Gonzaga Magazine - Spring 2021

magazine

GONZAGA • T H E J E S U I T H I G H S C H O O L IN TH E N ATIO N ’S C A P ITA L •

Dedication & Devotion

Gonzaga celebrates the impact and legacy of departing pillars of eye street

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Gonzaga College High School is a Roman Catholic, private, independent, college-preparatory school for young men, sponsored by the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic Order, and governed by an independent board of Trustees.

PRESIDENT Rev. Stephen Planning, S.J. CHAIR OF THE GONZAGA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Michael P. Tierney ’70 HEADMASTER Thomas K. Every II CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Stephen M. Neill ’89 VICE PRESIDENT OF ALUMNI & ADVANCEMENT David Dugan ’98 VICE PRESIDENT FOR MAJOR & PLANNED GIFTS Daniel P. Costello ’72 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Byron T. Harper ’84

Gonzaga Magazine, the official magazine of Gonzaga College High School, is published by the Gonzaga Office of Marketing and Communications.

EDITOR Mary Clare Glover DESIGNER Brea Neri CONTRIBUTORS Luis Blandon ’81 Daniel P. Costello ’72 Conrad Singh ’00 Patricia M. Stone PHOTOGRAPHY James Kegley Conrad Singh ’00 Jessica Taglieri Matthew Taglieri Please send comments, suggestions, corrections, and changes of address to info@Gonzaga.org.

The Booster Club teaching the Class of 2024 cheers during its Freshmen Retreat in March.

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IN THIS ISSUE

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SPRING 2021 ON THE COVER

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Thank you, Father Planning!

For the past ten years, Father Planning has served as President of Gonzaga, leading the community with a deep commitment to our Jesuit mission, an inspired vision for the future, an even hand, and a good sense of humor. We invited several colleagues, past students, parents, and alumni to reflect on his tenure.

BICENTENNIAL STORIES As Gonzaga celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, we are looking back at key moments and people in our school’s history.

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“Steel Forged from Fire”

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More than a Game

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Giants of Eye Street

As we look back through Gonzaga’s archives, the Kohlmann Address delivered by the late John J. Delaney ’50 on June 9, 1985 stands out as one of the most powerful and poignant.

Reflecting on a football rivalry that was about much more than football.

Profiles of a handful of men and women whose dedication to and love for Gonzaga knew no bounds.

DEPARTMENTS

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Message From the President

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The Good News from 19 Eye Street

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Eye on Eye Street

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News Of

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May They Rest in Peace

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Gonzaga Community: When I started my time on Eye Street ten years ago, one of my first duties was to write the President’s Welcome Message for our website. My intent was to state as clearly as possible from the start what a Jesuit education is all about. I did this because there are many misconceptions about why Jesuits operate schools, and I wanted to make it clear from the beginning why we Jesuits and our lay colleagues do what we do.

The primary goal of a Jesuit school is not to enroll its graduates in the best colleges and universities. The primary goal of a Jesuit school is not to produce accomplished athletes, artists, and performers. The primary goal of a Jesuit education is not to make sure that our graduates become independently wealthy, although if you do, you can be pretty sure that a Jesuit will ask you for a donation at some point! Surely, we Jesuits see the value in these goals. However, rather than being the primary purpose of a Jesuit education, these things are what I like to call some of the “happy side effects” that result from a Jesuit education. They are also the rewards of living life well no matter where you study.

The true purpose of a Jesuit education stems from the spiritual legacy of St. Ignatius Loyola as found in his spiritual masterpiece, The Spiritual Exercises. The Spiritual Exercises are not a book to be read, but rather a retreat experience masterfully constructed by St. Ignatius to guide the retreatant to a real encounter with God who is revealed in the context of the created world.

For those who make the Exercises,, the “happy side effects” of the retreat are unique to each person and last a lifetime. A Jesuit high school, by extension, has as its primary goal the very same thing, to give its students the opportunity for a real encounter with God as found in the created world. So, how is this done? Following the general pattern of The Spiritual Exercises, a good Jesuit High school tries to do the following over the course of four years.

A Jesuit education encourages a student to engage the world fearlessly, honestly, and intelligently, and in doing so, to discover who he is before God. Once a boy discovers who he most truly is before God, the next step is to make sure that he understands that he is loved absolutely, profoundly, and eternally by the God who created him, even if the he has not yet learned to love and accept himself. Once a boy has learned that he is loved by God with all of his gifts and talents, strengths and weaknesses, virtues and failings, we try to help him hear God’s call.

Once a boy understands who he is, that God loves him just as he is, and that he is called by God, we then give him the tools to discern God’s ever evolving call to live in response to God’s love. This is because God is love, and loving well is the whole purpose of life.

This might seem like an unorthodox way to get a boy into college. However, the fact is, that for those boys who internalize the deeper meaning of a Jesuit education, all of the other “happy side effects” tend to take care of themselves. What we Jesuits and our colleagues want most of all for our students is what St. Ignatius called, “the salvation of souls.”

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This salvation, however, involves more than just “getting in to heaven.” It is salvation from a thoughtless and meaningless life, salvation from not knowing that you are lovable, salvation from never understanding how gifted you are, salvation from never discovering all the great things you can do with God’s gifts, and salvation from never experiencing the profound joy of loving others the way that God has loved us. This is the salvation for which Jesuit schools strive. This is the primary reason Jesuits and our lay colleagues operate schools.

This why Gonzaga is so much more than a great college preparatory education. For most, it is a lifechanging experience.

As I come to the end of my tenure as president, my deepest hope is that I have been able to foster and promote, in my own small way, the kind of school community where these things have been possible. Of course, this is a community-wide effort. This is why I am deeply humbled to share the cover of this magazine with some of the legendary faculty and staff who will be retiring this year after decades of selfless service to our beautiful mission. It is our dedicated lay faculty and staff who, more than anyone, have provided this for you and your sons over the years. While we are saddened to say goodbye, I know that the foundation that they have built is one of rock that will keep Gonzaga faithful to its Jesuit mission for generations to come. Moreover, I am heartened by the extraordinary women and men who are already slated to take their places. With my friend Fr. Joe Lingan, S.J. ’75 stepping into my role, I leave Gonzaga with the certitude that all of these women and men will safeguard the mission of Jesuit education. They will continue the 200-year-long Jesuit tradition of “saving souls” on Eye Street for the true happiness of our boys and God’s greater glory.

I end with a profound thank you. Thank you for all that you have done for generations to support with your time, talent, and treasure God’s beautiful work on Eye Street. May God continue to bless you with the same gifts that we desire for our students here at Gonzaga.

Most Sincerely,

Rev. Stephen W. Planning, SJ President

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THE GOOD NEWS FROM 19 EYE STREET 1

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Carmody Lynn Open October 16, 2020 After 35 years, the Carmody family and Gonzaga announced that beginning in the Fall of 2020, the Gonzaga Alumni Association’s beloved annual golf tournament would be renamed the Carmody Lynn Open, in honor of both Kevin Carmody ’62 and Michael Lynn ’94. This year’s event took place at P.B. Dye and Worthington Manor golf courses and also offered—for the first time—the opportunity for alumni and friends who could not join in person to create their own foursome and play at a course of their choice.

1. From left to right: Longtime Carmody Open organizer Mike Murray ’62, Erica Lynn, wife of the late Mike Lynn ’94, and Father Planning. 2, 3. Golfers enjoying the beautiful fall day. 4. Leo Howell ’62 joined in the fun from afar, playing a round on October 16, in Southport, North Carolina. 5. Father Planning speaks with Herb Palm ’70 as he gets ready to head out on the course.

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40th Annual GMC Christmas Gala December 5, 2020 Like so many other events in 2020, the Gonzaga Gala this year looked vastly different from past years. The event was livestreamed from Eye Street, with guests watching from home. “Although we missed being together, I could not have been more grateful to our Gonzaga Mothers Club or more proud of our community for once again rising to the occasion and coming together in the midst of this pandemic in support of the young men of Gonzaga,” said David Dugan ’98, Gonzaga’s Vice President for Alumni and Advancement. By the end of the night, the Gonzaga community had broken the record for the most money ever raised during the “Raise the Paddle” portion of the evening, which all goes directly to the Gonzaga Fund. It was an incredible show of generosity during a year when the support of the community has been more important than ever.

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1. Father Planning welcomes guests to the broadcast alongside Jeanette Staton, the president of the Gonzaga Mothers Club. 2.

Gala co-chairs Laura Tramonte and Katie Ronca wearing red in honor of this year’s theme, the Ruby Celebration. 3. The co-hosts for the evening were David Dugan ’98 and auctioneer Sherry Truhlar. 4. A team of producers from production firm Showcall were on hand to livestream the show from the Arrupe Commons directly into people’s homes. 5. A variety of high-tech equipment was used, including a jib-camera for moving shots.

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THE GOOD GOOD NEWS NEWS FROM FROM 19 19 EYE EYE STREET STREET THE

Our 2021 Retirees

by the numbers

This year, Gonzaga says goodbye to 11 incredible retiring teachers and colleagues. To celebrate their retirements—and thank them for their years of service—we decided to break down their tenures by the numbers. An article featuring short interviews with each begins on page 9. Congratulations and thank you, retirees!

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Number of Gonzaga faculty and staff members retiring this year

Number of 2021 retirees who have been on Eye Street more than

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YEARS

Mike Howell: 44 years Coach Joe Jackson: 42 years

N U M B E R

O F . . .

...Choral Arts performances Jeremy Young has led

...check requests Jim Rogers has signed

...floral arrangements Patty Stone has created for Gonzaga events ...gym uniforms Coach Jackson has handed out

...student schedules Mike Howell has orchestrated

...students Wenke Wei has introduced to Chinese

...times Coach Maddox has said, “Toes on the line!”

Combined years of service

...college rep visits Ann Hoffman has scheduled ...student temperatures Debbie Onufrychuk has taken ...speeches Helen Free has judged for the Gonzaga Speech Contest

...practice golf swings Mike Lipari has swung while teaching

COUNTLESS Impact these 11 retirees have had on Gonzaga—and the amount their colleagues and students will miss them

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IMMEASURABLE

STAFF NEWS

In Gratitude and Friendship This year, 11 beloved teachers and staff members are retiring from Gonzaga—including five who have spent more than 30 years each on Eye Street. On behalf of the countless students whose lives they have touched, the Gonzaga community thanks these retirees for their patience, persistence, dedication, and humor. We asked them what they’ll miss about Eye Street, and to reflect back on some of their favorite memories and lessons learned.

Helen Free (P ’99, ’10) English Teacher

Years of service to Gonzaga: 38 Why she has loved teaching at Gonzaga: “Student spirit and personality made my workday a joy. Even when tears were shed over a disappointment, talking through it always involved laughing at some point.”

What teaching taught her: “To adapt, to look inward and outward, and to move with the times.”

What’s next: “First stop is Livingston, Montana to meet my granddaughter for the first time. After that, I want to walk the Via di Francesco pilgrim route from Lucca to Siena.”

Joe Jackson

Health and Physical Education Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 42 What he’s learned: “I learned to adapt to the needs of students, to always be patient, to show compassion through teaching and coaching. I’ve learned that no matter how long ago you've taught students, the bond you have with them never fades, especially when they pass.”

Fondest memory: “My most memorable experience during my tenure on Eye Street was 2004, the same year I lost my biggest fan, my father. That year, I was celebrated for 25 years of service by Gonzaga, and Coach Maddox and I were honored with plaques on campus. I will never forget the most painful time in my life, was also made special by my Gonzaga family.”

What he’ll miss: “I love the students and faculty here. Everyday I am challenged.

I never know what awaits me with each changing class period and that keeps me excited to come to work each day. I will miss the students, faculty, and the same office I’ve had since 1979, it’s my second home.

