Franciscan University: The Next Generation

As you have all heard by now, we have a new president at Franciscan University: Fr. Dave Pivonka. This is something many of us at FUS have been praying for, and it is such a joy to have it happen!

I first met Fr. Dave back when he was Br. Dave, in the mid-90s while I was studying at Franciscan for my Master’s degree. But I really got to know him by working together at the Steubenville Youth Conferences. He is a man of great faith and creativity, a wonderful preacher and “outside the box” thinker. I think he is going to make an awesome president.

One of the best things about Fr. Dave is that Franciscan University was a huge part of his formation. He is our first alumnus to be a president. He knows first hand what a powerful place Franciscan University is and can be.

I have heard a number of people comment that he will be Fr. Mike Scanlan 2.0. While that is quite a compliment, I don’t think that will be the case.

Let me make a Star Trek analogy: If Fr. Mike was Captain Kirk, I think Fr. Dave will be more like Captain Picard. Because he is bald? Sure, that is a part of it. Okay, a big part of it. I mean, come on, he kind of looks like him, doesn’t he?

I remember when STNG was first announced and the first picture of Patrick Stewart (Capt. Picard) was released. There was a “what the?” response from the fans. How was this older, shorter, bald British guy going to be the next Captain Kirk? The answer was that he wasn’t. He was his own man. STNG was able to use all the elements that you loved about the original series but took it in a new and exciting direction. It didn’t try to copy the past (and when it did, it failed). It “boldly went” into the future. Many (like me) think that Next Gen was even better than the original series.

That’s my hope for Franciscan. To keep what was great about our past but make it better than before. I think the Holy Spirit has given us a man who can lead us into that future. I’m excited to be a part of the crew.

What part of the crew? Worf, obviously. I mean, come on—tall, fierce, honorable…

4 Comments on “Franciscan University: The Next Generation”

JoAnn Wilbur
05/27/2019

Such good news!!!

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MIke Welker
05/27/2019

I win

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Chrissy Safranski
05/27/2019

I was going to say that I whole-heartedly disagreed… that Trials and Tribble-ations was even better than the Trouble with Tribbles. Then I remembered that Trials and Tribble-ations was DS9, not TNG. So I agree with everything you said!

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Donnie McHugh
05/27/2019

Way back when…FUS did Men’s Conferences, I got home to Virginia and unpacked to find a brand new bible in my suitcase. Didn’t remember buying one. Then I realized a note inside indicating it belonged to a Fr. Dave Pivonka. To this day I don’t know how it wound up in my stuff. I do remember mailing it to FUS as quickly as possible. And spending lots of time pondering what level of Dante’s hell you land in for stealing a bible from a Priest!!! Really, what sin could be worse – maybe cutting the line for Confession???
Congratulations to Fr. Dave and FUS!!! The Holy Spirit has chosen wisely!!!

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