Holy Ghost Prep senior rower Anthony Jesiolowski has college coaches taking notice of him, thanks to his 6-foot-4 frame, tireless work ethic, and rapidly dropping 2K times. He attends Holy Ghost Prep because generous HGP alum Kevin Cunningham ’90 gave him the gift of a Ghost education in the form of a scholarship named for his late brother Thomas Cunningham ’81. PAGE 2
BASEBALL TEAM captures first state championship PAGE 12
Holy Ghost Prep senior Anthony Jesiolowski has college coaches taking notice of him, thanks to a 6-foot-4 frame, a tireless work ethic, and rapidly dropping 2K times. He attends Ghost because generous HGP alum Kevin Cunningham ’90 gave him the gift of a Ghost education in the form of a scholarship named for his late brother Thomas Cunningham ’81.
6 A Win, Win, Win Situation By Michael Bradley
Thanks to the Brunner Family Scholarship, Ivo Braganza ’24 was able to attend Holy Ghost Prep. Braganza took full advantage of everything Ghost had to offer, participating in a myriad of activities. After graduating summa cum laude with a 4.46 GPA, Braganza is continuing his highly active approach to life this fall as a freshman at Cal-Berkeley.
8 Giving Back to Ghost By Bill Doherty
Holy Ghost Prep has started building academic institutes — areas of concentration for students to explore different fields before college. The medical institute has benefited greatly from the desire of HGP alum Pete Bidey ’00 to give back to Ghost. Thanks to Dr. Bidey, who serves as dean of the osteopathic medical program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and as a physician at the Hassman Family Medicine Center, HGP students take part in shadow days at PCOM as part of the medical institute.
10 A Total Game-Changer By Bill Doherty
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Holy Ghost Prep’s “Tradition Rising” donors and $1.25 million in state funding from a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, Holy Ghost Prep was able to raise $4.5 million to build the Duaime Athletic Complex.
12
Dream Destination By Michael Bradley
With the school’s first-ever state baseball championship and a loaded roster the next two years, a program that produces college signees annually, a terrific coaching staff, and a player in the major leagues in Colorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones, Holy Ghost Prep is now a dream destination for top area baseball players.
16 Always Made Room For Discussion By Michael Bradley
From 1965-91, Fran Hartnett taught economics, political science, and chemistry at Holy Ghost Prep, always with a toothpick in his mouth, often while wearing a tweed jacket, and ever proud of his Irish heritage. In the classroom, he covered the necessary subject matter, but he was more interested in providing practical life lessons to young men trying to find their way. No matter what his students believed, he was always ready for a discussion.
20 Prepped for Success By Matt Jordan and Bill Doherty
Papakojo Danquah, Brendan DiEnna, Juan Perez-Caicedo, and Daniel Nipper — all members of Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2024 — truly blossomed during their four years on campus. They all left their mark at Ghost and are clearly prepared for what’s next.
Welcome
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
I WELCOME YOU to our fourth “Giving Issue” of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine. This issue is part magazine and part annual report, but the common denominator that runs throughout is the spirit of giving among the HGP community.
Our “Tradition Rising” capital campaign has had three major areas of focus: 1) raising $4.5 million to build the state-of-the-art Duaime Athletic Complex (mission accomplished!); 2) increasing the school’s endowment by $3 million to $8 million total (on pace to reach this goal by the end of the year); and 3) continuing to focus on academic innovation and excellence in order to differentiate HGP in the marketplace and our students in the college admissions process (we’ve made significant progress there).
The generosity of the individuals and organizations listed in this annual report has literally changed the trajectory of our school.”
This issue of the magazine will illustrate HGP’s giving nature — starting with “The Gift of Ghost” cover story that shows the impact that two endowed scholarships, the Thomas Cunningham ’81 Endowed Scholarship and the Brunner Family Endowed Scholarship, have had on current HGP senior Paul Jesiolowski ’25 and new HGP alum Ivo Braganza ’24, now a freshman at Cal-Berkeley. The “Giving Issue” will also feature the Duaime Athletic Complex; HGP’s new medical institute, made possible by the commitment of HGP alum Dr. Peter Bidey, dean and chief academic officer at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, to give back to his alma mater; and an HGP icon feature on the legendary Fran Hartnett, who gave 26 years of his life to Holy Ghost Prep.
This issue also includes a feature on the state championship HGP baseball team and a full reporting of our donors. The generosity of the individuals and organizations listed in this annual report has literally changed the trajectory of our school. Your giving nature has also provided much needed scholarship support, ensuring that cost never prevents potential HGP students from experiencing a life-changing Ghost education.
As a Spiritan school, we remain focused on our mission: developing a community in one heart and one mind, each student’s unique gifts, academic excellence, and generous service to the poor. Thank you for your continued support of our mission and for all that you do for Holy Ghost Prep. We are forever grateful.
In One Heart and One Mind,
Gregory J. Geruson ’79, President @presgjg
Holy Ghost Prep Magazine Issue 11, Winter 2025
Holy Ghost Prep Magazine is published twice yearly by Holy Ghost’s Office of Communications and is distributed to alumni, parents, and friends of Holy Ghost Preparatory School.
EDITOR
Bill Doherty
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Michael Bradley
Bill Doherty
Matthew Jordan
Joe Santoliquito
Isabella Torres
PROOFREADER
David Caruso
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Douglas Benedict, Academic
Image
Catalano Studio
Jonathan Gilbert
Lisa Varley
Robert Barnes, Pro Action
Sports
Holy Ghost Prep’s Executive Team
PRESIDENT
Gregory J. Geruson ’79
PRINCIPAL
Kevin Burke
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Matt Dwyer
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Jayme Karolyi
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Bill Doherty
DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
Michael Jacobs ’01
DESIGN
Karp Graphic Design
HOLY GHOST
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
2429 Bristol Pike
Bensalem, PA 19020
215.639.2102
PHOTO CREDIT: DOUGLAS BENEDICT, ACADEMIC IMAGE
The Gift of GHOST
By Michael Bradley
When it comes to introspection, the place to look is not always the mind of a high school student. Not that they aren’t necessarily deep thinkers, but due to their relative youth, they often lack the perspective necessary for reaching significant conclusions.
Tony Jesiolowski ’25 is an exception to that theory.
Jesiolowski has a refreshing outlook on his time at Holy Ghost Prep and is extremely grateful for the opportunity he has been given.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere near the position I’m in now if I was not going to Ghost,” he says.
Jesiolowski’s HGP experience comes courtesy of the Thomas D. Cunningham ’81 Endowed Scholarship, which provides funding for a student from Northeast Philadelphia to attend Holy Ghost Prep. Jesiolowski, who hails from the city’s Tacony section, had considered other options while he was an eighth grader at Keystone Academy Charter, but his father, Paul, told him about “a really cool Catholic school” he should apply to.