I’ll miss my teammate, Coach Maddox.”

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THE GOOD NEWS FROM 19 EYE STREET

Mike Howell ’70 (P ’94, ’09) Academic Dean, Mathematics Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 44 What teaching at Gonzaga taught him about himself: “The Jesuits have helped me nurture the idea that if we can still our minds we can discover there is only a present, only an eternal now. Ignatian indifference is a concept that has grown on me over the years and I can see how it can aid in that elusive quest.”

How Gonzaga has changed: “The buildings, the campus and the neighborhood have dramatically changed. The student body demographic has also undergone a significant modification. But the nature of the Gonzaga community, its heart, soul if you will allow, has been a constant.”

On working with young people: “I feed on their energy and they keep me in a youthful state of mind. Though they cannot know how the experiences of age have molded me, it would do them a disservice if I were to forget what it was like to be young. They are eager to learn about everything and teaching mathematics has been a great platform for me to hopefully assist them in their life journeys.”

Jeremy Young (P ’02) Fine Arts Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 22 Fondest memory: “On one of our Choral Arts trips to New York city, we managed to get an off-hours tour of Yankee stadium and an early dinner at Times Square ESPN Zone on NFL draft day. We all got to see Joe Namath and everyone got a free New York Jets Draft Day shirt. On that same trip, we sang a cappella waiting in line in front of John’s Pizzeria and made $32 passing the hat.”

What made him excited to come to work each day: “As concerts would approach each season, I loved the progression, like clockwork, where certain juniors or seniors would suddenly step up and take ownership of a song, letting the force of their personality and the sound of their voice light up the stage. To see growth and leaps of confidence on a daily basis is a reward of teaching.”

How Gonzaga has changed: “The biggest change has been the digital transformation from personality-driven teaching to evidence-based best practices. It started with Blackbaud and has burgeoned with Canvas and the myriad other web-based improvements. Personality is not dead, but it is the icing on the cake of good instruction.”

How it’s stayed the same: “What will never change is the alumni—they continue to shape the discussion about the dream, the direction, and the history of the school. Another permanent fixture is the GMC who give such tremendous support to the Gonzaga mission.”

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Patty Stone (P ’01) Executive Assistant to the President Years of service to Gonzaga: 15 What she’ll miss most: “Working here helped me grow spiritually, and I loved attending daily morning Masses. I will also miss seeing my dear friends on a daily basis. As Executive Assistant to the President, my day-to-day job is always different—I’ll miss arranging flowers for events and my ‘other duties as assigned,’ which have been fun.”

Fondest memory: “The first GonzagaFest, which was on Halloween. I love seeing the vibrancy of Eye Street when students are on campus, and that day was Gonzaga at its finest!”

What’s next: “I’m not making any plans but I know I will be spending more time with my grandsons and will travel more when it is safe to do so.”

Wenke Wei

Modern Languages Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 14 What she’s learned about herself during her time in the classroom: “I have as much to learn as I do to teach!”

What makes Gonzaga special: “The teachers. I had the best colleagues in the world. And the opportunities for spiritual growth—for students and faculty alike.”

Jim Rogers ’73 (P ’09) Vice President, Finance and Administration Years of service to Gonzaga: 34 Fondest memories: “Listening to Mother Teresa—now Saint Teresa—give the Kohlmann Address in 1988 and handing my son his Gonzaga diploma at his graduation in 2009.”

What he’ll miss: “I have loved being part of a team that contributes to our core mission, and I’ll miss working alongside dedicated, smart educators— some of whom I have known for over 50 years.”

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THE GOOD NEWS FROM 19 EYE STREET

Debbie Onufrychuk (P ’04, ’06) Health Service Coordinator Years of service to Gonzaga: 11 Fondest memory: “There are so many magical moments for me. But in general, I love watching and being a part of our students’ journeys—meeting the freshmen in orientation and then sharing in their graduation ceremony.”

What she hopes she has taught students: “In taking care of their health and wellness, they can take care of their community.”

What she’ll miss: “I love working with colleagues across campus to support our students. I will miss being with friends and colleagues every day, and being part of a dynamic team to bring the best to our students and community.”

Mike Lipari Social Studies Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 21 Why he’s loved teaching at Gonzaga: “Academic freedom is revered here on Eye Street. I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity to teach my own course, War and Politics, to seniors in the wake of the 9/11 attack. It has been a labor of love. I’ve also enjoyed knowing that each day gave me a chance to make a difference in the lives of my students.

You just never know when you are going to perform magic.”

What he hopes his student will remember: “That I came to play every day in the classroom and beyond, always ready to go the extra mile to be part of the solution, not the problem. I made a few mistakes along the way but all things considered, I had a positive impact on countless Gonzaga grads.”

What he’ll miss most: “The moments when you know you made a positive difference in someone’s life. Hard to quantify but incredibly rewarding.”

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Alvin Maddox (P ’96, ’99)

Health and Physical Education Teacher Years of service to Gonzaga: 39 Fondest memory: "It's very hard to pick one, I have so many. But I know what I will miss most is the first and last day of classes—watching boys walk through the doors of Gonzaga as freshmen and walk out four years later as men for others."

Plans for retirement: "Relax, work around the house, and put a little time into repairing my classic automobile. I also hope to do some travel."

What he hopes his students will always remember: "That a bird's brain has significantly more neurons than a mammal's does—even primates. Birdbrains are more brilliant than anyone suspected."

Ann Hoffman (P ’09)

Administrative Assistant, College Counseling Years of service to Gonzaga: 11 Favorite memory: “I have always loved Halloween at Gonzaga. I was on the Halloween committee and had fun judging the student and faculty costume contests over the years. It was always a blast to team up with fellow colleagues on group costumes such as Ghoulish Brides, '50s Poodle Skirt Gals, Where's Waldo, and Starbucks Baristas just to name a few!”

Why she was excited to come to work every day: “To look around each day and know that you are amongst other faculty and staff who believe in the Jesuit mission of education of the whole student.

It’s a rewarding feeling to know that you are part of the village that will hopefully have a positive effect on the life of a student.”

What she’ll miss: “The daily banter and casual rapport with my colleagues in the College Counseling and Counseling departments along with the students who visited us. I especially enjoyed the easy conversations about how their day was going and what was going on in their lives at home and at school.”

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THE GOOD NEWS FROM 19 EYE STREET

Eagles Flying High at the Next Level O

n Tuesday, February 9, the Gonzaga Athletic Department held its annual Senior Signing Day Ceremony, when the school recognizes student-athletes who will play a sport in college at any level.

“It is one of my favorite days of the year,” says Athletic Director Joe Reyda ’85, adding that the event is a wonderful opportunity for the student-athletes to thank their parents, coaches, teachers, and teammates. It’s also

a chance for Gonzaga to recognize the students for all of their hard work in both the classroom and on the playing field.

As of mid-March, 36 seniors and three members of the Class of 2020 who took a gap year had committed to play a sport in college. Here’s a list, organized by sport, of the athletes and the colleges where they will play during the 2021-2022 academic school year.

Congratulations Eagles!

Top: Seniors sing the Alma Mater on Buchanan Field.

Bottom left: Athletic Director Joe Reyda ’85.

Bottom right: The socially-distant ceremony took place in Sheehy Theater and was later livestreamed on Facebook.

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ATHLETIC NEWS

Baseball

Football

Finn Cousins, Washington & Jefferson College Riley Grohowski, Haverford College Luke Jackman, Virginia Tech Cole Peverall, Catholic University

Hayden Fisher, Merrimack College Kye Holmes, James Madison University Trey Jamison, United States Naval Academy Jackson Leggans, United States Naval Academy Blake McLaughlin, Louisiana State University Jalen McMurray, Temple University Jay Oliver, Bentley University Grant Parker, University of Pennsylvania Joey Trainor, Merrimack College Aaron Turner, University of Connecticut Adam Uppuluri, Tulane University Caleb Williams, University of Oklahoma Joshua Williams, College of the Holy Cross

Basketball Malcolm Dread, University of Richmond Will Scherer, Amherst College

Crew Stephen Bacas ’20, Dartmouth College Liam Downing, Harvard University Pablo Fox, Williams College Paul Kiyonaga ’20, Wesleyan University Ryan Link, Harvard University Conor Shaheen, Dartmouth College

Lacrosse

Patrick Donnelly, Florida State University

Michael Bath, Princeton University Justin Ennis, University of Michigan Jack Norton, United States Naval Academy Reid Norton, Gettysburg College Luke Raymond, Villanova University Finn Scanlon, Pennsylvania State University Johnny Stanton, University of Massachusetts Jack Twomey, Salisbury University

Golf

Soccer

Connor McGarrity, Loyola University Maryland Marshall Meisel, Wake Forest University

Will Thompson, Mary Washington University

Hockey

Tennis

Max Thiessen ’20, Amherst College

Burke Pablo, Georgetown University

Cross Country & Track

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EYE ON EYE STREET

Holy Ground

D

ue to the pandemic, Gonzaga’s Campus Ministry department was forced this year to move several Kairos retreats to Eye Street, reimagining the experience, which usually takes place over the course of several days in a rural off-campus retreat house. “In a time when we feel so much stress, anxiety, division, and necessary distance, this group came together to give themselves away in faith, hope, and love,” said Director of Campus Ministry Stephen Szolosi after the first on-campus Kairos in November. Danielle Flood, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, added that there was something particularly special about spending the weekend on Eye Street and in St. Al’s: “Our campus became holy ground,” she said, “and it was felt throughout the course of the retreat.”

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Thank You,

Father Planning!

For the past ten years, Father Planning has served as President of Gonzaga, leading the community with a deep commitment to our Jesuit mission, an inspired vision for the future, an even hand, and a good sense of humor.

During his tenure, the school has gone through tremendous growth and changes—both physically to the campus as well as in terms of our curriculum and technology.

We have experienced great losses and wonderful triumphs. And through it all, Father Planning has led with compassion and grace. We invited several colleagues, parents, alumni, and past students to reflect on his tenure.

“F

ather Planning is leaving Gonzaga better than he found it. The top of the list of his accomplishments during his decade of service would be the school’s improved financial position. He has been a tireless advocate for Gonzaga in many ways, but the most significant moment of his impact for me, personally, occurred overseas.

Father joined the rugby team on trips to Santiago and Barcelona. On the journey to Spain, we traveled to Manresa, the Jesuit order’s cradle city, where Father delivered a beautiful Mass in the historic St. Ignatius chapel. In it, he articulated the mission of Gonzaga: ‘We want our

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students to find moments when they can experience Christ on Eye Street.’

It was a profound and inspiring statement. I had never heard the school’s mission stated so simply and clearly. It caused me to reflect about my own time on Eye Street and how the mission connected with me.

Father helped shape Gonzaga into the school it is today and has always stayed true to its core mission. Thank you, Father!”

—Paul Sheehy ’81 (P ’15, ’16, and ’18), Gonzaga Board of Trustees “More than a few times, Fr. Planning and I have found ourselves in a hospital room visiting a sick

or injured member of the Gonzaga community. I have always been in awe of the manner in which Father can put people at ease, even at the most stressful of times. In a space where I admittedly feel awkward and not sure what to say or how to say it, Father can immediately get people smiling and laughing as if they were old friends. Also, sadly, he has had to deliver many a homily at a funeral of a member of our community and, in each instance, his words are deeply personal and moving. His ability to console is a true gift from God and has been a gift to our community these many years. Personally, we've shared quite a few laughs and countless conversations about the kinds of things that happen ‘behind the scenes’ that only the Headmaster and President will ever know. It is a comfort to me to know that I'll have his friendship long after he moves on to his next adventure.”

—Thomas K. Every II, Headmaster “Fr. Planning has literally embodied the promise that Gonzaga will be there to support its students and graduates at their highs and lows. A year after my graduation from Gonzaga, he attended my first professional event, a benefit play for an immigrant community in Northern Virginia.

