Fall 2026
INSIDE the PRIDE Bellarmine Preparatory School | Alumni Newsletter
FEATURING: Once a Lion, Always a Lion, Alumni Office MAGIS Minute, Dr. Kelly Goodsell, President Life on the Hill, Mike Chambers B’97, Principal Mark Your Calendars Lions in Action, Ron Cheatham B’92, Director of Athletics & Activities The Revolution Continues, Robotics Lion Spotlight, Jody Welsh Degroot B’83 Living the Mission, Fr. Greg Celio S.J. From the Archives, Bellarmine Boosters Stay Connected, Engagement & Volunteer Opportunities
Once a Lion, Always a Lion
Anne Gintz, Director of Alumni & Donor Relations Dear Lions, As a new school year begins at Bellarmine, the energy on our campus is high, student-athletes are back on the fields and thespians auditioning on stage. While our current Lions settle into their classrooms Welcome Class of 2030! - I want to officially welcome you back to another exciting year for our global alumni community. To keep you better connected to life on the hill, we are launching a brand-new quarterly Alumni Newsletter, Inside the Pride, starting this fall! Inside the Pride will bring you campus updates, alumni spotlights, and deep dives into our rich history as we prepare for our Centennial Celebration in 2028-29.
Additionally, because our calendar is packed with opportunities to gather, we will send targeted email invitations so you never miss an event in your area. Our theme for the 2026–27 school year is Rooted and Rising. This theme captures both who we are and who God is calling us to become. We are rooted in nearly a century of Catholic, Jesuit excellence, formed by the lives of those who came before us. At the same time, we are rising with renewed purpose, embracing the opportunities before us as we prepare students to lead lives of competence, conscience and compassion in a changing world. Whether you live right here in Tacoma or are following us from across the country, you are the living legacy of Bellarmine Prep, St. Leo’s, and Aquinas. Thank you for your continued pride, dedication, and support. Go Lions! AMDG, Anne Gintz Director of Alumni & Donor Relations gintza@bellarmineprep.org
Let’s Connect on Social Media! Be sure to follow our dedicated Alumni page on Instagram for important event updates, Ignatian formation opportunities, and deeper connection built just for you. Join us on LinkedIn to expand your network.
MAGIS Minute, Fall 2026 Dr. Kelly Goodsell, President Watch the first MAGIS Minute of the 2026–27 school year from President Kelly Goodsell, featuring video highlights from the start of the year and a special invitation to join us on the Hill this fall (click right to watch)!
To view the 2026 Bellarmine Magazine as a digital viewbook (mailed earlier this month) please click the cover preview (below) for the complete magazine.
If you did not receive a copy of the Bellarmine Magazine this month, please update your contact information by clicking here.
“Our hope is that the full community will draw strength from our roots, rise together as one community, and move forward with the best that is yet to come... Alumni, this is your hill and when you are here there is nothing better than when it’s filled with your spirit.”
Life on the Hill: The Class of 2030 Mike Chambers B’97, Principal - click to watch! Last year, our students reached new levels of excellence across academics, athletics, the arts and co-curricular life, demonstrating the character that defines a Jesuit education. Our commitment to serving others continues to deepen through flourishing community partnerships that reflect our belief in being both a school of community and a school for community. Students extended their learning well beyond the classroom walls, encountering those on the margins, engaging across cultures, and responding to needs with compassion. Through these experiences, they brought our Jesuit mission to life, making a meaningful impact in our local community and around the world. The excellence of our faculty and staff remains the cornerstone of Bellarmine's success this year. Their extraordinary dedication to the formation of every student elevates the educational experience. Their commitment to accompaniment continues to distinguish Bellarmine as one of the premier Catholic, Jesuit schools in the region. As an alum and a parent, myself, I am very proud of Bellarmine and the experience and opportunities that students have here. In the classroom, on the stage, doing service in our community, during retreats, or on the athletic field, Bellarmine students strive for excellence. When students graduate from Bellarmine, they go out prepared for what comes next and ready to more fully explore and grow into the person that God is calling them to be.