Jesiolowski applied, and thanks to the Cunningham Scholarship, which Kevin Cunningham ’90 established in memory of his late brother, he was able to become a
“Sometimes you need a little push, and sometimes you need a little luck. An education, like the one you get at Holy Ghost, exposes you to people of different backgrounds, and the scholarship is a great way to help somebody else get that.”
—KEVIN CUNNINGHAM ’90
Firebird. Since enrolling, Jesiolowski has discovered crew— he used to be a soccer goalie—started singing a cappella with the Spiritones, and became enamored of the “Magic: The Gathering” card game as part of the school’s Gaming Club.
“If you told me when I was in seventh or eighth grade that I would be rowing and singing a cappella, I would have thought you were crazy,” Jesiolowski says. “The opportunity to try new things has been great.”
A 3.55 GPA student over his three years at Holy Ghost Prep, Jesiolowski has also made the most of his academic opportunities, particularly in the area of biomedical engineering, a pursuit he hopes to continue in college. His affinity for engineering makes him a perfect first recipient of the Cunningham Scholarship, since Thomas Cunningham studied mechanical engineering, along with biology. He graduated from Ghost in 1981, and Kevin “followed in his footsteps.” They came from a family based in the Wissinoming section of Philadelphia, and the two boys would have gone to now-closed North Catholic High School, had they not attended Holy Ghost.
While there, the Cunningham brothers were exposed to a broader universe. “When you grow up in a little twin where we did, you think Torresdale [in the far Northeast] is far away,” Cunningham says. Each brother developed strong connections and enjoyed their high school experience.
Unfortunately, Tommy—as Kevin refers to him—contracted adenocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer, and succumbed in 1997 after a two-year battle with the disease.
“Tommy was an incredible guy,” Kevin says. “He was the type of person nobody could say a bad thing about. He was a great person and very intelligent.
“He was very accomplished but very humble. He didn’t have an arrogant bone in his body. He was somebody I looked up to my whole life, and I still think about him a lot.”
One day a year or so ago, Dr. Aaron Pollock came into Allison Boehm’s office to deliver some information. That’s not unusual, since Pollock is the director of counseling at Ghost, and Boehm, HGP’s head rowing coach, is Pollock’s assistant director.
But this day’s visit was not about department business.
“He said, ‘Do you know Tony has a beautiful singing voice?’” Boehm recalls. “I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘He’s joining
the Spiritones, and you need to let him be a little late for (rowing) practice sometimes.’”
Boehm couldn’t be too upset with the news, and not just because Pollock was delivering it. There was no way she could prevent Jesiolowski from taking part in an activity. After all, that’s what HGP students are supposed to do. And Jesiolowski’s baritone fits quite well with the Spiritones. Although he isn’t able to participate in every rehearsal, performance, and competition, he has distinguished himself, and Pollock expects him to be more active in the coming school year.
“He can sing,” says Pollock, who runs the Spiritones. “He’s got some chops. I always joke with [Boehm] that I’m going to steal him away full-time.”
That would be difficult to do since Jesiolowski is a talented oarsman who started the sport as a sophomore and immediately showed promise as part of a novice four boat that won every race it entered. In 2024, he made the varsity four and continued to improve. During one race in the Manny Flick series, which is contested weekly during the spring in Philadelphia, the boat posted the secondfastest time in the city. The four rowers also qualified for the scholastic national championships on the Cooper River in New Jersey.
Jesiolowski is built for crew. He’s 6-foot-4, and Boehm says his father told her he may not be finished growing yet. Colleges have noticed his talent. Temple, La Salle, Bucknell, and Catholic are all recruiting him. And by the spring of 2025, he might have more suitors as he continues to improve.
“He came back for his senior year with a vengeance and he’s ready to dominate this upcoming spring,” Boehm says. “He’ll continue to work hard this winter to get bigger, stronger, and faster and I think even more colleges will start recruiting him.”
Jesiolowski loves the academic challenges he faces at Ghost and really enjoys the activities he is a part of—even if he didn’t expect to embrace them when he started at the school. The overriding feeling is one of a strong brotherhood that makes him feel secure in his choice to attend Holy Ghost. He sees that at the highest level through his crew team participation.
“I like the camaraderie,” he says. “It’s such a tight-knit community. You can get so close to people in the boat. It’s a
sport of the highest highs and lowest lows. You go through thick and thin with them.”
Cunningham feels a similar bond with his former classmates and gets together with seven of them once a month. He cherishes the lifelong friendships he made at Ghost and the opportunities the school provided for him and his brother. That was the impetus for the scholarship. He and his wife, Larae, wanted to give a student from Northeast Philly the chance to experience what the Cunninghams did.
For several years, Kevin ran a marketing software and services business that employed 600 people and had offices around the world, including Sydney, Belfast, and Latin America. Being able to help those who worked for him improve their lives was important to Cunningham. He sees the scholarship’s impact in a similar way.
“Part of owning the business was seeing people grow, work hard, establish goals, and achieve them,” he says.
“Sometimes you need a little push, and sometimes you need a little luck. An education, like the one you get at Holy Ghost, exposes you to people of different backgrounds, and the scholarship is a great way to help somebody else get that.”
When Cunningham first met Jesiolowski, the student “was super shy,” but things changed when the two connected during the past school year.
“It was wild to see how much more confident he is and how much easier it is to have a conversation with him,” Cunningham says.
That doesn’t surprise Boehm, who is impressed with Jesiolowski, both on and away from the river.
“He is a dynamic and cool kid,” she says. “He’s very humble and unassuming in the way he interacts with adults and his peers.”
And in the way he looks at his life.
A frequent contributor to Holy Ghost Prep Magazine, Michael Bradley is a writer and broadcaster in suburban Philadelphia. He is the author of 33 books and is a professor in the communication department at Villanova University.
A Win, Win,Win SITUATION
BY MICHAEL BRADLEY
Dr. Thomas Brunner passed away in November, and we continue to pray for his family. He was interviewed for this piece this past summer, and it is a tribute to him and his generosity to HGP.
WHEN IVO BRAGANZA ’24 was young, he played the violin. But when he arrived at Holy Ghost he stopped, something that didn’t delight his mother, Lorraine.
“I thought he had given it up,” she says.
One morning, she saw Ivo taking his violin to school.
“I was so happy,” Lorraine recalls.
It turns out that some of his classmates had found out Ivo could play the instrument and had convinced him to join the string orchestra.
“Ghost is a brotherhood,” Lorraine says.
It is also a place where students are exposed to a variety of activities, and while Braganza hasn’t taken part in all of them, it sure seems like he has tried to do just that.
“Everything he has done was because he wanted to do it,” Lorraine says.
Spend enough time speaking with Braganza, and it’s obvious that he loved being part of as many things as possible at Ghost. If there is anybody who has done more, he probably figured out how to make days last 26 hours.
“Ivo is the ideal student,” said Spanish teacher Maria Lehr-Fortino, who started and runs HGP’s Model U.N. program. “He’s ambitious, motivated, and earnest in his desire to do well. More importantly, he’s a good collaborator who works well with other students.
