfield University. President Nemek, the Admission Office has been privileged to work with these young women and men throughout the admission process. I am pleased to present them for matriculation into Fairfield University as members of the Class of 2022, and I entrust them into your care for the next four years. Thank you, Paul. It's now my honor to welcome Daniel Rice, President of the Fairfield University Student Association, to offer her welcome to the Class of 2022 and to lead the class in the recitation of the University's Honor Code. Daniel. Good afternoon, everyone. It is my privilege as the Fairfield University Student Association President to officially welcome you as Fairfield's Class of 2022. I hope you are settling into your residence halls and routines and that your transition to life as a college student has been smooth. Although it has only been a few days, I hope you have all started to get a sense of the many wonderful things here at Fairfield and that you are confident in your decision in choosing this school. If it isn't crystal clear just yet, I assure you it won't take long before you realize what an incredible place you have chosen to spend the next four years. I remember my own convocation all too well. It was a beautiful day, hotter than hot, the sky was a perfect blue, and every one of us could feel the bright sun warming our backs. Though the speeches and welcomes were engaging, I was completely distracted and feeling lonely thinking about my home, my mom, my town, my high school, and the comfort and familiarity I left behind in all of those things. At the same time I was thinking about solidifying my work study, worried about getting lost, unsure of course expectations, and petrified at the thought of eating alone in the dining hall. Suffice it to say, my mind was all over the place and even though I knew I loved it here, at that moment I wasn't necessarily loving it here. During my first few weeks I couldn't help but think about something my brother had said to me. He told me to get involved. Sounds cliche, I know. He told me to put myself out there so I would learn about the school, meet new people, find my new interests, and to find my new role. Nothing gets better or easier by sitting in your dorm room is what he said to me. So off I went to join clubs and organizations and as I did, just as he said, I grew more comfortable in my new surroundings. I made new friends, figured out what I did and didn't like, and learned how to balance and manage this new adventure with the guidance and support of some pretty talented mentors. Without realizing it, Fairfield became my new home. Four years ago as I sat where you sit now, Fairfield was a place I wasn't sure I wanted to be at. And now as I begin my senior year, it's the one place I never want to leave. You are about to embark on a really great journey. Though graduation waits at its end, there is lot to enjoy and accomplish along the way. I offer you the same great advice my brother gave me and encouraging you to get involved. Take advantage of every opportunity and try new things. If you're interested in student government or in vet planning, consider becoming a member of FUSA. If you have a passion for writing, look into joining the staff of the Mirror, our school newspaper.  Obviously the list goes on, but just remember this. College is all about the experiences and opportunities we as students will need for our future successes and there is no shortage of either here.  What will never change, however, is Fairfield's commitment to its students, both in and out of the classroom. Though there is a lot that makes this place special, it is the commitment which sets this university apart from so many others. May the next four years be filled with fun, friendship, adventure, challenges and success, and may they leave an irreplaceable mark on your lives. Welcome home, Class of 2022. We are so excited to have you here. And now will the members of the Class of 2022 please stand and join me in reciting the university honor code which can be found on the back of your program. I understand that any violation of academic integrity wounds the entire community and undermines the trust upon which the discovery and communication of knowledge depends. Therefore, as a member of Fairfield University community, I hereby pledge to uphold and maintain these standards of academic honesty and integrity. Please be seated. Thank you, Danielle. At Fairfield, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of community. Where experiences are profound, where learning establishes a foundation for your future, and where relationships are long lasting. Our goal is to provide a living and learning environment that allows you to bring forward your unique talents and abilities to discover new ways of thinking and to be prepared to become thriving and contributing members of the next community you enter. So that by the time you leave us, you are not different from, but more of who you are today. To further explore our commitment to you, I am pleased to introduce this year's speaker, Dr. Aaron Van Dyke, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Born and raised in an apple farming town in eastern Washington state, Aaron Van Dyke received his BS in chemistry from Seattle University as a Sullivan scholar. He then earned a PhD in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he