Did you know? Bellarmine Faculty member Brandy Lindstrom B'96 has been selected to serve as a contributing member of the National Council of Teachers of English’s ELA AI Framework Cohorts, a national initiative focused on responsible and meaningful uses of artificial intelligence in English language arts education.
Mark Your Calendars Oct. 2: Homecoming Post-Game Social & Class of ’01 & ’71 Reunions Oct. 6: Community Rosary Oct. 20: Ignatian Evening Nov. 5-7: Fall Play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Nov. 7-8: Class of 2006 Reunion Nov. 16: Career Panel Day- Volunteers Needed Nov. 25: Alumni Pub Night Feb. 27: 2027 Bellarmine Gala
Lions on the road- we’re coming to you! Washington, D.C. - Yard House, Chinatown, November 12 Greater Bellevue Area - January 2027 Seattle - April 2027 Los Angeles - April 2027
Lions in Action
Ron Cheatham B’92, Director of Athletics & Activities Coach Hershel Dennis Introduction Bellarmine is excited to welcome Hershel Dennis as our new Head Football Coach and a member of our P.E. and Health faculty. A former standout running back at USC, Hershel brings an impressive background as a player, coach, strength and conditioning professional, and mentor. What excites us most, however, is the way his approach aligns with Bellarmine’s mission. Coach Hershel believes deeply in relationships, accountability, resilience, teamwork, and developing young people beyond the scoreboard. He understands that athletics provide an extraordinary environment for formation, teaching students how to respond to adversity, sacrifice for one another, lead with humility, and compete with purpose. He has already brought tremendous energy to Memorial Field, and we are excited for the Bellarmine alumni, to get to know Coach Hershel. Fall Athletics Overview 2026-27 Athletics is underway for another fall, with student-athletes competing in boys and girls cross country, football, girls soccer, boys tennis, and girls volleyball. There is always something special about the beginning of the fall season:
students returning to campus, teams coming together, and the energy of competition once again becoming part of the daily rhythm of Bellarmine. As we begin this year, we are also being increasingly intentional about what we want the Bellarmine athletic experience to represent. Our vision is simple: Raise Leaders. Build Culture. Compete with Purpose. Winning and competitive excellence matter, and they always will at Bellarmine, but our larger responsibility is formation. We want our student-athletes to learn how to use their gifts in service of something larger than themselves. In that sense, athletics remains one of the places where our students learn what it means to Be Bellarmine.
For our alumni, I hope there is also something familiar in all of this. Teams, coaches, uniforms, and facilities may change over the years, but the relationships created through Bellarmine athletics, with teammates, coaches, classmates, and the school itself, have a remarkable way of enduring long after the final game. We are thinking critically about the entire student experience: athletics, clubs, leadership, performing arts, Model UN, Robotics, and the many other places students find belonging and discover their gifts. The goal is not simply participation; it is creating more opportunities for students to lead, connect, take healthy risks, and contribute to the life of the school. We honor the Lions who came before us and celebrate the students carrying the tradition forward. Rooted in who we are. Rising toward who we are called to become.
Below: 2026 Spring Musical, Urinetown
HOMECOMING 2026
Let’s Go Lions!
Join us for a special day celebrating your Lion Pride!
F R I D A Y, O C T. 2 8:00 AM Mass 5:30 PM Family-friendly, Pre-game Rally with Yard Games 6:30 PM Homecoming Court Announcement 7:00 PM Kick-off BPS vs. Mt. Tahoma 9:00 PM Alumni Post-game Social, 21+ and Class of 1971 and 2001 Reunions After the final whistle, alumni, parents and friends ages 21+ are invited to join us for a post-game social in the Connelly Campus Center with hosted beer, wine, pizza and a raffle. Skip the lineclick to purchase football tickets!
Come for the game. Stay for the celebration.
The Revolution Continues: Alumni Making an Impact on Team 360 and FIRST Robotics
Left: Alex Burchard B’09, Alida MendesMacCracken B’03, and Jake Dusek B’09.