“His ambition never supersedes his desire to succeed as a team.”
After graduating summa cum laude with a 4.46 GPA from Ghost, Braganza is continuing his highly active approach to life this fall as a freshman at Cal-Berkeley. He has already been accepted into two highly competitive finance/ consulting clubs at Cal-Berkeley — the Microfinance Club and Ascend’s Financial Markets Institute. The Brunner family is proud that Braganza was the inaugural Brunner Family Endowed Scholar, and they are excited to see what else he accomplishes at Cal-Berkeley and in life.
“I couldn’t write a better story for you than Ivo,” says Dr. Thomas Brunner, whose three sons all graduated from Holy Ghost Prep. “You could write a book about this kid, and people wouldn’t believe it.”
In addition to participating in the Model U.N. and the string orchestra, Braganza was part of the forensics program, ran track, played Ultimate Frisbee, took part in the school’s 3-D printing efforts, was part of the student group that managed the Frederico Student Investment Fund, and served as a student representative on the Parent Diversity Council. Braganza co-founded the Holy Ghost Prep Coding Club, was a member of National Honor Societies in math, science, social studies, and English, and presented a paper on Artificial Intelligence at the I.E.E. Integrated STEM Conference.
The resume alone is impressive. But Braganza brings a tremendous attitude and desire to work with others to everything he does.
“Ivo is a really good person,” Lehr-Fortino says. “That’s not a trite statement. He embodies all the best characteristics of a young man his age. I have never encountered an adult or classmate who didn’t have good things to say about Ivo.”
When Braganza was completing his elementary education at St. Ephrem School in Bensalem, his parents began looking at potential high schools. Although his father was a fan of the Jesuits, the family kept an open mind and decided to learn about Holy Ghost Prep. “We realized we had a school in our backyard,” Lorraine says. Ghost’s small class sizes and “college atmosphere” were extremely attractive. And Ivo fell in love during his visit. “It was the perfect fit,” Lorraine says. Thanks to the Brunner Family Scholarship, the Braganzas
were able to afford the tuition. Four years later, the decision to send Ivo to Holy Ghost Prep turned out to be a great one.
“We really appreciate that the Brunner family gave Ivo the opportunity to go to Holy Ghost Prep,” Lorraine says.
WHEN DR. BRUNNER AND HIS WIFE, DENISE, were considering high schools for their oldest son, Matt, in the early 1990s, they had one specific criterion.
“We believed that teenage boys need an education that challenged them,” Dr. Brunner said. “Boys can get in trouble if they aren’t challenged.”
Dr. Brunner had grown up in Allentown with a single mother and two brothers. Independent school education was not an option for him and his siblings. He ended up earning a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry in research and development. For him, providing a strong educational option for his children was paramount.
The Brunners were in the Pennsbury School District, but they weren’t happy with the district’s level of academic rigor. Denise learned about Holy Ghost Prep and brought her husband to an open house. “She dragged me there,” Dr. Brunner recalls. The couple was sold on Ghost immediately, and Matt ended up graduating in 1998. His brother Greg graduated in 2001, and Stephen finished up three years later.
“Our middle son had very little choice about where he was going to high school,” Dr. Brunner recalled. “The third one knew where he was going.”
The Brunners loved the well-rounded education their sons received. They felt the diverse menu of extracurricular activities and service programs provided great balance.
Dr. Brunner cites the Mother-Son Dance as an example of the school’s ability to connect itself with families. The collaborative nature of the student body was also appealing, as was the way Holy Ghost Prep helped their sons grow into successful, respectful young men.
“We wanted a place where they could reach their potential,” Dr. Brunner said.
A few years ago, Dr. Brunner reached out to his sons with an idea: Why not create a way to help students without the financial means to attend Holy Ghost? He suggested a scholarship, and all three agreed it was a good idea. After discussing it with Holy Ghost Prep president Greg Geruson ’79, the Brunner Family Endowed Scholarship was born.
Braganza and his family are extremely grateful for the opportunity to experience Holy Ghost, and Ivo’s impact on his class and on the activities he took part in is evident.
Patrick McGhee ’03 has run HGP’s storied speech and debate program since 2018. He was consistently impressed by Braganza’s ability to shine in extemporaneous competitions, which require participants to take on a random question, prepare for 30 minutes, and then deliver a seven-minute speech without any notes.
“Ivo’s secret power is that he knows how to talk to people,” McGhee says.
Braganza is also a great teammate who is constantly interested in helping younger speakers, whether they take part in his event or not.
“He’s an amazing big brother,” McGhee says. “He coaches the other guys when they want to do his event and others in other events. He wants to give feedback. He helped coach St. Andrew’s Elementary School team [in Newtown], and he’s amazing with kids.”
Dr. Brunner was extremely pleased with the inaugural Brunner Scholar, and he and his sons have talked about “beefing up the program,” to make it even stronger. His desire to give back came from a position of gratitude for his career, as well as what Holy Ghost Prep did for his children. The ability to provide that for someone else is extremely appealing.
“Everything worked out great with Ivo,” he says. “It was a win, win, win situation. When you see a good thing, you don’t walk away from it. You build it.”
As more students like Braganza benefit from the Brunner Family Endowed Scholarship, they will be inspired to help others, too. That’s great for the community and great for Holy Ghost.
“I want to plant the seed,” Dr. Brunner says. “If students are successful, eventually they’ll give back, and that’s what will keep the world going.”
And that’s a great gift.
“He’s
ambitious, motivated, and earnest in his desire to do well. More importantly, he’s a good collaborator who works well with other students.”
—MARIA LEHR-FORTINO
Giving Back to GHOST
BY BILL DOHERTY
“Programs like the medical institute are an opportunity for me to give back to a school I’m so proud to have been a part of.”
DR. PETER BIDEY ’00
AS PART OF THE SCHOOL’S current Strategic Plan, Holy Ghost Prep has built academic institutes — areas of concentration for students to explore different fields before college.
Holy Ghost Prep’s medical institute, the first of a series of specialized institutes, successfully debuted during the 2023-24 school year. In this innovative program run by HGP’s science department chair Beth Bruno, Ghost students who have already taken AP biology or AP anatomy/physiology at Ghost are eligible to take part in the medical institute — an intensive, experiential on- and off-campus deep dive into the medical field.
One of the centerpieces of the new medical institute are shadow days for Holy Ghost Prep students at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). These shadow days, where HGP high school students follow PCOM medical students for the entire day, were made possible by HGP Class of 2000 graduate Peter Bidey, DO, MSEd, FACOFP, who serves as the dean of the osteopathic medical program at PCOM and as a physician at the Hassman Family Medicine Center.
“For us, all great partnerships have three ingredients — they need to be with a distinguished organization, they must provide exceptional handson opportunities for our students, and they must advance the mission and goals of HGP and the partner institution. PCOM is a perfect fit for us for these reasons,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “And it’s especially important to note that this opportunity never happens if it wasn’t for the interest and commitment of our alumnus, Dr.