developed methods for synthesizing the toxins responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning. He completed post-doctoral training at the University of Michigan as an American Cancer Society fellow, studying the connection between protein misbehavior and human disease. Professor Van Dyke began his academic career at Fairfield University in 2013. He was recognized as the university's undergraduate teacher of the year in 2015 and received the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Advising and Mentoring Award in 2017. Aaron lives on campus as Fairfield's faculty and residence and is academic chair of the Residential College Program, a living and learning community for sophomores. He currently serves on the Barry M. Goldwater Selection Committee, the nation's most prestigious scholarship for undergraduates in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Van Dyke. Thank you, Provost Siegel, for that kind introduction. Class of 2022, it is truly an honor to welcome you on behalf of the general faculty. Do you have a favorite book or story from your childhood, a tale that captivated your imagination? One of my favorites was The Voyage of the Dawn Treader from The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. In this book, Lucy and Edmund Pevensey champions from the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe return to Narnia with their lonesome cousin Eustace Scrub. They set sail on the Dawn Treader and through their adventures they encounter enchantments, a dragon, treasure, but that is not the magic of the story. The book's true potency are in the lessons and characters are in the lessons these characters learn through their adventures, lessons of growth and self-discovery, brokenness, and redemption, because the lesson, not the incantation, reveals how to transform a dragon into a human. Today you embark on a similar journey. You begin your intellectual life at Fairfield University. Perhaps like Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace, you start this voyage with a mixture of elation, curiosity, and puzzlement. In the short time we have together today, I'd like to chart a course for your time at Fairfield, to put it ease some of your fears, to point out the rich rewards that lie ahead for those willing to stay the course and explain why this university exists. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, believed there are four islands of experience in the intellectual life, longing, love, loss, and limitlessness. You've already begun reconnaissance of these islands through our common readings on quip. Frederick Bruckner invited us to name our deepest motivation. Robert Brighurst's poem asked us what is authentic love? Christian Wyman's essay wrestled with loss, and Anthony D'Amello's short stories provided lessons to help us discern between limitless options. The intellectual life, much like sailing, is something you will cultivate over time as you navigate between these islands. The first thing you must know, however, is that the intellectual life at a Jesuit Catholic University is alive with imagination. Perhaps you could think of it as the water that connects these islands of experience. Imagination is what allowed C.S. Lewis to write about Narnia, J.R. Tolkien to create Hobbits, and G.K. Chesterton to extol the ethics of Elf land. I teach organic chemistry, and that sentence alone can stop conversation at parties. But when someone asks about my research, I invite them to imagine an ecologist who's studying fish in a lake. The ecologist has to capture those fish, tag them in a way that doesn't affect their function, and then release those fish back into a lake. My research is analogous, but instead of tagging fish in a lake, my students and I design small chemical probes that can seek out proteins in cells, capture those proteins, tag them in a way that doesn't alter their native function, and then release them back into the cell. Because if you can put a fluorescent tag on a protein, just like you would put a neon green tag on a fish, you can track it. And now you have a powerful diagnostic tool for diseases in which that protein is misbehaving. Using an analogy, like I just did, is an example of analogical imagination. Have you ever wanted to improve the conditions of those around you? Have you hoped that things could be better than they are now? That's prophetic imagination. Have you fallen in love with a book, a play, a song, or been moved to silence by a stunning landscape? That's sacramental imagination, and sacramental imagination is the perfect current to ride to island number one, longing. I'd like to give you a definition of sacramental imagination. The things of this world can reveal a deeper insight into our existence. The things of this world can reveal a deeper insight into our existence. I came to understand sacramental imagination in a profound way as an undergraduate at Seattle University, one of our fellow Jesuit institutions. You should know, first off, that I'm not actually Catholic.  When I showed up as a first-year student at Seattle University, I arrived on the island of longing with a deep yearning for self-acceptance. I might call this a longing of the heart.  