STUDENT DRIVEN MENTOR GUIDED
For Bellarmine Prep Robotics Team 360, The Revolution, graduation has never meant leaving the team behind. Since the team was established in 1999, alumni have remained an important part of the program, returning to share their time, professional experience, and knowledge with the next generation of Bellarmine students. Their impact also extends far beyond the Weber Robotics Lab. Alida Mendes-MacCracken B’03 was named the Global Lead Robot Inspector (GLRI) for the FIRST Robotics Competition in 2025. Alex Burchard B’09 has taken his experience with FIRST to Türkiye,
where he serves as President of the Fikret Yüksel Foundation and FIRST Türkiye Program Delivery Partner, helping expand opportunities for students to participate in FIRST programs. Kevin Emery B’11 has served as the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Program Delivery Partner for FIRST Washington. Together, they demonstrate how a Bellarmine robotics experience can grow into leadership and service within the larger FIRST community. That same commitment to service continues right here at Team 360. Jake Dusek B’09 has spent years
mentoring Bellarmine robotics students and was named Bellarmine’s 2026 De Thomas Memorial Award recipient, recognizing his extraordinary service to the school and robotics program. James Taylor B’15 returned to Team 360 as a programming mentor, helping students take on difficult problems, develop perseverance, and become independent problem-solvers. Patrick Mooney B’17 returned to mentor students through Team 360’s outreach efforts and summer robotics camps and, this fall, helped organize and guide students as they constructed cardboard boats for the inaugural Revy Regatta held on September 12 at Lake Tapps. The event brought alumni, mentors, families, sponsors, and friends together to cheer on five teams of four students as they put their engineering, creativity, and teamwork skills to a very different test on the water, building cardboard boats that had to stay afloat, hold together, and race to the finish. It was a fun and entertaining day filled with friendly competition, creative engineering, and plenty of memorable moments on the water. The connection between generations remains one of Team 360’s greatest strengths. Whether returning to mentor Team 360 or another FIRST team, leading summer
camps and outreach programs, supporting events like the Revy Regatta and FIRST competitions, or serving in leadership roles with FIRST Washington, FIRST Türkiye, and FIRST Robotics Competition worldwide, our alumni demonstrate how far the impact of a Bellarmine robotics experience can reach. We like to say that you never leave Team 360, so come back and visit! Stop by the Weber Robotics Lab, reconnect with the team, and tell us what you’ve been up to. The FIRST community is always looking for volunteers and mentors, including opportunities to volunteer right here on The Hill. Team 360 is currently seeking Design and Marketing mentors, and we will host two FIRST LEGO League competitions on December 6 and 13. If you would like to reconnect, mentor, volunteer, or simply learn more, contact Robotics Program Director Joy Taylor at taylorj@bellarmineprep.org. Join the Revolution, again!
Lion Spotlight: Jody Welsh Degroot B’83 A Life of Learning, Coaching, and Formation at Bellarmine Since joining Bellarmine in 1997, Jody DeGroot has been an integral part of the Bellarmine community—as a biology teacher, coach, mentor, and now as a member of the school’s leadership team. Over nearly three decades, Jody has witnessed Bellarmine evolve while remaining grounded in the relationships, values, and mission that make the school distinctive. Q: How long have you been at Bellarmine, and what brought you here? A: I have been at Bellarmine since 1997, when I began teaching biology and coaching both volleyball and softball. In 2000, I became the head volleyball coach, a position I held for approximately 14 years, through the 2014 season. Coaching has been a very meaningful part of my time at Bellarmine. It allowed me to work with students in a different setting and to help them develop not only as athletes, but also as teammates, leaders, and young people. Q: What do you currently do at Bellarmine? A: I currently serve as the Vice Principal of Professional Development and Formation and Educational Technology. My work focuses on supporting our faculty and staff, strengthening professional development and formation, and helping ensure that technology is used thoughtfully and effectively in support of teaching and learning. Q: What is your favorite Bellarmine memory?