Peter Bidey, who’s made it all possible. We owe a profound debt of gratitude to Dr. Bidey and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.”
Helping others is part of Dr. Bidey’s DNA. He was all too happy to help current students at his alma mater.
“Programs like the medical institute are an opportunity for me to give back to a school I’m so proud to have been a part of,” says Dr. Bidey. “Exposing students to careers in the health professions is an investment in the leaders, innovators, and healers of tomorrow. Being able to combine that with my love of teaching and my passion for medicine is truly a privilege.”
Holy Ghost Prep principal Kevin Burke is grateful for the partnership with PCOM and for the access and opportunity that Dr. Bidey and the PCOM students are providing to Ghost students.
“Dr. Bidey has been so accommodating to our Holy Ghost students,” says Burke. “This partnership is allowing our students to really see firsthand what being a medical student is like and will help our students determine whether they want to pursue a career in medicine themselves.”
The medical institute has clearly filled a need, as 20 students took part in it during the 2023-24 school year and an additional 36 students are enrolled in it this school year.
For Dominic Gallo ’24, who participated in his first PCOM shadow day last year with Ghost classmates Andrew Morgan and Dom Costenza, the experience further affirmed his interest in becoming a doctor.
“It honestly means the world.
Sometimes when you have such a massive goal, like becoming a physician, it seems unattainable. Being able to see and experience that end goal gives me a lot of hope and excitement,” says Gallo, now a freshman biology major at the University of Pittsburgh who plans to eventually attend medical school. “I feel like now I have insider information that no one else has. I was able to see what medical students do daily and discuss with them and Dr. Bidey the road and expectations when becoming a doctor. Not only was the experience informational, but it was all-around interesting. I think the entire time I was there, I had my mouth open because I was so fascinated with what was happening.”
For Gallo and his two classmates, the shadow day began with breakfast in the PCOM cafeteria at 8 a.m. with Dr. Bidey. “Dr. Bidey answered some of our questions — about PCOM, the medical school process, and what he does on a day-to-day basis,” Gallo recalls.
After that, the Ghost students and Dr. Bidey went to the patients’ rooms. The Ghost students entered a room with medical students and doctors, and there was a quick lecture regarding what patients were being treated today, their ailments, and how the medical school students should organize themselves around the different personalities.
“Once patients arrived, the medical school students went to them first, asking them different questions and discussing their health. After they finished, they went to one of the present physicians and explained what they did,” says
Gallo. “The physicians discussed this with the students and later went in to the patient themselves. During this process, the other HGP students and I followed the PCOM med school students and physicians and could be in the room with the patients after all the check-ups were completed.”
The shadow day finished with Dr. Bidey giving the HGP students a tour of the rest of the PCOM campus, including the state-of-the-art Dr. Michael and Wendy Saltzburg Clinical Learning & Assessment Center. The center features 15 patient rooms, four simulator training rooms, an operating room, ER/ trauma bay, a medical-surgical suite, and a variety of high-fidelity robotic simulators, virtual simulators, and task trainers.
The PCOM shadow days are only part of the medical institute, which also
includes daily instruction at Holy Ghost Prep, including work on HGP’s brandnew anatomage table, and guest lectures — including a drug discovery lecture by Robert Copeland, Ph.D., president and chief scientific officer at Accent Therapeutics.
But HGP’s medical institute is so special in large part because of Dr. Bidey’s decision to give back to Ghost.
“Dr. Bidey has been amazing. He has been instrumental in establishing our medical institute,” says Bruno. “Opening his day to our students has given them the chance to see how our alums are able and willing to give back to HGP. His willingness to share himself and the internal working of his profession has given our students an unforgettable and meaningful experience.”
Three Times the Fun
The medical institute was the first of multiple institutes offered to Holy Ghost Prep students. During the 2024-25 school year, Holy Ghost Prep introduced two more institutes — an engineering institute and a business institute — with a similar mix of hands-on and experiential learning opportunities.
The engineering institute, run by HGP teacher/former professional engineer Kevin Bushek ’04, is a four-year curriculum that culminates with an engineering capstone course (which has 11 students in it this year). This program guides students through the entire product design cycle.
The business institute, led by executive-in-residence Mike Ivcic ’03, has 30 seniors enrolled in it during the 2024-25 school year. Ivcic is a 2007 University of Dayton graduate and is the managing director of municipals at Bancroft Capital, LLC. Any Holy Ghost Prep senior who takes the required business courses (accounting, finance, economics, and marketing) has the option to enroll in the institute, which includes two shadow experiences, guest lectures, networking dinners, and business competitions at local universities.
—By Bill Doherty
A Total Game-Changer
BY BILL DOHERTY
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Holy Ghost Prep’s “Tradition Rising” donors, a $1.25 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant, and the lead gift from the Holt family, Holy Ghost Prep was able to raise $4.5 million to build the Duaime Athletic Complex (DAC).
Named by a generous leadership gift from the Holt family for Rev. Jeffrey Duaime, C.S.Sp. ’76 (an HGP alum who was the school’s president for 11 years and served on HGP’s Board of Trustees), the multi-million-dollar outdoor athletic complex includes a state-of-the-art, multi-sport turf field, a new running track, new and expanded seating, and lights to benefit the school’s soccer, lacrosse, track and field, cross-country, and Ultimate Frisbee programs.
Securing the RACP grant was truly a team effort that wouldn’t have happened without the following supportive local and state politicians: state senators Frank Farry and Jimmy Dillon ’96; state representative K.C. Tomlinson; Bucks County commissioner Gene DiGirolamo (an alumni parent); Bensalem mayor Joe DiGirolamo; congressman Brian Fitzpatrick; Philadelphia City Council member Mike Driscoll; and Bensalem Township commissioners Ed Kisselback and Stacey Champion.
“The Duaime Athletic Complex has been open for a year and has already proven to be a total game-changer for Holy Ghost Prep,” says HGP president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “It’s obviously enhanced the student experience by allowing us to have Friday Night Lights–type experiences for our students
in the form of home night games in soccer and lacrosse.
“And it’s helped us widen our enrollment funnel, as we’ve rented our field to top area club programs in soccer and lacrosse, increasing the number of fifth through eighth grade boys on our campus.
“We can’t thank our generous donors enough for making this incredible facility a reality for us.”
Although it has been open since the fall of 2023, the vast majority of Holy Ghost Prep alumni have not seen all that the DAC has to offer, so let’s take everyone on a tour of the facility.
A Dramatic Entrance
Once fans arrive on campus and park in the Firebird Fieldhouse parking lot, the first major enhancement you see is the dramatic entranceway to the DAC — a perfect blend of old and new.
Nods to Holy Ghost Prep’s history are evident within steps of walking through the new Duaime Athletic Complex archway. They include the Centennial Bell, the former bell that was made by the Shane Bell Foundry in Baltimore in 1917 and was housed for 100 years in Cornwells Clock Tower before being removed in 2017, and the beautifully designed HGP Athletic Hall of Fame. The HOF was established in the 1980s and celebrates the finest individual and team achievements in school history.