It was the first time someone asked me to reflect, to think critically about my identity. What started as a longing of my heart became a longing of my mind as well, a conversation between mind and heart. When I returned to campus, I wanted to know more. What did she mean by gift? What did this Catholic tradition have to say about my identity? So I started to read, and this is how I came to understand sacramental imagination. It is the lens through which we as a Jesuit university see the world. We believe that the entire world is called into existence out of love, and as a result, the world is stamped with that love. The word sacramental comes from the Greek word for mystery. Another way you could think of it is that the world is imprinted with this mystery, and a university is where we apply our minds to understand this mystery, to question it, to wrestle with it in an attempt to comprehend it, ultimately to gain truth. The individuals who grappled with the forces around a basketball trying to fly into that hoop founded the field of physics. When you model market forces, we call it economics. When you investigate the structures of human society, we call it sociology, because remember, we believe that everything in this world from nursing to neuroscience can be a conduit to truth, can reveal a deeper insight into our existence. The intellectual life is not a cold and sterile place, simply of equations and grammatical rules. The intellectual life is where you flourish and are made into a whole human being because it requires a union of heart and mind, and almost without noticing it, you will find yourself so captivated by this inquiry, so alive by these questions, you will have crossed over from island number one, longing, to island number two, love. Love is not only the stuff of Valentine's Day and Hallmark cards. To be clear, the love of friendship and family is a good and sacred thing, but there is a deeper love that allows us as an intellectual community to come together with mutual respect, to exchange ideas, to question them freely, and to debate with one another. Remember, our tradition tells us this is a sacramental world called into existence out of love, which means every one of you is marked by that love. Human dignity is another word for this irreducible mark of love imprinted on every one of us. Our university rests on this irreducible human dignity of its members. This is why, in a university, every voice is heard from every first-year student to a full professor to the provost. Every voice can enter into the exchange of ideas. No one is shut out. Do you see now how human dignity rooted in love is different from the love you may have for a friend? Disagreements with friends can spiral into estrangement, a breakdown in communication. The intellectual life can be a prophylactic against this polarization because the intellectual life begins by respecting your peers as dignified human beings, just as they are called to respect you. And this mutual respect, even between strangers, makes the exchange of ideas possible, whether you agree or disagree on a particular issue. This is why today you committed to the honor code, to uphold standards of academic honesty and integrity, principles which are rooted in human dignity and the university's commitment to pursue truth. Now, I'll be honest, the intellectual life is not always easy, and this brings us to island number three, loss. When I arrived at MIT as a graduate student, it was exhilarating. I moved into a residence hall named for Harold Edgerton, the MIT professor who invented strobe photography, and his pictures covered the building. You may have seen them in textbooks, a drop of milk splashing into a coronet or a bullet piercing an apple. In his spare time, he developed sonar. The first week there, one of my classmates claimed that the circumference of a cup's rim is always taller greater than the cup's height, and we spent the first week commandeering cups from every establishment we could go to trying to prove him wrong. I expected graduate school to be a grand time. And then came my first cumulative exam. At MIT, these don't count for a course, they count towards your candidacy. To complete your admission to the PhD program, you must pass six cumulative exams after a certain period of time. I failed the first one. But then came the second cumulative exam, another F. If I was serious about becoming a faculty member which required earning a PhD, I needed to study. I needed to commit to hard work. I want you to notice there is one word I have not used when describing the intellectual life. Smart. The intellectual life is not. I repeat not about being smart. It has nothing to do with your intelligence. The intellectual life has everything though to do with your ability to work hard, to persist, to ask questions, and to thoughtfully reflect on your learning. To this day, one of my most cherished possessions is that letter I received from the graduate committee saying I passed my sixth cumulative exam. Loss in the intellectual life is not simply feeling bad about yourself when you fall short of a goal. It's recognizing what you love so deeply you're willing to work hard to achieve it the next time. I would encourage you to pay attention as you begin taking classes. What do you fall in love with? Is it something you love so much you would put in the extra time, the extra work to succeed? Thankfully at Fairfield you are not alone when you encounter challenges. We, the faculty, can be your greatest ally. Reach out to