Unfortunately, the performance he

attended faced technical and production challenges that were extremely embarrassing to me, but in an email he sent the next week thanking me for the invitation to the show, Fr. Planning encouraged me to ‘remember the characters you worked with more than the characters in the play,’ proceeding to emphasize that the communities I will serve are vastly more important than any production I will create. I've saved this email to reference whenever I face a difficult project in my professional life, and it constantly re-orients me to what really matters at the end of the day.

For his many lessons, homilies, and especially his off-camera humor, I am profoundly grateful.”

—Andy Carluccio ’16 “Fr. Planning will always be dear to the hockey program. Following the death of Dominik Pettey in 2014, Father was instrumental in the healing of the Gonzaga community, the hockey players, and Dom’s closest friends. His words of faith and understanding were genuine and meaningful. While no one has the answers to why Dom died so tragically, he gave us the answers of why we have faith to know that life is eternal. He comforted us with his genuine love and sincere care for all affected. I will always be grateful for the guidance he gave me during such

a difficult time.”

—Bill Slater (P ’13 and ’15), Director of Gonzaga Hockey “Fr. Planning has a terrific sense of humor and I’ve loved seeing him share it with our supporters. I've thoroughly enjoyed our travels together to champion our school with our benefactors. His ability to laugh at himself signifies a genuine man who demonstrates humility and dignity as the director of the sacred work of Gonzaga. Fr. Planning is a true Jesuit by any measure, devoted daily to his vows and deeply committed to further our Catholic, Jesuit mission. Thank you, Fr. Planning, for your humble and remarkable run on Eye Street.”

—David Dugan ’98, V.P. of Alumni and Advancement “It is no mean feat to come into an institution as storied and successful as Gonzaga, and leave its pillars of future success even stronger. Fr. Planning has done just that, while powerfully reminding us that our Gonzaga spirit is only meaningful to the extent it serves others.

“Over my years on the Board and most recently as Board Chair, I have seen first-hand that whatever the context—financial decisions, admission processes, the construction of a parking lot, overseas trips for the boys, COVID-19—Fr. Planning feels a SPRING 2021

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heavy responsibility for the welfare of each and every Eagle.

“Father, thank you for your tireless watch these past ten years! Please make the short trek from Georgetown to Eye Street frequently, to visit with your many friends here and reflect on the enormous impact your presence has meant, and will continue to mean, for so many.”

—Michael Tierney ’70, Chairman, Board of Trustees “Having chaired the search committee that recommended Fr. Planning for the Gonzaga presidency, I knew from the first time I met him he was the right person for the job, and he has proven us correct. Fr. Planning’s influence on Gonzaga has been profound. His vision and leadership have led to many campus improvements and spiritual achievements over the past ten years.

He leaves behind a legacy that will benefit Gonzaga students for decades to come. The Gonzaga community is forever grateful for his outstanding service and the many contributions he has made on Eye Street.”

—Jim Smith (P ’04), Past Chairman, Board of Trustees “One of Fr. Planning’s many gifts

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is how he is able to quickly connect through humor with each faculty and staff member, student, parent, and alumnus. During his homilies, he hooks us with his humor and then slides into the lesson. I will never forget his graduation words to the Class of 2020 connecting them to the Gonzaga graduates from the past two centuries who have graduated during a time of great adversity and sending them onward ‘in the power of God’s Spirit, as men on a mission, to serve and heal our broken world.’

“As I carefully unpack my ten years of memories of Fr. Planning on Eye Street, I am drawn to how well he has listened to me, personally, as well as to our Gonzaga community.

He has listened with compassion and kindness; then observed, reflected, prayed, and led us to be a better school community and better disciples. Thank you, Fr. Planning, for modeling how to lead others in the footsteps of Jesus. We will miss you!”

—Marilynn Kelly (P ’20), Science Teacher "It has been a pleasure and honor to serve beside Fr. Planning as a Board member, particularly during my term as Chairman. His deep commitment to the Ignatian principles

that guide the Society of Jesus were primary to his approach to leadership and decision-making and were evident to all who were fortunate to hear his inspirational homilies and addresses to the Gonzaga community.

“Personally, I am extremely thankful for his friendship and sense of humor over these years.

Through thick and thin—including a pandemic—we leaned on each other for a laugh when it was needed. I am proud to be a part of the Gonzaga community and Fr. Planning’s successful tenure as President of our beloved school."

—Sean Creamer ’82 (P ’09 and ’10), Past Chairman, Board of Trustees “I am grateful for Father’s friendship and always appreciated his support and wise counsel as a colleague. Given the relationship between Gonzaga and Visitation— with similar missions, traditions, and the numbers of families we share— we would often talk about issues common to both. Fr. Planning (Steve) was thoughtful and always placed the needs of students first. As the father of two Gonzaga grads during Father’s tenure, I appreciated his vision and steady leadership. Only

once did I question his judgement... and that was when he targeted me in the Ice Bucket Challenge several years ago! It is good to know that for the immediate future Father will be nearby at Georgetown University.

I look forward to maintaining our friendship as I welcome him to the neighborhood.”

—Dan Kerns (P ’15 and ’18), Former Head of School, Georgetown Visitation “As a former Gonzaga Board member; a former McKenna Center Board member; an alumnus; as well as a Gonzaga dad, I have had the opportunity to interact with Fr. Planning in numerous different capacities. What was clear in all of those interactions was that he had Gonzaga’s best interest at heart.

“He came to Eye Street under very difficult circumstances for the Gonzaga community—the untimely passing of the beloved Fr. Allan Novotny—and he was able to navigate the various constituencies that are Gonzaga. He not only ‘kept the ship afloat,’ he moved the community ahead in terms of development, curriculum, and many other areas.

“It is fitting that he conclude his time on Eye Street in 2021, the school’s bicentennial year! In short, I want to personally thank Fr. Planning

for his contributions to Gonzaga over this past decade.”

—Walter Hill Jr. ’83 (P ’16 and ’20), former Gonzaga Board Member “The image one has of the President of the School is someone deeply involved in fundraising, capital improvements, and ongoing planning for the school. But if we stop and think for a minute, how often have we seen Fr. Planning reaching out to a family, student, or alumnus deep in grief? It turns out, rather frequently. Fr. Planning has the gift to compassionately stand by people in turmoil or grief. I think of what the school went through when Dom Pettey died. Students were allowed to congregate on the tennis courts and just be together, tailgating and talking, and working out their grief.

Fr. Planning understood intrinsically the need for young people to not go to class, to come together and talk and reminisce and to grieve the loss of a beloved Gonzaga brother. That to me is the essence of Fr. Planning.”

—Carol Corgan, Religion Teacher “Having worked closely with Fr. Planning for five years, I’ve frequently heard him speak about what he views as ‘the point’ of a Gonzaga education. At its core, it’s not the camaraderie or the campus; it’s not the sports or the extracurriculars;

it’s not even the academics or the critical thinking or the college prep.

Those are important to Gonzaga and they’re vitally important to Fr. Planning as well. But he often boils down the Gonzaga experience to his deep hope that every Gonzaga student will, at some point during their time on Eye Street, have a personal and meaningful encounter with Christ, one that helps them realize fully how deeply they are loved by God. He frequently reminds us that that realization for the boys comes as the result of their interactions with us staff—as teachers, administrators, coaches, counselors, retreat leaders, and collectively, as lay collaborators in the Jesuit mission on Eye Street.

So at a time when Jesuit schools are concerned with staying true to their Ignatian ideals in the face of declining vocations to the Society (to quote Fr. Planning, ‘poverty, chastity, and obedience aren’t the selling points they used to be!’), he leaves Gonzaga on deliberately solid footing when it comes to our Ignatian identity—and with faculty and staff who feel empowered and trusted to help deliver on the promise of a Jesuit education.

Ultimately, I think that’s his lasting legacy at Gonzaga.”

—Stephen Neill ’89 (P ’21), Chief Operating Officer

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“Steel Forged From Fire” O

ver Gonzaga’s history, there have been countless graduation speeches— many of them inspiring and memorable. However, as we look back through Gonzaga’s archives, the Kohlmann Address delivered by the late John J. Delaney ’50 on June 9, 1985, stands out as one of the most powerful and poignant.

Mr. Delaney was the school’s first alumnus to be asked to deliver the Kohlmann address, and he did not disappoint. Printed on the following pages are his full remarks—remarks that still resonate as Gonzaga looks ahead to its next 200 years.

“Graduation is a passage to be cherished and remembered. The graduation speech, on the other hand, is a sausage. It tends to be lengthy, lacking in meat, and above all, forgettable. The most memorable graduation speech that I ever heard was given by columnist Art Buchwald at Georgetown University in 1979.

Speaking for his generation, Mr. Buchwald’s simple message to the next generation was: ‘We’ve got our oil.

You go find your own oil.’

The message I bring you today as you graduate from Gonzaga is also a simple one, but unlike Mr. Buchwald’s obviously facetious remark, it is a message of reconciliation. It is Gonzaga’s message—to be ‘men for others.’ It was first presented to you when you entered these halls as freshmen four years ago. It is a challenge that has been set before Gonzaga students in one form or another since 1821. It finds its roots in the 16th Century prayer of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus: ‘Teach us, good Lord...to give and not to count the cost...’

In order to understand that challenge, it is first necessary to understand Gonzaga and why it is singularly qualified to make such a demand upon her sons. So today I would also like to share with you some reflections about this school, its history and spirit, and about you, the Class of 1985, and your role in its past and future.

Thirty-five years ago, like you, I sat in this historic pre-Civil War church as a member of the graduating Class

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of 1950. I remember little about what was said that day. But I do recall that it was a time of mixed emotions—happiness and nostalgia mixed with a dab of anxiety as we prepared for ‘life after Zag.’ I specifically remember my mind wandering back to a few years before when as a freshman I took that first walk up the wind-swept alley by St. Aloysius; observing the grated windows; the smokestacks; the cat walks; the only school in the country it seemed where the ‘back door’ was actually the ‘front door.’

It all contributed to an architectural style which perhaps could best be characterized as ‘Early American Alcatraz.’ Many times in those early days I would ask myself, ‘What is a nice little Chevy Chase boy like me doing here?’

Gradually, however, like so many others, I was swept up in the Eye Street scene and the unique spirit that has always been ‘Gonzaga.’

And on that long-ago graduation day, as my wandering mind returned to the present, I was extremely grateful that my life had been touched by this place.

But ‘wait’ you say. ‘We know all of that. We, too, have lived the Gonzaga story. Indeed, for us, that story has been one of virtually unparalleled success. Why belabor us with these meanderings?’

It is a fair question. The Class of 1985 has not only lived the Gonzaga story, it has helped to bring this school to new thresholds of greatness. Its successes in academics, extra-curricular activities and athletics are a source of immense pride for the

John J. entire Gonzaga family. Yes, Delaney ’50 members of the Class of delivering the 1985 1985, Gonzaga is indeed on Kohlmann a roll. Like a phoenix, it has Address. literally risen from the ashes of this city and returned to its long held place of prominence.

New and refurbished facilities abound. Applicants in unprecedented numbers seek admission. The Eagles fly high.

Why then is it necessary to reflect on Gonzaga and its challenge to all of us to become ‘men for others’? What is the significance of such reflection when we look about us today and see what the school and the Class of 1985 have achieved?

The answer, I submit, lies in another question—a question that is crucial. Is it possible that Gonzaga’s successes will blur our vision of what

day.