New items include the archway itself, which offers a dramatic entrance into the complex, as well as a beautiful 18-stone seat outdoor classroom/meeting space directly across from the HGP Athletic Hall of Fame display.
Field of Dreams
The heart of the DAC is the state-of-the art, professionalgrade AstroTurf field specifically designed for increased
“We can’t thank our generous donors enough for making this incredible facility a reality for us.”
—HGP PRESIDENT GREGORY J. GERUSON ’79
performance and extended playing time. The surface is used by colleges and universities from coast to coast, including Cal-Berkeley and Penn State.
Complementing the field is an all-weather sports track that is considered the ideal surface for developing track and field athletes. This track is considered best-in-class and includes two jumping sand pits, high jump, pole vault, and an all-new field for the throws.
Over 100 truckloads of dirt were moved from the infield of Fran Nick Field to the throwing area to elevate the throwing area to be on the same plane as the new track and provide the proper drainage needed for the new field.
The sophisticated underground turf and Acco track drain system ensure the shortest downtime from inclement weather. In addition, a rain garden was installed behind the throwing area near I-95 to help manage the water.
Let There Be Light
Musco lighting has advanced ball tracking capabilities for better visibility. The lights are 80 feet tall and the LED lighting and app-based light management (yes, the lighting system can be controlled from an app on an employee’s phone) are considered the gold standard for nighttime soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, and lacrosse competitions.
Paying Tribute
While the complex as a whole is named for Rev. Jeffrey Duaime, C.S.Sp. ’76, the field remains Fran Nick Field in remembrance of the HGP Hall of Fame soccer coach; the track remains John Mundy ’65 Track in honor of the HGP Hall of Famer who started the track program as a Ghost undergrad and has coached hundreds of runners in the program.
Thomas Holt, Jr. ’81 explained that the family’s naming gift for the Duaime Athletic Complex was simply a gesture to honor Duaime, a man who has meant so much to the Holt family.
“What sets Holy Ghost Prep apart is the teachers and staff at the school. They care for each of our students, just like a family,” said Holt. “We are blessed to have Fr. Jeffrey Duaime as part of our immediate family, and think it is fitting that this complex be named after him.”
The DAC also includes bleacher seating for over 500, built on a four-foot platform. Those bleachers are the Brett Incollingo ’12 Memorial Bleachers, as members of HGP’s Class of 2012 joined together to organize the naming of the DAC bleachers in honor of their deceased friend and classmate. The fundraising effort was led by TJ Romano ’12, Constantine Konugres ’12, and several HGP Class of 2012 parents. The bleachers were dedicated and blessed in April 2024.
Lasting Impact
The impact of the Duaime Athletic Complex can already be felt in other ways — particularly in admissions — as the state-of-the-art facility has created even more buzz among prospective families about Ghost. HGP has entered into a multi-year agreement with Yardley-Makefield Soccer (YMS); YMS youth teams of all ages are practicing and playing on the Fran Nick Field multiple nights per week and playing games on the weekends in the fall and spring. In addition, Elite 11 Lacrosse, one of Bucks County’s biggest youth lacrosse clubs, has used the facility on multiple occasions, and HGP’s summer soccer and lacrosse camps were well attended by middle-schoolers anxious to play at the DAC.
DREAM
We know when we get a Holy Ghost Prep player, he’s going to be well-coached and well-prepared for the college level.”
J. P. PYNE, HEAD COACH OF BASEBALL, AMHERST COLLEGE
DESTINATION
By Michael Bradley
Holy Ghost Prep baseball player Eddie Rosado turned to teammate Matt Evans in the dugout and made a prediction.
It was the bottom of the seventh inning in the 2024 PIAA Class 4A state baseball championship game, and the Firebirds were tied with Indiana (Pa.) High School, 5-5. Ghost had fought back from a three-run deficit to tie the game, and with Colin Davis on first base and one out, Mat Riendeau came to the plate.
“I remember looking at Matt and saying, ‘Dude, we’re going to do it,’” he says.
Rosado became a prophet when Riendeau slammed a double down the left field line, scoring Davis and giving Holy Ghost its first-ever state title. Two years after falling short in the ultimate game, the Firebirds had established their dominance statewide.
“We’ve shown a lot of growth,” says Rosado, now a Holy Ghost Prep junior. “We put in the work every day. We didn’t take practices off. We were trying to get one percent better every day.”
The triumph was the culmination of a great season, but it was also an example of the type of program built by Greg Olenski ’10. He took what Vince Rossomando ’02 had accomplished (and HGP icon Ted Grabowski had birthed) and created a state powerhouse. Blessed with a terrific coaching staff and a player in the major leagues (Colorado Rockies second-year man Nolan Jones ’16), Holy Ghost Prep’s program has become a dream destination for top area baseball players. They come to win, and they also want to be part of something that builds them as young men.
During his six years at the helm, Olenski has been tireless in helping players maximize their talents while pushing himself and his coaching staff to find new ways to improve. In the past, he has employed a sports psychologist and enlisted a U.S. Army ranger to help the Firebirds thrive. During the 2024 campaign, Olenski focused on the details, down to how the team stood during the national anthem, and its approach to keeping the equipment shed orderly.
While some may wonder how a commitment to high-level cleaning translates to wins on the diamond, it’s all part of the “to do anything right, you must do everything right” mantra that informs Olenski’s coaching philosophy.
“When I took this position [in 2018], the goal was to create a championship environment,” Olenski says. “We set standards, and we hold the players and the coaching staff to those standards. The culture was formed. We won our very first state championship and have won four district titles in five years.”
Holy Ghost Prep has produced wins on the field and players who have gone on to success in the college and professional ranks. The most noteworthy is Colorado Rockies left fielder Nolan Jones, who finished fourth in the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year voting. But Jones isn’t alone. Tim Brennan ’15 is pitching in AAA ball in the Texas Rangers’ system. Matt Goldenbaum ’23 is pitching at the University of South Florida, John Neeld ’20 just finished his pitching career at Coppin State, and Aiden Robbins ’23 started every game in the outfield as a freshman at Seton Hall University during the 2024 season and posted big numbers. Amherst had a pair of Ghost alums in its starting lineup last season: middle infielder Jack McDermott ’21 and third baseman Tyler McCord ’22, both of whom made the academic all-region team.
Rosado is being courted by a variety of colleges, and his classmate and best friend Jake Keaser, a shortstop who “causes chaos” when he’s at the plate,
has already committed to play at Virginia Tech for the 2026-27 season. Several other members of the team are likely to be on college rosters in the future.
“It’s one of the best programs in the state,” Robbins says. “For young guys who are in eighth grade figuring out where they’re going to go for high school, they should give Holy Ghost a try. I can’t stress enough how it prepared me for college, academically and athletically. It was a great experience.”