us. Reach out early and reach out often. I know it can be intimidating, but remember, faculty love what they teach. We want to share it with you and we want you to be successful. And I have every expectation you will be successful. In 2022, I will be sitting with my faculty colleagues in the front row of Bellarmine Lawn and we will be watching you walk across the top stairs at commencement. And in that process you will be stepping out onto the fourth island of limitlessness. This is an island of remarkable possibility and there will be many choices for you to make when you leave us in four years. What advanced degrees will you pursue? What job will you accept? What city will you move to? It may seem preposterous to consider events so distant in the future, but the ability to make thoughtful decisions is a virtue that can serve you right here today. We call this virtue discernment. Discernment involves your mind and heart in a thoughtful pattern of decision making. Discernment looks at a buffet of good choices and is able to select the best option. This is a skill you can work to cultivate long before commencement because throughout your Fairfield career, you will make important life choices. Who should I room with next year? There are many good choices. What should my major be? Many good choices. Where should I study abroad? Many good choices. Discernment, like the intellectual life, takes time and repetition to home.  You have always been living real life. Certainly, your time here at Fairfield will be unique, but it should not be a bubble. In fact, the intellectual life rebels against this kind of isolation. Remember, we believe the entire world is called into existence out of love. As a result, we carry an irreducible imprint of that love, our human dignity. As a Jesuit university, we further believe that our collective human dignity is linked. Perhaps this raises a question in you, the same question which the young child in Frederick Buchner's story, Message in the Stars, posed to the constellation. So what? What difference does that make? Here is the critical difference. Because our human dignity is linked, when your classmates' dignity is diminished, your own human dignity is diminished. Consequently, when a refugee fleeing famine or violence cannot find safety or shelter, the human dignity of the entire world is diminished. That is why we, as a Jesuit university, champion social justice. And we expect that as you consider your limitless options, you too will come to value social justice. Social justice begins with human dignity, recognizing the irreducible mystery of every human being and finds its fulfillment in the intellectual life. Through the intellectual life, we come to understand the systems and structures eroding human dignity. Poverty, war, discrimination, climate change, and then we partner with the vulnerable and marginalized to change these systems in order to restore our common human dignity. And this brings us full circle to where we started at the waters of imagination. I've mostly spoken about sacramental imagination, but remember there's also prophetic imagination. Our ability to envision a more dignified and humane world. And we will need your prophetic imagination as we work for social justice. But to reach its fullest potential, that imagination must be coupled with your creative minds honed through the intellectual life to work out how that imagined future becomes a reality. A remarkable life of the mind lies ahead of you. And through it, you can discover your limitless worth and recall and also the call to restore the dignity of others. It is a life that requires work but offers rich rewards. And through this life, you will develop discernment, a virtue that will help you select roommates now and how to spend your retirement later. You are not alone in this journey. You are joining a community of scholars, generations of students who have come before you and will come after you, as well as the faculty who are here with you right now. I know I speak for my colleagues when I say we are thrilled to undertake this journey with you. Again, welcome to Fairfield University, Class of 2022. Thank you so much, Dr. Van Dyke, for those inspiring words. We will now have the presentation of the class gift to the members of the Class of 2022 by Bridget Mary Development Intern New Student Programs. Dear Class of 2022, welcome home. In choosing to attend Fairfield University, you have also made the decision to challenge yourself and others, to open yourself up to new experiences and points of view, and to consider the endless possibilities that will become available to you as you begin to explore your passions. Over the course of your four-year journey here at Fairfield, you will encounter obstacles and work through them, fall in love and have your heart broken, develop yourself in mind, body, and spirit, and learn more than you ever thought possible, both in the classroom and beyond it. In your choice to become a part of the Fairfield community, which was a very good one, by the way. You have already accepted the gifts of friendship, knowledge, hope, and a bright future ahead. We are excited to present you with a physical representation of these far greater gifts. The gift for the Class of 2022 is a mug. It may seem like a small, rather practical gift, but we encourage you to look closer. These mugs are representative