They were to present Gonzaga with perhaps the greatest crisis that it has ever faced. It has been said that this world is divided into ‘givers’ and ‘takers.’ All good men and most great men are givers—willing to risk failure, to make sacrifices, to do what is right for their fellow man. Christ was such a giver. Gonzaga’s leaders throughout the decades, beginning in 1821 with its founder, Father Anthony Kohlmann, and continuing to the present day with our beloved

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tion that if anyone was insensitive, we were; that Al McGonigal did not have to give up his Saturday mornings for us, but that he did so—he made this sacrifice—in order to help us. I lost track of Al McGonigal after leaving Gonzaga, but nearly 20 years later in 1968, I had occasion to read about him again.

The Vietnam War was raging and the

Gonzaga's right to challenge us to be ‘men for others’ does not spring from a background of prestige and wealth; from being an institution solely for the rich and powerful. Just as Christianity finds its credibility in Christ's suffering, just as steel is forged from fire, Gonzaga's challenge finds its legitimacy in a lineage of deprivation, born of a commitment to serve all segments of society.

president, Father Bernard Dooley, have been givers. Their spirit of giving has been reflected in the institution itself.

To recall 1968 in the life of Gonzaga is also to recall the lives of two men, each of which in its own way were intertwined with that of Gonzaga. Each of these men was a ‘giver.’ Each was a ‘man for others.’

Each was to fulfill his destiny in 1968.

One was Aloysius P. McGonigal, a humble Jesuit priest. Al McGonigal taught at Gonzaga as a scholastic in the late 1940s. He was a tough little man, barely 5½ feet tall. He ran the bookstore with an iron hand. He also used to conduct what was known as the ‘Volunteer Saturday Morning Latin Class.’

You didn’t have to attend the Volunteer Saturday Morning Latin Class—unless of course you wanted to pass Latin. I remember how we used to complain about having to come down to school on Saturday mornings. We groused about Al McGonigal’s hard-nosed attitude and insensitivity.

Later, of course, following our years at Gonzaga, would come the realiza-

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this school has stood for? Are we in danger of forgetting the ‘men for others’ theme that generations of Gonzagans have heard through the years?

It is appropriate to ask these questions today, precisely because success does not often breed introspection. High tide covers over the shoals. Gonzaga’s right to challenge us to be ‘men for others’ does not spring from a background of prestige and wealth; from being an institution solely for the rich and powerful. Just as Christianity finds its credibility in Christ’s suffering, just as steel is forged from fire, Gonzaga’s challenge finds its legitimacy in a lineage of deprivation, born of a commitment to serve all segments of society.

As we bask today in the warm glow of success, we must not forget that there is and always has been another Gonzaga, a Gonzaga which struggles to survive. To be sure, there have been triumphs along the way. But between these triumphs and even during them, Gonzaga’s 164-year history is, in essence, a crucible. It was thus from the very earliest years of its existence as a small seminary on F Street. It was thus for decades following the relocation of the school to what is now Kohlmann Hall in 1871. In that first year on Eye Street, only 70 students showed up for classes. The discouragement over the school’s plight is revealed in the pages of the History of Gonzaga’s First One Hundred Years, wherein it is stated that Eye Street in 1871 was ‘little more than a prairie.’

The writer goes on to observe: ‘There is the quiet of peace, and there is also the quiet of death; the tranquility of Gonzaga, during this, its first year in the new site, looked dangerously like the latter.’

But we need not return to prior generations or the last century to know and understand this other side of the Gonzaga story. We need only go back to 1968, the year in which many of you were born. It is a lifetime for you, but really only a brief stroke in history’s broad brush.

The tragic events of 1968 seared the very fabric of our country and have left their imprint even to this

terrible Tet offensive was underway, especially around the city of Hue. Father McGonigal was serving in the army as a chaplain at the time.

His own unit was safely behind the lines, several miles from Hue. But he learned that the units under fire at Hue were without a chaplain. So Al McGonigal took the risk and went to Hue—a place where he didn’t have to be.

And it was there, as an unarmed chaplain, that Al McGonigal made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his fellow man. Today, if you visit that simple but haunting Vietnam Memorial on the Mall next to the ellipse, you will find the name of Al McGonigal inscribed there: a small but fitting memorial to one who was truly a ‘man for others.’

The second man of whom I speak is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a humble minister who was also to encounter destiny in 1968, on an April evening in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. King went to Memphis because the sanitation workers there were on strike for a decent wage and they needed help. They were among the forgotten people at the bottom of society’s ladder. They were powerSPRING 2021

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Offering Words of Wisdom The tradition of the Kohlmann Address began in 1971, when Gonzaga celebrated its sesquicentennial. The following is a list of the distinguished speakers Gonzaga has been honored to welcome during our Commencement Exercises.

Hon. Robert Finch Joseph A. Califano, Jr. Rev. Walter J. Burghardt, S.J.

Rev. Joseph A. Tetlow, S.J.

Hon. Walter E. Fauntroy

Paul C. Hume Rev. Timothy S. Healy, S.J.

Rev. Horace B. McKenna, S.J.

Rev. Charles P. Costello, S.J. Congressman Romano L. Mazzoli John E. Hirten Rev. James M. English, S.J. Rev. William S. Byron, S.J. Rev. J.A. Panuska, S.J. John J. Delaney, Class of 1950 Rev. Peter J. Henriot, S.J. William J. Bennett, Class of 1961 Saint Teresa of Calcutta Senator Peter V. Domenici Rev. Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J. Rev. L. Edward Glynn, S.J. Vice President Dan Quayle

Katherine Couric

William J. Bennett, Class of 1961

Hon. William M. Jackson Gordon Peterson Rev. Vincent T. O’Keefe, S.J. Joseph J. Ellis, Class of 1961 Rev. Robert B. Lawton, S.J. Hon. Anthony A. Williams The Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M. Hon. Martin J. O’Malley, Class of 1981 Mrs. Cokie Roberts Dr. John J. DeGioia Hon. William J. Rowan III, Class of 1957 Hon. Adrian M. Fenty Senator Charles T. Hagel Ms. Carolyn B. Lamm Sr. Carol Keehan, D.C. Col. Benjamin A. Drew, Jr., Class of 1980 Rev. Gregory J. Boyle, S.J. RADL Sinclair M. Harris, USN, Class of 1977 Rev. James J. Martin, S.J. Ashley L. Hawken, Class of 1953 Thomas W. Farley, Class of 1993 Colonel Joseph M. Murray, Class of 1985 Dr. Joseph J. McCarthy, Class of 1968 Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J.

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less. They had no voice. So Dr. King rearranged his schedule and went to Memphis—and from there to eternity.

Martin Luther King’s message was the message of what a ‘man for others’ ought to be. In accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. King said: ‘I refuse to accept the idea that the “isness” of man’s present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the “oughtness” that forever confronts him.’

In a television interview a few weeks before he died, Dr. King again reminded us of what being a ‘man for others’ is all about, when he said: ‘It’s not the quantity of one’s life that counts. It’s the quality. It’s not how long you live that matters, but how well you live.’

Just as Christ did not have to go to Calvary, and Al McGonigal did not have to go to Hue, Martin Luther King did not have to go to Memphis. But each went because there was a need for him to go—a need to take a risk in order to serve his fellow man. They were ‘men for others.’

Few who were alive in 1968 will ever forget the impact of Dr. King’s death. Doubt pierced the very soul of this nation.

There was even doubt about the essential unity necessary for survival of a nation so beset by a widening gulf of misunderstanding between black and white, rich and poor, young and old. The cities—those vital core areas of America—were especially scarred, physically and psychologically.

To analogize from Les Miserables, the cities are the conscience of a nation. They are where its people and problems come together and confront one another. But after the events of April 1968, people, businesses, and institutions were departing the cities of America in a tidal wave, leaving wastelands of despair, ruin, and poverty in their wake. Washington, D.C., the capital of our nation, was no exception.

It was thus, with the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., and its terrible aftermath that the indescribable spirit of Gonzaga—that basic sense of decency that pervades here—was to undergo its severest test and emerge to enjoy its finest hour as an example for the nation. If the cities are the conscience of a nation, perhaps it is not overreaching to claim that Gonzaga is the conscience of the City of Washington, or at least the conscience of the Jesuits of the Maryland Province.

For while America writhed in despair about its cities and the headlong rush to suburbia continued, Gonzaga—to its everlasting credit—stayed in the very heart of the Nation’s Capital.

The Jesuits took a risk, because they perceived that the need to continue to provide a quality education for young men from all over the metropolitan area was greater than ever.

That risk was not without its price. In the years following 1968, enrollment dropped precipitously. Deficits arose. The school’s small endowment disappeared. In 1971, Gonzaga bravely celebrated its Sesquicentennial—the 150th year of its existence. One of the highlights of that celebration was the Dramatic Association’s memorable production of Camelot. But despite all the noble effort and the brave front, the tranquility of death once again hung over Gonzaga, as it had one hundred years before. Once again Gonzaga was standing alone on the prairie. Like Camelot, its days seemed numbered. That great shining experiment of the Jesuits—to operate a college preparatory school in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, to which boys of all backgrounds could come and learn together—seemed doomed to failure.

But somehow, Gonzaga persevered with its commitment.

Few will ever fully understand the day-by-day sacrifices of the

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with perhaps the only high school in the country that is situated in the very shadow of the Capitol building itself. We can virtually reach out and touch it. How many times have we walked or driven down North Capitol Street and seen that magnificent dome glistening in the sun or the moonlight? How many times have we thought about it as the symbol of hope and justice for all freedom-loving people? And yet, a mere turn of the wheel into the driveway next to St. Aloysius confronts us with a different reality—the reality of hunger, addiction, and hopelessness, embodied in the lines of men who daily seek help and solace at the Horace McKenna Center in this very building.

What must one do to be a ‘man for others’? Time does not permit an extended response here. But the

Wolf Von Eckart, the noted urban planner...described Gonzaga’s decision to stay in the City of Washington as ‘almost defiant.’

But stay Gonzaga did. Now in 1985 we begin to see fulfillment!

Gonzaga’s vision is at last being shared by others across the land.

More and more people and institutions are beginning to understand that mankind’s problems are not resolved by running away.

running away.

New office buildings and hotels have sprouted up around Gonzaga.

Cities throughout the country are coming to life again. That, gentlemen, is why Gonzaga has earned the right to challenge each of us to be a “man for others.” She has suffered and she has persevered. I truly believe that if Christ, or Martin Luther King, Jr., or Al McGonigal were here today, they would say to Gonzaga, ‘Well done.’ But they would also say to the Gonzaga family that we cannot rest; that much work lies ahead. All we need do is look around us to see that this is true. Problems of social justice, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty and housing, to name but a few, are still unresolved.

It is really bizarre in a way. We live in Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States and the Free World. Our daily lives are involved

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Jesuits and the Gonzaga family in living out that commitment. Some of those who lived it are among us today. They sit before you in this sanctuary. They sit behind you with your families and friends. They sit above you in the choir loft. But for their efforts and the efforts of hundreds of others, none of us would be here today to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 1985.

Wolf Von Eckart, the noted urban planner, on the editorial page of the Washington Post in 1973, described Gonzaga’s decision to stay in the City of Washington as ‘almost defiant.’

But stay Gonzaga did. Now in 1985 we begin to see fulfillment! Gonzaga’s vision is at last being shared by others across the land. More and more people and institutions are beginning to understand that mankind’s problems are not resolved by

time will come for all of you—and for some it may come often. It came many times for Horace McKenna, who walked these halls with us until just a few years ago. It came for Joe Kozik in the early 1950s when a young black student went out for Gonzaga’s football team, and Joe had to decide whether to drop the player or be forced to cancel scheduled games with a number of D.C. public schools.

The city’s school system was segregated in those days and black and white kids were not permitted to play against one another. Although the young man offered to quit the team, Joe would have none of it. The games were canceled and Gonzaga made several trips to Pennsylvania to fill out its schedule that year.