A: I have many favorite memories, both as a student at Bellarmine and as an employee. But one that stays especially close to me is winning our first state volleyball championship in 2012. That team was incredibly well disciplined and driven to compete at a high level. The support of the student body leading up to the championship was phenomenal. It was one of those experiences that brought the entire Bellarmine community together, and I feel fortunate to have been part of it. Q: What has changed most at Bellarmine—and what do you hope never changes? A: I think what has changed most is the attention to excellence across our programs and the tremendous number of opportunities now available to students. Those programs allow our students to explore their interests, build community, and develop lifelong friendships. What I hope never changes is the sense of community and the commitment to our students. Those relationships are at the heart of what makes Bellarmine special.
Left: Colleen Gillis Mounsey B’83, Erin Cordry B’84, and Jody DeGroot at the 2025 Bellarmine Athletic Hall of Fame.
Q: How do you see the Bellarmine mission and Jesuit values reflected in your work? A: The values are intentionally embedded in everything we do and create. We use our various frameworks to help us build programs and processes that keep us focused on the goal of our mission. We are missioned to walk with our students as they grow in academic excellence and become whole persons who will be leaders in the world, both now and in the future. That mission guides the work I do with our faculty, staff, and students every day. Q: What is one thing on your bucket list? A: I want to travel, spend time with family, and always be near the water. Q: What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday? A: Sports, good food, friends and family, and learning new things. That sounds like a pretty great Saturday to me!
“I think our students face challenges with perseverance and pride, and it is humbling to be among them. They remind me that education is about much more than academics—it is about becoming the people we are called to be.” Q: What’s something you’re really good at that has nothing to do with teaching? A: This is where it gets tricky! I loved coaching, and I believe that is something I can be good at, even though it is closely tied to teaching. There are many things I wish I were good at, but I think I am good at wanting to be around others. I really value being with people, building relationships, and being part of a community.
Living the Mission: Devotion to Christ Through the Sacred Heart Fr. Greg Celio, S.J., Bellarmine Jesuit Superior The human heart is a powerful symbol for love—one that we use all the time. We send heart-shaped valentines and heart emojis, and we sign our love with hands curled into the shape of hearts. The heart is also a symbol for the deepest reality of someone or something. We keep those we love “in our heart” and get to the “heart of the matter.” Since the heart is such a rich symbol of love, God, who speaks to us in ways we can understand, gives us the symbol of Jesus’ own heart, the Sacred Heart, to communicate the depths of His love for us. Devotion to Christ through the symbol of the Sacred Heart is 800 years old, but in 1673-1676, a French nun, Margaret Mary Aloquoque received a special experience in prayer of Jesus offering his heart to her, with flames at the top, a crown of thorns ringing the middle, and a small cut in the side. Over the course of many conversations with her Jesuit spiritual director, Claude de la Colombiere, Margaret Mary realized that this meaningful symbol was meant for the whole Church. The fire is the fire of love Jesus has for us. The crown of thorns reminds us of Jesus’ willingness to suffer and die for us. The cut symbolizes the vulnerability that is inherent in every act of love, including God’s love. We’re reminded that like any relationship, as Jesus offers his heart, he is vulnerable to our response—to our acceptance or rejection of his love. Since the time of St. Margaret Mary and St. Claude, Jesuits have promoted devotion to Christ through the symbol of the Sacred Heart. Traditional practices aim at increasing our gratitude for His love: attending mass on the first Friday of each month and making small acts of penance. The whole Church too celebrates a special feast of the Sacred Heart in June, and just this last June 11, the US Catholic Bishops consecrated the whole United States to the Sacred Heart in honor of our country’s 250 anniversary. For all these reasons, this year at Bellarmine we’re stirring up devotion to Christ, through the Sacred Heart, by offering a special Community Mass the first Friday of the month (excluding Fridays with already scheduled school masses). This year, these masses will be Oct. 2, Nov. 6, Dec. 4, Feb. 5 and May 7 at 8 a.m. in St. Aloysius Chapel. All are welcomed! This year, you might also consider ways to practice gratitude for Christ’s love in your own homes and families. May the fire of love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus increase our love for God and for all!