Robbins isn’t the only one who thinks that way. J.P. Pyne has been at Amherst since 2018 and made several stops before that, including a stint as bullpen coach for the Toronto Blue Jays’ Class AA team. He says he has “an uncommon affection for a place I’ve never been, Holy Ghost” and considers the two HGP players on the Mammoths’ roster the beginnings of “a pipeline.” Pyne has no problem considering other Ghost players, after what he has seen from McDermott and McCord.
“We know when we get a Holy Ghost Prep player, he’s going to be wellcoached and well-prepared for the college level,” Pyne says. “We do have academic restrictions, so we need players to come in a little more polished. We get that with Holy Ghost kids.
“Their work ethic, attention to detail, preparation, and belief in the process is great. They don’t get three hits in a game and mail it in. They work even harder.”
Technology has changed so much in the world, and the way baseball teams communicate is one example. In the past, if a team’s leaders were trying to inspire players and get them to focus on a shared goal, they would call everyone together for an in-person meeting. Now, it’s often done on their phones.
For Ghost’s baseball team, that platform worked perfectly.
“After the 20-game mark [when the Firebirds were 12-8], the players had a meeting — through group chats — and told each other, ‘If we’re going to do this, we have to play for the guy next to you,’” Keaser says.
“We felt like the team could do something special.”
Keaser and his teammates were right. Holy Ghost had entered the District 1 4A playoffs as the second seed and handled Upper Perkiomen and Springfield-Montco to reach the PIAA state tournament. Once there, they dusted Constitution, 20-0, in three innings, and overran Dallas, 14-6, to reach the state semifinals against a 19-4 Danville squad. After an 8-6 victory, Ghost was back in the state title game. Waiting was Indiana (Pa.) High School and its ace pitcher Greg Minnick, who less than a month earlier had committed to play for Texas Tech the following season.
“He had a power right arm and throws between 90 and 93 miles per hour and has a 12-6 curveball,” Olenski says about Minnick’s breaking pitch, which drops straight down. “We told the players to take everything that was
2024 PIAA Class 4A State Baseball Champions
off-speed and to gear up for the fastball. We stuck to the gameplan and got to their bullpen. That’s when the hits started coming in bunches.
“When we’re down, we’re never out of the fight.”
The Firebirds were invited to Harrisburg on October 22 for one final celebration of their 2024 state title at the state capital before turning their full attention to the year ahead. As the Firebirds prepare for the 2025 season, they are quite aware of the expectations that will accompany them. With seven starters back, HGP will likely be one of the favorites to win states in 2025. That level of pressure could cripple some teams. The Firebirds don’t expect it to be a problem for them.
“The expectations will obviously be through the roof,” Keaser says. “We just have to go slow and take it pitch by pitch. We can’t play down to anyone. We have to give 100 percent in practice, and that leads to the game.”
Olenski will make sure the Firebirds are ready, thanks to his experience and drive. He played on the Firebird varsity team as a freshman, a rare occurrence at Ghost. He moved on to spend two years at the University of Maryland and two more at the University of Delaware. When Rossomando took over as coach, his first call was to Olenski, asking him if he wanted to be an assistant.
“I was trying to build a younger coaching staff to relate to the kids,” Rossomando says. “Greg really was great. All the players loved him, from the first practice. He was so knowledgeable and super talented. He was a great role model for the kids.”
Olenski is proud of the Firebirds’ championship accomplishment — both as a coach and a Holy Ghost alum. Although the program has had previous success, he was able to bring
Rossomando’s vision to its ultimate manifestation. His relentless desire to improve and to develop an environment where players would grow as athletes and students has resonated throughout generations of Ghost team members. Olenski knows the tradition that Ted Grabowski, essentially the godfather of HGP baseball, built over 40 years. Olenski heard from baseball alums, and even Grabowski himself, about how proud they are of the 2024 state championship team.
Olenski is demanding, but he has developed a unique relationship with his players. “He is really close with all the kids, which helps a lot,” Rosado says. “He and the coaches want what’s best for us.”
Olenski chooses to deflect any credit he has received. He would rather praise his players.
“I can’t say enough about this group of kids,” he says. “Removing myself from the staff, as an alum I couldn’t be more proud of the success the team has had. I’m most excited for the future.”
Olenski has big plans. In 2025, he will focus on keeping the returning players motivated to remain “at the top of the hill.” He is excited about the team’s early-season trip to Florida and is hoping to wrangle a spot in the 2026 USA Baseball Invitational, which brings the 16 best high school programs together in Cary, N.C. “We have to perform in 2025 to play on the spotlight stage in ’26,” he says.
That’s a big goal, but Olenski is convinced the Firebirds can attain it. They have already accomplished so much on the field, and their success has helped bring attention to Holy Ghost. Out of the disappointment of 2022’s state final loss has grown a championship culture that could well produce a dynasty.
“I definitely think we can make another run,” Rosado says.
Sounds like another pretty good prediction.
Always MADE ROOM for Discussion
BY MICHAEL BRADLEY
If you were a high school student in the late 1960s and early ’70s who also happened to be a basketball fan, the idea of buying stock in New York’s Madison Square Garden made a lot of sense. The Knicks had won the 1970 NBA title and played in the Garden, and the NHL’s Rangers were a perennial playoff team, so why not invest a few bucks in the “World’s Most Famous Arena” and make a big profit?
Fran Hartnett had a lot of reasons WHY NOT.
At the time, Hartnett taught economics at Holy Ghost Prep, and he decided it would be a good idea for the class to pool its money — “about five or 10 bucks each,” recalls Charlie Gindele ’71 — and buy some stock. He offered sound advice about choosing the right investment, and the students should have listened, since Hartnett spent a lot of time following the markets. They didn’t.
Instead, the budding tycoons put it all on MSG, with predictable results.
“We crashed and burned,” Gindele says. “He was giving us all this veteran advice, and we thought because basketball and hockey were played there, we were going to make a lot of money.”
Hartnett may have been pushing blue-chip stocks, but he was more than happy to let the students learn a
lesson with the Garden investment. That’s how he operated during his 26 years teaching at Holy Ghost Prep. There was always room for discussion, about nearly everything, but he was never going to foist his opinions on students. Whether it was straying from the planned topic of the day into a look at the relative merits of socialism and capitalism or an impromptu chat after class, Hartnett always wanted to exchange ideas.
From 1965-91, Hartnett taught economics, political science, and chemistry at Holy Ghost Prep, always with a toothpick in his mouth, often while wearing a tweed jacket, and ever proud of his Irish heritage. In 1990, Hartnett won the Distinguished Service Award for Catholic education from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and after retiring was named “teacher emeritus” by Holy Ghost Prep.
In the classroom, he covered the
necessary subject matter, but he was more interested in providing practical life lessons to young men trying to find their way. No matter what they believed, he was always ready for a discussion.