While it is difficult to describe what one must do to be a ‘man for others,’ or to recognize the moment

when it comes, it is safe to say that in a world where life has little value; where what a person possesses seems more important than what a person is; where today’s fads are mistaken for tomorrow’s foundations; where the grotesque is often adulated and virtue is often scorned; that being a ‘man for others’ will likely not be an easy task. Yet Gonzaga still insists that we try.

How is this relevant to the Class of 1985? It is relevant because in the long run you will decide whether Gonzaga will continue to exist; whether the education offered here is worth the commitment of effort and resources to pass on to future generations.

In a compelling address delivered at the Father-Son Communion Breakfast a few weeks ago, Dr. Samuel Alston Banks, president of Dickinson College, reminded us that Gonzaga is a ‘markedly endangered species.’ Dr. Banks is correct. But Gonzaga has survived and will survive because it is an institution which has never lacked the courage to place its resources, its heart and indeed its soul on the line to attempt to do what is right.

In the final analysis, ‘Gonzaga’ is people—the students, faculty and staff, alumni, parents and friends who have believed in it and supported it down through the years. Without the support of these people—your predecessors—there would be no Gonzaga. No Class of 1985.

In the second verse of the Alma Mater there is an exhortation to Gonzaga to march on through the centuries and to reach ever on unto eternity. Today Gonzaga asks for your help in fulfilling that mission.

In a few moments when you receive your diplomas, will you be merely graduating from Gonzaga, or will you be leaving it for good? When you sing the Alma Mater for the last time as a student and walk out of this church, will you be walking away from the life of this school or will you be walking beside it on its long march into eternity?

Gonzaga waits hopefully for your answer.”

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more than a game One of the most storied rivalries in the history of Washington, D.C. interscholastic football occurred in the 1940s when the Eagles of Gonzaga twice faced the mighty barnstorming Boys Town team from Omaha, Nebraska. Boys Town, an orphanage founded by the legendary Father Edward J. Flanagan, had only a few years before been the subject of a feature film starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. In the following article, Gonzaga alumnus and award-winning documentarian Luis Blandon ’81 recounts the highlights of two epic games—the impact of which went well beyond the gridiron.

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n Sunday, November 7, 1943 as World War II raged, Gonzaga students arrived at Griffith Stadium by foot, car, trolley, and bus, clad in clothing that made them look like younger versions of their fathers. Unsure of where they would be in a year, they filed into Griffith to cheer on their beloved Eagles. Hype had been building since the October game announcement with outlets like the Washington Post publishing such hyperbole as “…the greatest schoolboys intersectional football treat in District history has been booked into Griffith Stadium.” Gonzaga was playing the celebrated Father Flanagan’s Boys Town of Nebraska.

Founded in 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska by a young Irish priest named Father Edward J. Flanagan, Father Flanagan’s Home for Boys was an orphanage and school that welcomed all boys, regardless of their race or religion. The game in November 1943 was the culmination of several days of fundraising by Father Flanagan, including speeches at the Touchdown Club and Uptown Theatre, and visits with General John J. Pershing and wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. Dignitaries such as Eleanor Roosevelt were in the stands along with several former Gonzaga athletes.

As Boys Town was being feted by politicians, Gonzaga’s motto, according to an article in the Washington

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A photo of the Gonzaga Boys Town game from the 1946 Aetonian.

Post, was “We concede Boys Town the edge in publicity, but we’ll try for touchdowns.”

The star for Boys Town, which held secret three-hour practices at Griffith in the lead-up to the game, was African-American player Clarence Adams, celebrated as one of the best players in the Midwest. The game would mark one of the first integrated high school competitions in segregated Washington—a fact largely ignored by the local press.

To prepare for the game, Gonzaga’s Coach Samuel (“Bo”) Richards led practices at the Eagles’ athletic field at 34th and Benning Road, NE. Richards planned to use, according to an article in the Post, “the triple threat brilliance of Angelo Zanger and its defense behind two of the District’s finest schoolboy guards in years, Jim Nalls and Tony Museline.”

Before a rambunctious crowd of 12,000, Gonzaga jumped to a first quarter lead. Recovering a fumble at midfield, Gonzaga drove as, according to The Evening Star, “Zanger, [Bill] Murphy and [Joe] Hickson shared the ground-gaining labors of that hike.” The Eagles scored when Hickson “smashed through the marker” for two yards for a 6-0 lead.

Boys Town took the kickoff to their 30. “After passes, runs and bucks, slashing advances off a skilled T-formation attack,” quarterback Dickie Thomas connected with Leo

Virgil for a 20-yard touchdown that, the Washington Post said, “caught the Eagles flatfooted.” Boys Town missed the extra point as the first quarter ended in a tie.

Five minutes into the third, Boys Town scored a touchdown, shifting the momentum in their direction.

Gonzaga threatened late in the third but fumbled. With four minutes left in the game, the Eagles drove with a combination of runs by Zanger and Hickson but were stalled at the Boys Town 25. According to an article in the Washington Times Herald: “Then came the heartbreaker for Gonzaga” on the fourth down when Coakley broke free as Zanger “seeking rescue from defeat by air” threw the ball.

Covering Coakley, Adams tipped the pass and the ball bobbled off Coakley’s grasping hands. The game was over.

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n November 30, 1945, a rematch was played at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. This time around, Joe Kozik was the Gonzaga head coach. Famed Washington sportswriter Shirley Povich, using the language of the time, saw an additional importance to the game: “when Father Flanagan’s Boys Town football team opposes Gonzaga …Ken Morris, a colored lad will be the starting fullback for Boys

Town. He’s one of four Negro players with the team.” The other three African-American players were Tom Carrodine, Chester Oden, and Jarrod Williams.

Povich wrote that the attitudes towards race and Jim Crow policies permeating the city “threw [Father Flanagan] for a loss down in Magnolia-fringe Washington.” During their 1943 visit to DC, Boys Town unexpectedly learned only white players could stay at the Statler Hotel and had to quickly find accommodations for Clarence Adams with a local family. To prevent a repetition of the 1943 fiasco, Boys Town reached out to Gonzaga’s Reverend Cornelius A. Herlihy, S.J., who arranged housing for Boys Town’s Black players with two Black families.

Coming into the rematch, Gonzaga was a four-touchdown underdog.

Gonzaga star Pat O’Neill was unavailable due to influenza but, according to the Evening Star, “the I Streeters have filled the gaps with gallopers who proved their worth.”

Another Eagle star, Phil Daly, was also sick but suited up on game day.

All Prep tackle Bernie Lavin was suffering from a cold. Quarterback Dick Redmond’s availability was in question due to an injury incurred in a previous game. Despite the injuries and the week’s rainy weather, Kozik was ready.

Though absent on the field, O’Neill told the Evening Star what made Gonzaga special: “You always can win a game if you want to badly enough.” His words rang true as the game progressed—with the Eagles pulling off a surprise win in front of 8,000 shivering fans.

The scoreless first half was marred by fumbles due to a muddy field.

Gonzaga stalwarts Gil Buckingham, Billy De Chard, and Johnny O’Keefe ran behind what the Evening Star described as a “stellar Purple line.”

Late in the third quarter, as a result of a poor snap on its own 10 by Boys Town center Chester Oden, halfback Frank Roe fumbled and was taken down by O’Keefe in the end zone for a safety.

After the kickoff, Gonzaga methodically went 45 yards down the field via De Chard, Daly, and Buckingham rushes to the Boys Town 10. On a

reverse, Buckingham scored and then De Chard connected for the extra point making it 9-0. The Eagles threatened several more times, dominating every element of play. Only once did Boys Town cross midfield, on an interception returned from one of Daly’s passes. As the clock wound down, Gonzaga celebrated in avenging its previous loss.

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he game represented more than football to Kozik. As a player at Penn State and a coach in DC, Kozik had witnessed the corrosive nature of segregation. The rematch was the first in a series of steps Kozik took to challenge systemic racism in DC high school sports.

Six years later, when Gonzaga added African-American sophomore John Gabriel Smith to the 1951 team, local schools refused to schedule

Gonzaga.

Kozik and Gonzaga decided to cancel games in Washington and took the team on the road. Many years later, in an article in the Washington Post, Kozik’s son, Randy, reflected that his father “thought an athlete was an athlete regardless of color.”

Fighting the entrenched segregation of high school sports in DC remained an uphill battle. However, on that December 1945 evening, Gonzaga took an important step toward winning the war.

Editor’s note: Gonzaga is grateful to Luis Blandon ’81 for the extensive time and research given to this article, and especially for allowing Gonzaga gridiron greats of yesteryear to take a victory lap as the school celebrates its Bicentennial.

This cartoon was published in the Evening Star on November 29, 1945. A few weeks later, the Aquilian re-ran it with the following caption: “This cartoon, drawn by Gib Crockett and published in the Evening Star, was the way things looked before the Gonzaga Boys stepped on the field at Byrd Stadium. Everyone knows what happened after that. The cartoon was very, very prophetic.”

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GIANTS of Eye Street

Gonzaga celebrates her Bicentennial this year, we are reA sflecting back on those individuals whose dedication to and love for our community helped shape it into what it is today.

Over the next few issues of Gonzaga Magazine, we will share the St. Aloysius Medal citations of a handful of these Giants of Eye Street. We start this series with a beloved staff member, an exceptional teacher, and a distinguished and dedicated alumnus.

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Opal Bell Awarded the St. Aloysius Medal in 1999

For the last 26 years, no one who has ever called the Headmaster's Office has been untouched by graciousness. There is one source of that gentility: Mrs. Opal Bell.

During that time Mrs. Bell has served the school as the Registrar.

She has made sure that five headmasters have done their job properly. She has been President of the Mothers Club and served on the school's Professional Committee.

Many people have been involved in the school during the last quarter century. Some have been responsible for the school's financial stability; others have been responsible for its academic excellence; some for athletic success; and yet others for the spiritual health of our community. No one, however, has cared for and loved each of us as Mrs. Bell has.

For these many years she has set the tone and the lead for Gonzaga's unique brand of love and spirit. She has been there for each of us when we have had good days and bad days.

She is a point of reference for the veterans and she is a beacon of hope for frustrated and confused newcomers. Without Mrs. Bell we all would have been diminished.

While there have been many memorable personages here on Eye Street, there has been only one Mrs. Bell. For example: There is only one person here who can get away with using words like: biffle baffle and scrummy. There is only one person here who can interject into a serious conversation a sentence stopping exclamation like: “I smell turnip roots cooking.” And there is only one person who can elicit comments from her admirers, such as the following: From Mark Howell, who is currently on sabbatical in Hawaii: “Opal Bell is able to perform her duties with polish and efficiency while never losing the grace and charm that make her

a true southern gentlewoman. With her sharp mind and infectious giggle she is able to disarm the most irate parent, keep impatient school officials at bay, meet pressing deadlines and walk out of Saks with the best bargain in the store."

From Paul Burke, here is a representative 30 second conversation with Mrs. Bell: Two minutes before class: “I need bluebooks for my seniors, Opal, you got any?”

“In the corner, Paul; here's your paycheck - did you try a cookie?”

“Opal, Have you seen Fr. Smith lately?”

“I saw him at the game—he's looking better—he's such a neat guy.”

“By the way, Ope, when is that rescheduled meeting?”

“Today! And don't forget it's in the Board Room, not the chapel, and be sure you sign up for the van if you need a ride to the retreat. And don't forget the Mothers Club sign up sheet.”

“Who's the new Mothers Club

president?”

“Mrs Jones— remember her older boy? He was so good-looking, and smart as a whip.”

“Have you tried the new phone system, Opal?”

“Dial 7177—I just got a message from my youngest, my baby, but don't tell him I call him that—They're having a reunion, can you believe it, so many years, what a great class they were.”

“Where did you get the brooch, Opal?”

“Thanks, Mary Purdy gave it to me years ago; she's such a neat lady; that's one woman with class!”

