Elizabeth McLauglin, Editor

Header Image: Madecha Education Association

The Durning-O’Halloran Library in Arusha, Tanzania, established by Dr. Richard and Elaine Mshomba.

On Feb. 16, Dr. Richard Mshomba, a professor of economics here at La Salle, discussed how he has given back to his hometown in Sinon, Arusha, a city in  Tanzania via a community library that serves more than 15 schools. Mshomba’s devotion to Lasallian values stems back to his undergraduate career, when he received a scholarship to La Salle and moved from Tanzania to Philadelphia to study economics. In the years since, he has demonstrated steadfast commitment to the very values that underpin a Lasallian education. With his wife, Mshomba established the Madecha Education Association, the organization that operates the library.

Mshomba explains that “the education system in Tanzania is different from that in the U.S.,” with one key difference being that students have to pass national exams in order to pass on to the next level of schooling. The library provides students with access to books, laptops, internet and sample exams, to name a few resources. Construction on the library began in 2008 and was completed in 2016; it has since doubled in size, representing an invaluable resource to members of his hometown community.

The Durning-O’Halloran Library is named after Mshomba’s American host family, Joan and Charles Durning, as well as Elaine Mshomba’s parents, Joan and Joseph O’Halloran. All four individuals provided support, both financially and faith-based, for the Mshombas’ project. Moreover, a La Salle College High School student named Matthew Hladczuk undertook a fundraising effort for the library’s expansion.

Through community effort, the Mshombas were able to “provide additional educational opportunities for the young people in the community, [and] a long-term goal is to build a facility for vocational training.” In Mshomba’s words, “it is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together for the common good.”

Editor’s Note: During my freshman year, I was lucky enough to have Mshomba for microeconomics. From the first day of class and throughout the entire semester, it was clear to me that Mshomba values education very highly and works with students, both in and out of the classroom, to ensure that they are provided with the tools and resources they need to succeed. 

Emily Dorr , Staff

Header Image: CNBC

It is truly a historic time in the Church as Pope Francis has called for a Synod on just that: Synodality, and in doing so invited all levels of Catholic institutions to begin a two-year process of listening and dialogue. It is the hope of Pope Francis that through this journey together, the Church will be able to learn from and create action in topics of concern identified by its congregation to best live out its continued mission. Now you may be asking yourself, what does this mean and what does this have to do with me? 

Well, whether you are a practicing Catholic or not, a group of faculty, staff, and students are organizing listening sessions just for you. We will listen, document and report issues of concern that you, the student body, presents to us. In doing so, La Salle will join 14 other Catholic institutions of Higher Education in Philadelphia who have answered Pope Francis’ call to Synod. This gathering, listening and discussion is the basis of Synod, a community which comes together and provides feedback for the Church. It is our hope to present what we have documented in April, along with other colleges and universities to the Archbishop, and in turn the Pope. 

If this is something you are interested in, be on the lookout for flyers and information cards as we will be advertising these sessions throughout the following weeks. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Dr. O’Connell oconnellm@lasalle.edu, or Brother Ernest miller95@lasalle.edu. 

Our listening session will take place during the following dates and times:

Sunday Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m.
Tuesday, March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2 at 5 p.m.
Thursday, March 3 at 12:30 p.m.
Friday, March 4 at 12 p.m.
Sunday, March 6 at 7 p.m.

Listening sessions on Feb.  27^, and March 2 and 3 will be held in the Chapel. All sessions other than those immediately following Mass in the Chapel will be held in the McShain Board Room Lounge on the second floor of the Union The Archdiocesan collegiate listening session will be at La Salle on Monday, April 4 from 6 to 9; location to be determined

Jakob Eiseman, Editor-in-Chief
Nolen Kelly, Editor

Header Image: @LaSalleUniv via Twitter

Dr. Allen came to campus for the first time since the announcement of his presidency to meet with students and faculty.

La Salle University held a press conference on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 during which President-elect Daniel J. Allen was able to give some remarks and share his thoughts about the LaSallian community on its campus. While this conference reaffirmed much of what was already known about Allen, and was certainly a major press beat for the University in local news, Allen appeared comfortable and confident in what he was saying.

Touting a blue and gold tie and “Big L” pin on his lapel, Allen slid into his role as La Salle’s next president during his speech at the conference, using language such as “our students,” “our campus” and other such phrases. Allen appeared comfortable in this new environment, even joking that he felt at home due to the “Chicago weather” Philadelphia was experiencing.

On the subject of his plans for La Salle, Allen said, “We begin by creating an inclusive and equitable environment where all learners regardless of background are welcomed.” During his speech Allen reaffirmed his commitment to underrepresented communities, civic engagement and social justice. Beyond these commitments, Allen also stated that “teaching and learning and our concern for social justice take place in an environment where we are committed to high quality academic programs.”

“Nearly 100 percent of our students at La Salle receive financial aid. That is a commitment that matters to me and that is a commitment that I think is important to post-secondary education in the United States,” said Allen. The president-elect confirmed that he will be working to serve many underserved communities in the La Salle community, not the least of which are students that require financial help to continue their education.

“I have a very ambitious agenda for this University,” said Allen. And while he could not share explicit details just yet, he reminded the community that “42 percent of our students identify as students of color, 37 percent of our students receive Pell grants, 28 percent of our students are the first in their families to attend a college or university” and that these populations are the ones he wants to serve and part of the reason why he was attracted to La Salle.

After the speech, Allen moved to the Union Food Court to meet and chat with students in a comfortable environment. He had lengthy conversions with several students, sitting or standing with them and asking about their ambitions. Allen was even seen returning to students much later in the afternoon to continue previous conversations. Senior communication sciences and disorders student Francesca Spinosi talked to Allen several times on Monday, and said, “He was very nice. He saw that I was working on schoolwork and asked me about it. We had a really good conversation and he was very immersed in it.”

Allen’s commitment to underserved communities, his apparent appreciation and understanding of students and reaffirmations regarding fundraising and university development show that Allen’s first public trip to La Salle was successful for the university’s perception of his plans.