of your time here at Fairfield, and you'll notice that currently these mugs are empty. Today was your first day. You all have started your time here with a blank slate. You'll also notice that, on your empty mugs, you see the Fairfield F. For a lot of you, that F might not mean much at the moment, and that's okay. To you all, for now, that F symbolizes the school that you just started attending today. It might be the source of some anxiety, the cause of a little homesickness, or the reminder that studying, exams, and papers are all heading your way. For others of you, it might be the promise of the fresh start that you have been waiting for, or a path towards the career that you have been dreaming of for your entire life. Regardless of which way you view it, I encourage you to think about what the F means to you right now, because I promise you, as you continue your journey here at Fairfield, that F will begin to mean so much more. In the coming months, the community that the red F stands for will begin to fill those empty mugs. They'll be filled quite literally with coffee, both in the early mornings before an 8 a.m. class, and probably once or twice, far too late at night, when you realize that maybe you should have started that paper a little earlier. However, they'll also be filled by the experiences that you have as you move through the four stages of your college experience that Dr. Van Dyke discussed in his brilliant keynote. They'll be filled with the best times, friends who may do laugh until you cried, or the club and activity that you put your heart and soul into, or the professors that inspired you to work harder and do more than you ever thought possible. They'll also be filled with the difficult times, the loss of a friendship or relationship that you thought was forever, the class that no matter how hard you try, you struggle in, and the days that all you want is to go home, and for things to be simple. Every one of these experiences is indispensable, and by the time you're sitting up on Bellarmine lawn in May of 2022, your mug will be overflowing with the experiences, memories, and people who have shaped you into who you will become. As you begin to consider how you want to fill your mug, and your time here at Fairfield, think about the three words that are written on the other side of your mug, mind, body, and spirit. As you go through your time here, we hope that you learn how to pay attention and to take good care of these three components of yourselves. These three words reflect the Jesuit value of care personalis, or care for the whole person.  However, inevitably, most of you at one point or another will struggle to take care of these three parts of yourselves. When this happens, remember that your community has an extraordinary amount of people and resources to help you be the best version of yourself possible. Fellow stags, like these mugs, you are holding your experience here at Fairfield in the palms of your hands, and you can do with it what you will. In the words of Anthony DeMello of the Society of Jesus, no one can find your meaning for you. The next four years are yours for the taking. Keep your minds and hearts open to the endless possibilities that this school provide for you, and strive to never stop filling your mug. Today is the beginning of the extraordinary four-year journey that you will have at Fairfield, and we are so happy to have you here with us. Thank you. Thank you, Bridget. Now, I invite to the podium the rector of the Fairfield Jesuit community, Reverend Michael Tunney of the Society of Jesus to the podium to pronounce the benediction. How fortunate that at Fairfield University, all of us, brand new first year and transfer students, upper-class students, and veteran learners alike, can find and savor in his and her personal stories of longing, love, loss, and limitlessness. Why? So that each of us will grow like our Jesuit educated predecessors grew in wisdom, in character, in authority, and compassion for our planet, and for all humanity crying out for goodness and mercy, acceptance, and healing. Oh, God, right here on the cusp of Fairfield Class of 2022's academic launch, hear our prayers as you look upon us and walk alongside us each day. You once filled Robert Bellarmine, our Jesuit university's patron saint with a bounty of graces and talent. Grant us, too, all that we pray for, all that we desire to achieve. Oh, God, may our thoughts, our words, our deeds always give you glory. Amen. Thank you, Father Tunney. Before we bring our academic gathering to a close, I want to express thanks to the members of the academic gathering committee and the staff from the Office of Student Engagement for this inspiring gathering, which celebrates the beginning of the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural journey for the Class of 2022 and the university community. I now invite the University Glee Club to perform the closing anthem, a new song, under the direction of Dr. Carol Ann Maxwell, conductor, accompanied by Beth Palmer. Thank you, Dr. Maxwell, Mrs. Palmer, and members of our Glee Club. This university-wide academic gathering is now officially concluded. Hang on. Members of the Class of 2022 kindly remain in your seats until the platform party processes. Students, please pick up your class gifts at the table at the back as you leave the gathering. Thank you.