And then from Fr. Longtin: “With her constantly bubbly laugh and charm, Opal has brought love, joy and warmth to Gonzaga for 26 years.

Her presence is a reminder to us of how lovingly God holds each of us in His heart.”

Many others submitted Opal stories, but time prohibits me from reading them now. However, on behalf of all here, Opal, I simply want to say thank you for loving us so much. No one deserves this recognition more than you.

Top: (From left to right) Rev. Allen Novotny, S.J., Paul L. Berry, Opal Bell, Rev. Joseph F. Sweeney, S.J., and Francis J. McNamara, Jr. ’45 Bottom left: (From left to right) Mike Pakenham, Opal Bell, and Sr. Rita Marie Keesey, SND Bottom right: (From left to right) Roger Schlegel, Opal Bell, and Dr. Joseph Ciancaglini

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Reverend Thomas F. X. Wheeler, S.J. Awarded the St. Aloysius Medal in 1995

In the 27 years between 1963 and 1990, Father Tom Wheeler taught thousands of boys, all of whom learned three secrets to ensuring a passing grade.

First, never claim to have misunderstood the assignment, because he wrote down everything—in triplicate.

Second, should you ever be stuck for an answer, start talking about baseball, especially the New York Yankees. Doing so would at least buy you enough time for your friends to slip you the answer surreptitiously.

And third, if the great priest from Kansas City ever said, "Boys, the day I give you a pop quiz is the day I crawl through the window," then make certain to study that night and keep your eye on the window the next day, because as sure as his initials were T.F.X.W.S.J., Father Tom Wheeler would come climbing through, quiz in hand.

Not all great teachers climb through windows. But Tom Wheeler understood that boys learned more when they were having fun in class.

Today, the men to whom he taught Latin, history and religion as boys, call Father Wheeler a great teacher.

Tom Wheeler also is called a great teacher because he understood boys' love of sports. He understood that healthy athletic competition fostered teamwork and confidence. For several years, he served Gonzaga as Moderator of Athletics.

Father Tom Wheeler is called a great teacher because he understood that some boys need extra guidance and encouragement so they can succeed academically. In the Gonzaga Learning Development Center, he helped many boys achieve a Gonzaga diploma who might otherwise not have done so.

And because we have learned from him the virtue of attention to detail, it must be mentioned that Tom Wheeler understood that if boys were to learn, they needed pencils and

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pens and bus tickets to get home. He was also for several years shopkeeper of the Gonzaga Bookstore.

It is, therefore, with much pride and thanksgiving that Gonzaga

bestows upon this legendary teacher, Thomas F. X. Wheeler, S.J., the St. Aloysius Award for Service to School and Community.

Top: (From left to right) Rev. Allen Novotny, S.J., Rev. Thomas F.X. Wheeler, S.J., and Dr. Joseph Ciancaglini Bottom: Fr. Wheeler (third from left) with three fellow Gonzaga Jesuit Community members from left to right Rev. Henry G. Heffernen, S.J. ‘48, Rev. William F. Gavin, S.J., and Rev. John J. Martinez, S.J.

J. Alan Cassidy ’42 Awarded the St. Aloysius Medal in 1996

A half-century ago on the battlefield of the Saar Valley, a 19-year old infantryman from Gonzaga College High School was, like so many of his comrades, hoping and praying that the end of the War was near and that he would return home. But in those days just prior to the Battle of the Bulge, it was not to be. A sudden enemy tank offensive overwhelmed his unit and he ended up a prisoner of war.

In living through those stressful and terrifying times, it is unlikely that the young American, his family, or friends gave much thought beyond the question of his survival. Thinking about life's long-term goals was not on the agenda. But on May 2, 1945, after five months in captivity, J. Alan Cassidy of the Class of 1942 was liberated and a life of extraordinary achievement and service to his community was about to begin anew.

He returned from the War to resume his college career, which had begun at the College of the Holy Cross following his graduation from high school, and in 1949, he earned a degree in Architectural Engineering from The Catholic University of America. Alan immediately went to work helping his father in the

building products business and the rest is history. The highly successful James A. Cassidy Company and its main-line product, Pella Windows, are known throughout the Washington-Baltimore region and beyond.

In 1950, Alan made the wisest of all his wise decisions. He married Sally Gardiner and today he and Sally are the proud parents of eight children and thirteen grandchildren.

Throughout all of the years of success in his personal and business life, Alan never lost sight of the obligation intrinsic in the Jesuit motto, to be a "man for others." His generosity of spirit in serving the community has reached out to many people and places. Every school that has been involved in Alan's education has become a beneficiary of his talent and resources. As a child, he attended Blessed Sacrament School in the neighborhood where he grew up, and he has since served that faith community in numerous ways, including a term as President of its Parish Council. He is a devoted supporter of Catholic University and is presently a member of that institution's Board of Trustees.

Gonzaga has been uniquely touched by Alan Cassidy. He has walked beside his alma mater every

J. Alan Cassidy with daughters Susan Abbot (left) and Joan Friel (right).

J. Alan Cassidy ’42 celebrating the graduation of his grandson, Luke Friel ’19

step of the way as she sought to maintain her presence and viability in the heart of the nation's capital.

Physical evidence of his generosity abounds throughout the school.

He has never refused a request for help from Father Allen P. Novotny, Gonzaga's President or his predecessor, Father Bernard J. Dooley. Alan has been a member of Gonzaga's Board of Trustees for several years and in that role has assumed many important tasks. One of the most significant and long-lasting legacies of his leadership is the recently completed year-long effort to develop a campus master plan to guide and coordinate the improvement and use of the school's physical plant. This master plan is crucial to Gonzaga remaining in the front-rank of college preparatory schools in the 21st century. Without Alan's doggedness and determination, the plan would still be nothing more than a dream.

The life of the young soldier that was spared by his Creator long ago has indeed yielded an abundant harvest. It is an exemplary life, one of great accomplishment and service to others. Thus, it is with great pride and respect that Gonzaga College High School awards its St Aloysius Medal to Alan Cassidy for service to Gonzaga and community.

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NEWS OF Want to share your news?

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Faculty & Staff

Marine Corps, he worked as President and CEO of several public and privately-owned companies. In 2006, he earned a M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Santa Fe.

Assistant Director of College Counseling Angela Davies and her husband, Evan, welcomed a daughter, Quinn Meredith Davies, on October 15, 2020.

Following his graduation from Gonzaga in 1958, Jack Fenlon ’58 attended Georgetown University, St. Mary’s Seminary, and Loyola College in Baltimore for a master’s degree in education, and Denver University in Colorado for a doctorate in education. A former Catholic priest, Jack is now an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.

While he was a teacher, counselor, and administrator in education, he was also a City Councilman, State Representative, and State Senator in Colorado. He now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has three daughters and six grandchildren.

Guidance Counselor Maureen McLaughlin and her husband, Brian, welcomed a daughter, Isabelle “Izzy” Grace Taylor, on January 14, 2021. Izzy joins big brother, Jonathan.

Religion Teacher Laura Gengler Hudson and her husband, Kevin, welcomed a son, Andrew Bott Hudson, on October 2, 2020. Andrew joins his sister, Kathryn.

Director of Educational Technology and Fine Arts Teacher John Kilroy and his wife, Alexa Reimelt, welcomed a son, Christopher Reimelt Kilroy, in October 2020.

Last fall, Religion Teacher Dr. Harry Rissetto, PhD ’89 had a book review published in the International Journal of Evangelization and Catechetics. Dr. Rissetto reviewed Claude Pavur, S.J.’s In the School of Ignatius: Studious Zeal and Devoted Learning which examines the role of the Ratio Studiorum and its application within modern Jesuit education.

1943

Col. Nicholas J. Morana, Ret. ’43 celebrated his 95th birthday on October 16, 2020 and celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with his wife, Ann, on September 4, 2020.

1958

graduated in 1963 from Georgetown University as an Accounting Major in the School of Business, Charlie joined the accounting firm of Councilor, Buchanan and Mitchell. He would then use his financial and accounting acumen to establish successful payroll and human resources companies including Hughes Computer Systems and Wolf Computers, which went on to become Payroll Network. As his business ventures grew, so too did Charlie’s involvement with numerous local civic, religious, and educational institutions.

1959

In September, Thomas Clark, Jr. ’59 published his latest novel, The Altar Boy, which is available in both hard copy and electronically through outlets such as Amazon and Kindle.

In November, Charles “Charlie” Wolf II, CPA ’59 was named the Catholic Business Person of the Year by the Catholic Business Network DC (CBN-DC) at their 7th Annual CBN-DC Gala. A Washington DC native, Charlie is Chairman and Founder of Payroll Network. Having

1956 David Hofmann ’56, a painter based in Santa Fe, visited Gonzaga in December 2019 at the invitation of recently retired art teacher Ms. Jenn Carter. After the talk, David decided to donate a painting to Gonzaga, which was hung in the Alumni Art Gallery in Reusch Cantwell in November 2020. After graduating from Gonzaga in 1956, Hofmann attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a B.S. in Engineering. After serving in the

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Top right: Col. Nicholas J. Morana, Ret. ’43 and his wife, Ann. Bottom right: Father Stephen Planning in the Alumni Art Gallery in Reusch Cantwell next to a painting by David Hofmann ’56.

Left: Charles “Charlie” Wolf II, CPA ’59

1961

Jeffrey McKay, son of Charles ‘Jack’ McKay ’61, was recently elected as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

1963

John Shanley ’63 was elected president of Skyline Community Action, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in central Virginia that provides lower income households in three central Virginia counties with a variety of assistance and services.

Programs provided include Head Start, Healthy Families child care counseling, and Project Discovery, a program to help youth stay in high school and graduate.

Skyline Community Action also provides affordable housing for renters and owners, housing counseling, and emergency home repairs.

1968

In October, the Catholic University of America (CUA) Columbus School of Law honored J. Michael Hannon ’68 as one of its 2020 Distinguished Alumni at the Law School’s Reunion Weekend.

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors an alumnus who has led an extraordinary career since law school graduation, showing dedication and commitment to the betterment of the legal profession and reflecting the importance of a Columbus Law School education. Michael graduated from the evening division of Catholic’s law school in 1980. His father, the Honorable Joseph M. Hannon, Associate Judge of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, and brother, Brian W. Hannon ’75, partner with the intellectual property firm of Shugrue Mion, also earned their law degrees from CUA. Following law school, Michael served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1981 to 1988. In 2006, he founded Hannon Law Group.

A conversation between two members of the Class of 1968 has led to publication of a historic personal account of events that ushered the United States into World War II. At their Jubilarian Reunion in 2018, Robert Taplett ’68 mentioned to Michael Dolan ’68 that his father (also Robert) had kept a diary from 1941-1942 as a young U.S. Marine Corps officer serving in the Pacific. Mike,

who edits American History magazine, asked to read the transcript of the never-published diary. The result is a fascinating and intimate glimpse into American life in the months before and after December 7, 1941.

“So This Is War!” ran as the cover story of the August 2020 issue of American History and is accessible online at www.historynet.com.

Thomas C. Holtz ’68 published a book called Architecture, Drawings, & Paintings 2010-2020 in May 2020.

1970

Left: J. Michael Hannon ’68 Right: Robert D. Taplett, father of Bob Taplett ’68, led the Marine amphibious landing at Inchon that turned the tide in the Korean War. He was decorated for his heroism at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.

Together Again

Dr. Jeffrey C. Mazique ’70 has been treating coronavirus patients on the Sault Ste. Marie Reservation in upstate Michigan.

1971

Hardy G. Bennett ’71 is celebrating 35 years of employment with Montgomery County Health and Human Services.