From the Archives: A Tradition of Support The History of Bellarmine Boosters The term “Booster” was first associated with Bellarmine in January 1929, when Fr. John McAstocker, S.J., attempted to organize school supporters into a club whose purpose was to help provide the school with a “boost.” For nearly a century, the Bellarmine Boosters have represented one of the clearest examples of the Lion community coming together to support students and strengthen the school. Although that first effort did not succeed, the idea endured. In 1945, a small group of Bellarmine alumni and parents came together to formally organize a club Bellarmine Girl’s Golf celebrated a 5th place focused on supporting finish at the 2026 3A State Tournament. Bellarmine athletics. Among those early leaders was Jay Merrick, who helped establish the organization and later served as its first president. The newly organized Boosters quickly became a powerful force. By the summer of 1946, the club had nearly 600 members, and by 1960, more than 2,100 people participated—making it one of the largest organizations of its kind in the country. Importantly, the Boosters' philosophy was not simply about raising money. Their strength came from volunteerism, fellowship and a desire to make Bellarmine better for students. Over the years, the Boosters supported projects that transformed the Bellarmine campus and student experience. Their efforts included the construction and improvement of athletic facilities, the purchase of athletic equipment, and significant support for the new gymnasium. One particularly ambitious project was the construction of the cafeteria, which relied heavily on donated materials and thousands of hours of volunteer labor from Bellarmine supporters. Fundraising took many forms—from car raffles, fishing derbies and golf tournaments to carnivals and community events. Yet the stories of the Boosters are ultimately less about the money raised than the people who gave their time, energy and talents. Their willingness to roll up their sleeves and serve the school became a defining part of the organization.
Today, the Bellarmine Booster tradition continues through parents, alumni and friends who believe in the power of Lion pride and community. What began nearly 100 years ago as an effort to give Bellarmine a “boost” has grown into a lasting legacy of service, generosity and support for generations of students.
Below: Jeff Woodworth, Phil Lamb, Derek Woodworth B’06, Tigre Garcia.
Above: Chelle Miller B’85 at the 2026 Bellarmine Booster’s Annual Golf Tournament at Fircrest Golf Club.
Click Here to Learn About Boosters!
Stay Connected
...with Career Day!
Engagement and Volunteer Opportunities
Rachel Ford, Counselor
Career Panel Day - Nov. 16 Alumni Pub Night - Nov. 25 Class Reunions Regional Lion Gatherings - Do you know a geographical area where there is a large contingent of Lions? Bellarmine’s Alumni office would love to come to your town and host an event for our Lion community. Reach out to Anne Gintz, gintza@bellarmineprep.org to learn more about Alumni City Visits and how you can help find the perfect place to host and share the word! Bellarmine Gala - Feb. 27, 2027
Connecting Students to Careers - and to the Bellarmine Community Bellarmine’s Counseling team continues to expand opportunities for students to explore careers, build professional connections, and gain real-world experience - with alumni playing an important role in that work. Career Panel Day | Nov. 16 Career Panel Day brings professionals from a wide range of industries to campus to share their career journeys, experiences, and advice with students. Last year, more than 60 professionals participated in 18 panels, reaching approximately 450 students. Internship Program | Applications Open Nov. 23 The Internship Program connects students with local businesses and organizations for meaningful, hands-on professional experiences. Student applications open November 23, with internships taking place during the spring.
Career Opportunities Research Exploration
Click Here To Get Involved!
Career Pathways: Live at Lunch | Beginning in Jan. Beginning in January, our Live at Lunch series will offer smaller, informal opportunities for students to sit down with professionals, ask questions, and learn about specific careers and industries. Alumni: We’d Love to Have You Involved! Our alumni bring an incredible range of professional experience, perspectives, and connections - and we would love to share that expertise with current students. Alumni can get involved by serving on a Career Panel, joining us as a Live at Lunch speaker, offering an informational interview, or hosting an intern. Interested in participating? Let us know your career field and how you’d like to be involved. Even an hour of your time can create a meaningful connection and help a student imagine what’s possible after Bellarmine. Contact: Rachel Ford fordr@bellarmineprep.org