Everybody at Ghost knew Hartnett’s politics were left of center. And his interest in the Soviet Union led some to joke that he worked for the KGB or the Politburo. Someone even put his picture in a book about the USSR in the school library. But students knew they were able to present any side of an argument to him and not have to worry about being judged or criticized. Dennis O’Leary ’84 had a right-wing slant and calls himself an “Alex P. Keaton” type, after Michael J. Fox’s right-wing character in the then-popular Family Ties sitcom. He enjoyed trading ideas with Hartnett.
“He made you really think,” O’Leary says. “You could discuss things with
him, and he would never raise his voice.”
Hartnett was an Army veteran who later served in the Delaware Air National Guard and a family man who raised four children — Frank, Andy, David, and Kate — with his wife, Kathleen, whom everyone called Kitty. He loved to teach and was always comfortable in the classroom, where students respected him and delighted in his wit, stories, and commitment. He loved his time at Holy Ghost Prep, and his impact is still felt by many.
“He was a down-to-earth kind of guy,” Gindele says. “He was humble and not braggadocious. He had no ego. When a teacher makes a memorable impression on you, that’s the mark of a good teacher.”
World War II was near its end, but Hartnett didn’t know that. He was at the U.S. Army base in Biloxi, Mississippi training and getting ready to be shipped overseas to see combat action. He had no idea where
he was going, but he did know that he was getting a bunch of vaccinations. A friend of his who worked in the office at the base knew what was scheduled to occur and was happy to tell Hartnett.
“Get ready for Burma,” he said.
Jungle warfare was something nobody wanted to be part of, and fortunately for Hartnett, the war in Asia ended before he had a chance to experience it.
“He dodged that bullet,” says his daughter Kate.
Hartnett was born in 1926 in Wilmington, Delaware. He graduated from Brown Vocational/Technical High School in 1944 and was the school’s valedictorian but missed the ceremony — and delivering his speech — because he had already enlisted in the Army. After his discharge, “Hardy” had a variety of jobs, including selling insurance and working at Sears and du Pont. “That’s a requirement for all people from Delaware,” Kate says, laughing, about the du Pont gig.
Hartnett didn’t graduate from the University of Delaware until 1959
because he was working and attended college part-time. He was interested in chemistry and computers, which few knew anything about in the 1950s. His first teaching job was at Corpus Christi, a parish school in Elsmere, Delaware. A year later, Father Francis Meenan offered him a position at Holy Ghost Prep. He would teach economics to start, and his family would move with him to Levittown.
For the next 26 years, Hartnett was a fixture in the Ghost community. He always had a toothpick in his mouth, which he used as a substitute after quitting Kent cigarettes, and he was never without a quick riposte to a student who wanted to test him.
Once, according to Tom Brzozowski ’82, a classmate, Bobby Farrell, asked Hartnett at the beginning of economics class if “sex and drugs and rock-n-roll” could be the day’s topic.
“Mr. Hartnett said, ‘Bobby, you probably know more about economics than you do sex and drugs and rock-nroll,’” Brzozowski recalls. “It was a mic drop before there were mic drops.”
Brzozowski calls Hartnett “a guy’s
“HE WAS A ROLE MODEL OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE. HE WAS A GOOD HUSBAND, A GOOD FATHER, AND A GENTLEMAN.”
— Dennis O’Leary ’84
guy” and says he never bragged about anything he accomplished. Hartnett enjoyed challenging his students and never protested if someone questioned him. He rarely raised his voice and wouldn’t ridicule those who disagreed with him. He fit well with the times, when intelligent, reasoned discourse existed between people of differing political viewpoints.
Hartnett’s political stance was clear, and he once said he “wouldn’t let President Reagan use the remote control, much less have the nuclear codes,” according to O’Leary.
That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t tease students.
“He used to give me the business all the time,” O’Leary says. “He called me ‘Irish.’ And he was a great storyteller.”
Hartnett had a strong faith, and he could be seen on occasion heading into the chapel at lunchtime to pray the rosary. He was confident in his beliefs and his politics and rarely — if ever — made his students feel anything less than respected for their intellect and potential.
“He was a role model of what you would like to be,” O’Leary says. “He was a good husband, a good father, and a gentleman.”
For part of the time Dave Hartnett was in grade school, the family lived in Delaware near a set of railroad tracks. One day, Dave and his friend hopped a freight car and rode into Wilmington. When Fran found out, he was furious and had to punish his son.
him, and you said, ‘I’m backing up,’” Kate says. “He didn’t have to say anything.”
Hartnett was a great father and teacher because he truly loved children. Kate describes him as “a total pushover” for small children and someone who enjoyed young people of all ages.
“He thought the world of children,” Kate says. “He tried to see the world as they saw it.”
Hartnett was a thoughtful parent who explained his reasoning for decisions he made and deliberated thoroughly before ruling on important situations. When Kate was in high school at Nazareth Academy, her teacher sent home a permission form for a parent to sign giving their child permission to learn about birth control methods. Kitty said she and her husband would discuss the situation — as they did all important things — and make a decision.
“My father said, ‘I’m going to sign it, but this is not your excuse to go off and do whatever you want. I’m signing it because ignorance is never a solution,’” Kate says.
Hartnett’s relationship with his grandkids was similar to how Holy Ghost Prep students regarded him while he taught at the school. They stayed after class to talk with him. They enjoyed being challenged by him. And they benefitted from his knowledge and desire to help young people grow and thrive.
“When you were in class with him, you felt like you were with a family member,” O’Leary says. “That’s the way he made you feel.”
Whether you were successful in the stock market or not.
A frequent contributor to Holy Ghost Prep Magazine, Michael Bradley is a writer and broadcaster in suburban Philadelphia. He is the author of 33 books and is a professor in the communication department at Villanova University.
“It hurt him that he had to do it, and it killed me that I had let him down,” Dave says.
Just as Hartnett never raised his voice in the classroom, so too was he placid at home. Of course, if any of his children tested him too much, they found out quickly that he was upset.
“It took one look from
During his time at Ghost, Hartnett also worked at the IRS processing center in Northeast Philadelphia to support the family, which included a son, Andy, who dealt with costly medical issues due to severe asthma. Andy died in January 2016, and his wife, Pat, remains an important part of the family. Because Hartnett didn’t have much leisure time, he didn’t have many hobbies, although he and Kitty were both stamp collectors. “He had quite a collection of Soviet stamps and duck stamps,” says Dave, who has both parents’ stamp compilations in his home. But once he retired, Hartnett had plenty of time for his grandchildren. He and Kitty moved back to Delaware, and Hartnett lived there until his death in 2009. Their house was rarely without youngsters zipping about.
“You couldn’t ask for a better grandfather,” Dave says. “‘Pop-Pop’ was loved by all his grandchildren. He teased them and played with them.”
Next up: FRAN NICK
This Fran Hartnett feature is the latest in a series of pieces on HGP icons. In the next issue of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine, we will profile the late Fran Nick, who coached the HGP soccer team from 1989-2007 and led the Firebirds to a PIAA Class 2A championship in 1992. Nick compiled a 285-110-36 record as the Firebirds coach and won five PIAA District One Class 2A championships (1992, 1993, 2001, 2003, and 2007).