1972

Richard Sheridan ’72 has spent the last ten years working for an advertising firm specializing in advertising campaigns for legal services and is now retired. Richard describes himself as a “real fighting Irishman,” as he has survived two bouts of colon cancer, liver cancer, and is limited in his mobility by multiple sclerosis. Richard and his wife, Lynne, live in East Los Angeles and he is looking forward to his 50th Reunion in 2022.

1979

In August, Emilio Garcia-Ruiz ’79, managing editor for The Washington Post, was named editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Chronicle. Emilio has been a managing editor at The Post since 2013 and has been with the news organization for more than 20 years. According to The Washington Post, Garcia-Ruiz said in an interview: “The opportunity to lead the Chronicle’s newsroom at a time when local news has never been more vital was impossible to pass up. In the Bay Area, you have an

Two Eagles—Dr. Nicholas P. Charles DM, Class of 1981 and Mr. Carrington Carter Class of 1984—reunited this year at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution on the 500-acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military officers and civilians to prepare them for senior leadership assignments and responsibilities. Each year, a number of Army colonels and lieutenant colonels are considered by a board for admission. Approximately 800 students attend at any one time, half in a two-year-long distance learning program, and the other half in an on-campus, full-time resident program lasting ten months. Upon completion, the college grants its graduates a master’s degree in Strategic Studies.

“Nick and I had not seen each other since he graduated from Gonzaga in 1981,” says Carrington. “Ironically, he was my big brother when I entered my freshman year at Gonzaga in 1980. Now, he is assuming the big brother role again at the U.S. Army War College. It is pretty awesome!”

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NEWS OF iconic city and an entire region whose entire identity is being challenged by numerous forces. The Chronicle newsroom has the talent and ambition to tell the story well, and I want to be part of it.”

fulfilled his lifelong dream of being a pilot. Andrew flew for the U.S. Navy for over 10 years and then with Customs. He has no future plans as of right now and is enjoying some time off.

Michael A. Bell ’79 is pleased to report that his wife, Janet, turned a youthful 60 in January 2021 and his daughter, Micah, graduated from Cornell’s Law School and now works with him at his company, Acaletics. His daughter, Monet, just became a pediatrician and had their first granddaughter, Aniyah, on his birthday. Another daughter, Janae, graduated from Harvard and has been accepted to Harvard’s Business School.

1986

1984

1990

Dr. John R. Prahinski ’84 serves as team orthopedic surgeon for Liberty University’s Top 25 Football Team.

Andrew Zaharevitz ’84 recently retired from U.S. Customs and Border Protection after 29 years of service and has

Paul Zapatka ’86 had 11 of his still life paintings displayed in the 2020 DC Art all virtual online gallery (due to the pandemic) in Tenleytown, Washington DC during September 2020. He recently showed his artwork in the virtual “Small Works” and “Drawing and Water Media” art shows at The Yellow Barn Gallery in Glen Echo, Maryland.

In December, Michael Bobbitt ’90 was named Executive Director of the Mass Cultural Council, an agency that partners with communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to expand access, improve education, promote diversity, and encourage excellence in

Left: Michael Bobbitt ’90 Right: Thomas Farley ’93

the arts, humanities, and sciences. In this new role, Michael is the most senior cultural official in the Commonwealth.

He joins the Mass Cultural Council after serving as the Artistic Director of the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, Massachusetts.

1993 In January, Thomas Farley ’93 returned to Eye Street (virtually) to speak with members of the Gonzaga Young Investors Society about his experience in

Set in Stone Michael Bratti ’84 is the owner of R. Bratti Associates, a fourth-generation stone contractor based in Alexandria.

As part of the restoration of St. Aloysius Church, Michael recently finished restoring the set of yellow marble stairs that leads to the altar. Gonzaga is incredibly grateful to Michael for volunteering his time and talent to this unique and important project.

Michael, who helped with the St. Al’s restoration in the 90s, says that he was down at Gonzaga over a year ago with his son, Peter, who is a current junior, and noticed that some of the stair treads were coming apart. He called Father Planning and offered to repair them; Father was very grateful to have his help.

“The stairs in the lower sanctuary are made of an Italian marble from Tuscany called Giallo Siena,” said Michael. “It’s a famous church marble that has been used for centuries in Europe, but is very hard to find now. I made a few calls to some of our friends and colleagues in Italy and sent pictures of what we were

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trying to match. I told them, ‘Anything you have, we’ll take.’ It took us more than a year to find matching materials.

The pieces they sent were small and awkwardly shaped, but we pieced the stones together and wove them together until they fit. Father Planning was incredibly helpful in giving us the liberty to make it work, even though it couldn’t be perfect.”

In addition to work in the church, Michael and his company have helped Gonzaga with many projects in the past, including the granite benches, wall, and “G” along Eye Street. R. Bratti Associates, which was started by his great-great-grandfather, has worked on thousands of projects around the United

States and in Washington, D.C., including the Kennedy Center, the National Air and Space Museum, and the repair work to the Pentagon after September 11.

“Gonzaga is a big part of my life,” Michael says. “I owe a lot to the school.

Gonzaga made me a successful man, and it’s my responsibility to give back.”

“This is just one example of Mr. Bratti’s generosity toward Gonzaga through the years,” says Father Planning. “He has always offered his services to his Alma Mater, helping us to preserve and protect Gonzaga’s historic treasures. We are very grateful for his willingness to always give back to Gonzaga.”

the fields of finance and entrepreneurship. In an hour-long discussion with current students, Tom talked about how he got started in finance, current happenings on Wall Street, his views on running markets, his experience raising funds for special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), and how young people can become involved in investing.

Tom, who gave the Kohlmann Address at Gonzaga’s Commencement ceremony in 2016, is Chairman and CEO of Far Point Acquisition Corp. He is also the former President of the New York Stock Exchange, the second youngest person to serve in that role.

1994 In October, Malcolm Johnson ’94 was the featured guest on 1st Amendment Sports’s weekly livestream broadcast, the WCAC Spectacular. Malcolm, who was inducted into Gonzaga’s Joe Kozik Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, currently resides in Los Angeles, California and is the Executive Director of Community Development at JPMorgan Chase.

1995 Matt Donnelly ’95 published his second book, Lucky Day, in December. The book is the follow-up to Naughty Week, which was published in 2019, and is the second book in the children’s book series that is set in the DC area.

1997 In November, Chris Lucey ’97 joined the board of directors of the Father McKenna Center.

1998

In October, Dave Mackie ’98 was appointed General Manager of The Dabney, one of only 18 Mobil star restaurants in the DC area and located in Blagden Alley.

Dave was previously a manager at the iconic Manhattan restaurant Gramercy Tavern.

2000 Phil Boland ’00 and his wife, Lauren, welcomed a baby girl, Shea Siena Boland, on August 8th, 2020. Shea joins her brother, James, in Rockville, Maryland.

2001 Dan Balserak ’01 and his wife, Jessica, welcomed a son, Augustin “Gus” Stuart Balserak, on December 29, 2020. Gus joins sisters Ella, Cate, and Lucy.

Michael Orfini ’01 and his wife, Betsy, welcomed a daughter, Virginia Lillian “Lilly,” on September 18, 2020. Lilly joins brothers Ollie, Luke, and Mickey.

John Stone ’01 and wife, Lizzie, welcomed a son, John Edward “Jack”, on November 5, 2020. Jack joins brother,

Reid. Gonzaga staff member Patty Stone is the proud grandmother.

2002

Cory Snyder ’02, who works in Corporate Safety for JetBlue Airways in Long Island City, New York, developed a COVID-19 infection prevention program for JetBlue and served as a subject matter expert for COVID-19 testing. He also developed a database for the collection, tracking, and reporting of COVID-19 cases and directed novel disinfection strategies for aircrafts.

2003

Bryan Berry ’03 and his wife, Lauren, welcomed a son, Luke Andrew, on March 23, 2020.

Michael R. Cherry ’03 married Maria Stucke in July of 2020. They are expecting their first child in June 2021.

Eric Gehrke ’03 was recently named Men’s Lead Coach for USRowing’s 2021 Under 19 National Team. Eric will lead the coaching team that will represent the United States at the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships this August in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Jamie Long ’03 and his wife, Jen Fountain, welcomed a daughter, Willa Elizabeth, on Dec. 21, 2020. Willa joins brother, Wally.

Doug Smith ’03 and his wife, Sarah, were wed at St. Aloysius Church on December 28, 2019. Several Gonzaga alumni were in attendance including Ryan O’Boyle ’03, Mark Dillon ’03, Matt Glading ’03, Steve Kennedy ’03, Bryan Berry ’03, and John Wasp ’03.

2004

Matthew W. Foust ’04 and his wife, Julie, welcomed a son, Jackson Willig Foust, on September 8, 2020.

2005 Left: The Lucey Family (from left to right) Chris ’97, Katie, Jack (8) and Charlotte (5) on the 4th Annual (Virtual) Walk4McKenna this year.

Right: Gonzaga alumni at the wedding of Doug Smith ’03 and his wife, Sarah, in 2019. From left to right: Ryan O’Boyle ’03, Mark Dillon ’03, Matt Glading ’03, Doug Smith ’03, Steve Kennedy ’03, Bryan Berry ’03, and John Wasp ’03.

In October, the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise announced Paul Johnson ’05 as the organization’s new Director of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the team’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. Johnson now leads Stockton’s front office and has a hand in multiple aspects of the Kings’

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NEWS OF

Thank You to Our Alumni Poets On Thursday, January 14, Gonzaga Poets & Writers Club hosted its third annual Alumni Poets’ Gathering via Zoom.

Several alumni poets offered their time to assist current students in the morning before participating in a reading and discussion in the afternoon.

In the morning class, Lucas Jung ’19 and Kyle Newman-Smith ’16 wrote drafts and then all the alumni present “workshopped” those drafts to demonstrate the process, in which the poet mostly listens to others assess his work.

“It’s an excellent way to improve a poem, for the poet to know how others understand, or misunderstand, his words,” says English Teacher and Poets and Writers moderator Mr. Joe Ross.

At the afternoon reading, each alum talked about his current life and his writing since Gonzaga. Then several of them read poems they’ve recently written. The alumni discussed how poetry helps them in their current jobs, and serves both a source of personal expression as well as an artistic pursuit. “It’s clear that these poets look at the world around them and bring it to poetry, their art,” says Mr. Ross.

Alumni in attendance included Landen Buckson ’16, Jirhe Love ’17, Walter Hill ’16, Liam Wholihan ’16, Ryan Baker ’16, Kyle Newman-Smith ’16, Joseph Wete ’19, Lucas Jung ’19, Derrell Bouknight ’15, and Maurice Holmes ’14.

Thank you to all who made this annual event a success!

2000

basketball operations. After graduating from Gonzaga, Johnson played basketball at La Salle University in the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he was captain of the men’s basketball team and graduated in 2009. He’s had several positions in the NBA since then, most recently serving as the Assistant General Manager of the NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue.

2006

Matt L'Etoile ’06 and wife, Katie, welcomed a baby boy, Thomas William, on

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February 18, 2021, joining sister Clara.

This is the second grandchild of former English teacher Allan L'Etoile ’73.

Matthew Ryan ’06 was married to Jenna Korte on September 25, 2020 in Redondo Beach, California, before a small, socially distanced group of family and friends, which included Matt’s brother William ’10.

2007

Ryan Degnan ’07 and wife, Samantha, welcomed a baby girl, Mary Elaina, on July 13, 2020.

Carlos Marquez ’07 and his wife, Heather, welcomed their first child, baby boy Javier Daniel Marquez, on February 10, 2021. The whole Marquez family hopes that little Javier follows in the footsteps of his father and his uncle Alejandro Marquez ’11 and becomes a fellow Eagle in the class of 2039.

Joey Orfini ’07 and wife, Katie, welcomed their first child, Ava Rose, on February 2, 2021.

2009

Dylan Carter ’09 received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2020.

2010

Jon Turissini ’10 graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Medicine in the Spring of 2020 and will be completing his residency in General Surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia.

while completing his fellowship. Since graduating from Le Moyne in 2018 with a B.A. in business analytics and marketing, Demitrius has served as director of business and economic development at CenterState CEO in Syracuse, an account manager at Pinckney Hugo Group, a marketing firm in Syracuse, and a partner/owner at Our Glass Consulting, whose mission is “to transform workplace culture and behavior to foster a more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment.”

2013

In February, Ryan Howell ’13 spoke to the Gonzaga Astronomy Club via Zoom about neutrinos, the standard model, and his own research. Ryan is several years into his Ph.D. program at the University of Rochester and recently concluded a 12-month grant from the Department of Energy at the Fermilab outside Chicago.

He is working on the commissioning and operation of a neutrino detector at Fermilab and involved in related machine learning reconstruction projects.

In September, John “JJ” Mitchell ’13 was featured on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel (Ch. 129) on the “Sounds from the Spires” program as the guest of Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Music Director of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

In JJ’s interview, which includes about 30 minutes of his recordings, he talks about past projects as well as his current endeavors.

2012

Madison C. Hardimon ’12 was recently promoted to Legislative Director for Congressman Ron Wright, 6th District, Texas.

Demitrius McNeil ’12, a 2018 graduate of Le Moyne College, was recently named the College’s first President’s Administrative Fellow in September. The program is a one-year appointment designed to introduce recent Le Moyne alumni to a variety of roles within higher education administration and prepare alumni to assume leadership roles at Le Moyne, other institutions of higher education, and organizations in other sectors. Demitrius will be pursuing a graduate degree

Matthew Ryan ’06 and his wife, Jenna.

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Follow us on social media to find out what’s happening on campus and with your fellow alumni!

Vincent Allen ’15

2015

After Graduating from the University of Maryland College Park with a degree in Cell Biology and Genetics last year, Vincent Allen ’15 was accepted into the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. On Tuesday, November 10th, he participated in the school’s virtual “First White Coat” Ceremony where the student doctors take their oath and mark their official entry into the medical profession. In addition to his studies, Vincent continues to volunteer helping underprivileged students in Baltimore and to be a man for others. He is working toward a residency in orthopedics.

We post photos and videos of everything from retreats and service trips to pep rallies and plays. We also highlight our incredible alumni and share information about upcoming events at Gonzaga.

Find us online at:

@GonzagaGoodNews for snapshots of campus life, student and alumni news, information on events, and more

In August, Aaron Elder ’15 was named President of the Graduate Student Association at James Madison University. According to a post on the GSA’s Facebook page, Aaron’s goal for the Association was to grow awareness of their programming and to produce increased networking opportunities for each member. Aaron also works at the University Recreation Center (UREC) as the Graduate Assistant for Sport Clubs and Inclusive Recreation while he pursues a Masters in Sport and Recreation Leadership with a Campus Recreation concentration.

2019

Former Gonzaga football captain and current player at Johns Hopkins University Loic Sangwa ’19 co-hosted and moderated a live webinar about concussion education on Tuesday, September 8. Loic is an intern at the GW Rodham Institute.

The hour-long panel discussion included Head Coach Randy Trivers as well as a number of esteemed guests.

Also check out www.Gonzaga.org for in-depth coverage of campus life, online registration for alumni events, a comprehensive calendar, and more.

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IN MEMORIAM

G

onzaga mourns the recent passing of longtime teacher and coach Father Raymond Lelii, S.J. as well as former Board Chairman and faithful Gonzaga supporter John “Jack” Vardaman.

Father Lelii first came to Gonzaga as a Jesuit scholastic in 1955 and then returned for two more stints—from 1965 until 1995 and from 2000 to 2011—totaling more than 40 years of service to Eye Street.

Jack Vardaman first joined the Eye Street community as a parent in the 1980s and served on the Board beginning in the early 2000s, shepherding the school through three capital campaigns that transformed Gonzaga into what it is today.

Both men had an incredible impact at Gonzaga, and will be deeply missed. We are eternally grateful for their dedication and service.

Father Raymond Lelii, S.J.

Father Novotny (left) and Jack Vardaman (right)

Father Lelii (left) receiving the St. Aloysius Medal and Father Planning (right)

Jack Vardaman (left) receiving the St. Aloysius Medal and Father Planning (right)

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Father Lelii with a student

Jack Vardaman unveiling the St. Ignatius statue in the courtyard.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE Michael J. Allman ’56

James C. Frisby ’51

Michael T. Bradshaw ’62

Mary M. Godfrey, mother of Stephen M. ’85

Charles B. Brewer Sr. ’52 Robert G. Brooks ’68 Brian D. Brown ’82, brother of Stephen A. ’86 Dr. Richard A. Brown, father of Daniel J. ’10, Christopher E. ’12, Thomas A. ’14, and Peter E. ’17 Quang D. Bui ’97, brother of Vuong ’99; brother-in-law of Samuel J. Moritzkat ’21 Evelyn Marie Sullivan Burgess, sister of Dr. Frank J. Sullivan ’58; aunt of Matthew K. Sullivan ’89; great aunt of Luke A. Sullivan ’23; mother-in-law of James J. Clark ’80; grandmother of Anthony J. Clark ’06 and Thomas F. Clark ’11 Norman Burton, father-in-law of Edward J. Mullaney Jr. ’85; grandfather of Colin E. Mullaney ’20 Kenneth W. Butler ’54 Patricia O’Rourke Caulfield, daughter of the late George E. O’Rourke Sr. 1922; sister of the late George E. O’Rourke Jr. ’47; grandmother of Thomas J. Caulfield ’16, Ryan Caulfield ’17, and Finn P. Meyer ’24 Anna B. Clifford, wife of the late Eugene J. ’40; mother of Rev. Thomas F., S.J., former faculty and former pastor of St. Aloysius Church Regina Coakley, wife of the late John C. “Chester” ’44; mother of the late John C. Jr. ’79 and Timothy N. ’85; sister of the late Philip L. Roache Jr. ’35 and the late Donald A. Roache ’38; aunt of the late Bernard E. Roache Jr. ’59, Raymond R. Roache ’61, and William H. Roache ’63

Fr. William F. Goode ’52 Sr. Ann Gormly, SND, former faculty Greta Kreuz Haley, mother of Peter R. V ’14

Thomas G. Nagle ’46

Jean Hanagan, mother of James J. ’66; grandmother of John M. “Mike” ’08 and Anthony J. ’10; great-grandmother of Colin J. Neary ’24

John M. “Jack” O’Connell Jr. ’57

Mina Hirten, mother of John K. ’74 and Marc J. ’76

Kevin O’Meara ’97

Edwin R. Ibanez, father of Antonio M. “Tony” ’97 and Jose M. “Joe” ’00; uncle of Dr. Timothy J. Durkin ’94; brother-inlaw of the late Lawrence Durkin Jr. ’63 and James V. Durkin ’66 Shirley L. Kirchner, wife of John A. ’53 Arthur B. Knudson ’53 Howard F. “Sonny” Langley Jr. ’58 Charles E. Langyher III ’52 M. Christine C. Leon, mother of Nicholas C. ’09 Gordon H. Lester Jr., father of Jeffrey C. ’99 Joyce Libert, sister of Dr. Paul R. “Randy” Wilson Jr. ’62 Charles B. Liekweg III ’58, son of the late Charles B. Jr. ’28; brother of the late John A. ’62, the late Joseph F. ’64 and the late Thomas ’66; cousin of the late Stephen E. ’63

John C. Corbin ’57 Francis P. “Frank” Corrigan ’87

Robert L. Luebkert ’54, brother of Malcolm R. ’62; brother-in-law of J. T. “Tom” Kent Jr. ’54

Michael F. Costello, father of Grant M. ’18 and Joseph L. “Joey” ’21

James T. Marrion, father of Michael T. ’90

Robert M. Courtney ’49, brother of the late John M. ’48 and Thomas M. ’57; uncle of Matthew J. Kilcoyne ’89

Kay A. Matan, wife of Dr. Joseph A. “Tony” ’54; sister-in-law of the late Thomas W. ’57; aunt of Mark C. ’84, Joseph P. ’88 and James A. ’94

Lori Doughty, wife of former lacrosse coach David Doughty

Donald Mullikin, father of Patrick C. ’94

Timothy O’Brien, father of Timothy A. ’93

Howard T. Luckey Jr. ’76

Alexander G. DiMisa ’14, son of Thomas C. ’80; grandson of the late Joseph M. ’46; nephew of Stephen J. ’83; brother of Christopher M. ’11

Willmer H. Moseman, father-in-law of Paul E. Connolly ’80; grandfather of Evan G. Connolly ’14, Grant P. Connolly ’17, and Quinn A. Connolly ’22

Jimmy Halsell, father of Jimmy I. ’95

Thomas P. Comer ’54

Carol Devens, wife of Col. John W. (Ret.) ’53

Joan C. Mitchell, wife of the late Maj. Gen. John G. ’52

Robert L. McCloskey ’48, father of Kevin R. ’79 and Brian M. ’82; grandfather of Cullen X. Burns ’13 Thomas L. McKevitt ’59, brother of John N. ’62, Brian ’65 and Mark E. ’69; cousin of the late John R. “Jay” Dugan ’61

Barbara O’Malley, mother of the Hon. Martin J. ’81 and Patrick T. ’84

Andrew G. Pappas ’57 Neil O. Reid ’85 Robert E. Ruddy, father of Mark E. ’91 Lynne Schulz, mother of William ’84, Christopher M. “Max” ’87, J. Nicholas “Nick” ’90, and Kenneth ’93; grandmother of William M. “Liam” ’15 and Declan J. ’19 Joan Shoshinski, mother of Robert G. ’83, Terence W. ’85, and Patrick ’89 Dr. John A. “Jack” Simpson ’53, son of the late Dr. John A. 1923; brother of the late Robert E. ’55, Thomas F. ’57 and Michael J. ’63; uncle of Robert ’88 and Edward T. ’91 Edward J. Slattery Jr., father of the late Edward J. III ’68, Matthew ’71, and Daniel T. ’72; grandfather of Brian M. ’03; brother of Thomas M. ’51; cousin of the late Daniel J. ’58; brother-in-law of the late Joseph A. Pettit ’43 Christopher Stanton, husband of Patti Calvo of the Gonzaga Business Office Helen Chambers Toomey, sister of the late Ralph L. Chambers ’42, the late Dr. James R. Chambers ’44, and the late John T. Chambers ’55; grandmother of Brendan P. O’Boyle ’02 and Ryan J. O’Boyle ’03 John N. Vassos, father of Luke C. ’15 Jeremiah B. “Jerry” Walker ’16, brother of Jarred R. ’12 Lee G. “Gene” Wan ’76 Raymond J. Zaharevitz, brother of Daniel W. ’73, Walter B. ’74, John P. ’76, Bruce E. ’79, and Andrew T. ’84

SPRING 2021

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19 Eye Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20001

Just married? New address?

New job? Let us know!

Please visit www.Gonzaga.org/ update or e-mail info@gonzaga.org to update your information and share your news. Photographs are always welcome. We love hearing from our alumni and staying in touch!

Please mark your calendar for our fall events! All of the dates below are tentative, but we are excited and hopeful to welcome you back to Gonzaga this fall!

Fall Events Calendar BICENTENNIAL STUDENT AND STAFF CELEBRATION September 8

GDA BICENTENNIAL SHOW October 16

CARMODY-LYNN OPEN September 17

CLASS REUNIONS

GOLDEN REUNIONS

September 18

September 19

(’1s and ’6s)

(’50,’55,’60,’65)

ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE

ALUMNI SMOKER

GMC CHRISTMAS GALA

November 21

November 24

December 4