PREPPED
for Success
Papakojo Danquah, Daniel Nipper, Brendan DiEnna, and Juan PerezCaicedo — all members of Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2024 — truly blossomed during their four years on campus. They all left their mark at Ghost and are clearly prepared for what’s next.
A Dream Come True
“Ghost changed me,” says Papakojo Danquah ’24. “I started high school as a shy kid, which is very different from how I am now.” Energetic, fun, and optimistic are the sorts of words that Danquah’s teachers and peers might have used to describe him at Holy Ghost. “My friend Chris Pirolli always says, ‘He does not fear social anxiety, social anxiety fears him,’ which I think is pretty funny.”
As members of an eighth-grade class that had just endured a year of quarantine and remote learning, Danquah and his freshman classmates had experienced their share of social isolation prior to their arrival at HGP. “It felt as if I had lost all of my social skills,” Danquah recalls. “I kind of had to rediscover myself and who I want to be.” He began creating a new identity for himself by joining the track and cross-country teams. “I knew right away that running could be something good for me.”
Danquah was right about that. His impact on each team was immediate. In cross-country, he was a top 10 medalist in the District One championships in each of his last three seasons (2021, 2022, and 2023), and a member of three District One AA championship teams. In outdoor track, he qualified for the 1600 meter, 800 meter, and 4x800 relay races in PIAA District One Class AAA, the largest classification and strongest district in the state.
But it was Danquah’s 800-meter times this past year that really opened doors for him. The coaches at American University, his top choice among potential colleges, gave him a time to beat to secure a spot on their track and field team: 1:55.24. Danquah’s 800-meter times dropped throughout the spring season, from 1:59 to 1:58 to 1:56. He finally earned a place in American University’s program when he ran a 1:55.16 at the Last Chance Meet at Christopher Dock in the final two weeks of the season. The result placed him in the top 35 in Pennsylvania for 2024, and was the fastest open 800-meter time at Holy Ghost since Harold “JR” McIlwain’s state championship performance in 1993.
“It’s a dream come true,” says Danquah. “All of my hard work paid off.” Danquah’s coach and mentor, longtime HGP cross-country and track coach Mike
Papakojo Danquah ’24
American University
Political Science
Meistering, is optimistic about Danquah’s potential in American University’s D-I program. “He will do very well there. They have three returning faster 800-meter runners who will help Kojo become the runner he is meant to be,” predicts Mesitering.
Danquah is majoring in political science and minoring in criminal justice at American, with an eye toward a career in forensics law. “I am very excited,” he says. “Their mission is to value human dignity. They are known for their activism. Their students are not afraid to speak out. They want to help others by fighting injustice, which is ultimately what I want to be doing in my life.”
Known for speaking his mind at Holy Ghost, Danquah expressed himself admirably in another way in his four years there: through his artwork. His work was featured last spring in the annual high school art exhibition at Bucks County Community College. “I’ve always been an art kid. I’ll make something whenever I feel like I am wasting the day scrolling or when I don’t have schoolwork,” says Danquah. “I’ll put on headphones and do something in my sketchbook until I go to bed. It’s nice to have something you enjoy that keeps you off your phone for an hour or two.”
Danquah’s upbringing influenced his style, which he describes as “very playful, bright, maybe even a little chaotic. Growing up in Philadelphia, I saw a lot of street art when I was outside. I watched a lot of cartoons and read a lot of comic books.” In Rick Gabriele’s senior portfolio art class, he focused
“It’s a dream come true. All of my hard work paid off.”
on making vibrant, emotional pieces. “I love Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. I tend to draw or paint whatever comes to my mind, whether it’s a character, landscape, person, building, or even just a bunch of colors,” says Danquah.
He considers himself a far different person than the shy kid from the class that was still recovering from COVID-19 quarantines when they arrived on Holy Ghost’s campus four years ago. Danquah credits the camaraderie he found among his classmates for the transformation.
“Sometimes the brotherhood here gets advertised so much that it’s like, ‘Sure, brotherhood. Whatever that means.’ But my four years really made me realize that I really was part of a brotherhood,” says Danquah. “I made so many close friends here. I feel like I knew everyone in my grade. If you come to Ghost and get involved, you will find your place here.”
—By Matthew Jordan
Ready to Take Flight
Defying gravity’s laws has long been a goal of 2024 Holy Ghost Prep graduate Daniel Nipper. “I’ve always been fascinated by flight,” says Nipper, who was a mere three years old the first time he set eyes on the interior of an airplane’s cockpit. “I was instantly hooked. The control column, the engine throttles, the instruments, the view from the front of the aircraft: All of it enthralled me.”
Flight lessons throughout his teenage years followed. Nipper is continuing to pursue his passion for aviation this fall at Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College, where he was the recipient of the college’s Academic Excellence Scholarship. He plans to immerse himself in courses in his chosen field at the university’s College of Engineering.
“I’m fascinated by flight and by aircraft and spacecraft design,” says Nipper. “I’ve always loved learning about how technology operates.” His career aspirations include designing commercial or military aircraft and spacecraft. “I would even consider creating my own defense company. Or conducting research on clean aviation fuels that reduce our carbon footprint,” says Nipper.
Nipper’s work ethic and talent over his four years at Holy Ghost Prep should prepare him well for such ambitious endeavors. He earned distinguished honors in all eight of his semesters at HGP, including
Daniel Nipper ’24
Penn State University Engineering
departmental awards in math and French in each of his four years. Nelson Perez, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, awarded Nipper with an Archdiocesan Scholar Medal at the Archdiocesan Honors Convocation last spring.
Nipper’s fascination with flight might also have something to do with the flying discs he launched and pursued as a four-year member of HGP’s Ultimate Frisbee team. He was on the field for the team’s matches during their state tournament play in Pittsburgh in 2022 and 2023 and in Allentown in 2024.
Nipper credits longtime faculty member and Ultimate coach Tom Croskey (who took a new job this fall after 17 years at Ghost) with inspiring his passion for the sport, which he plans to continue at Penn State. “He taught me all aspects of the game — the running, the throwing, the rules, the strategies.” Nipper was especially impressed by Croskey’s sideline tactics, including his play calling during timeouts near the end zone. “I would estimate that we scored 90 percent of the time after a timeout,” Nipper recalls.
Nipper’s pursuits at Holy Ghost ranged well beyond the athletic fields. He credits the school with fueling an appreciation for foreign cultures and places. In his sophomore year, he signed up for HGP’s student exchange program with Blackrock College in Dublin. Nipper and his fellow students spent a week living with host families in Dublin, touring the country as they immersed themselves in Ireland’s culture and history. “My host family was beyond welcoming,” says Nipper. “And so curious to hear about American life and culture.”
That same curiosity applies to Nipper, who cites Claudine Nicolay’s and Dan Sormani’s classes on French language and culture as some of his favorites. “They were a remarkable influence. We learned so much about French cities, food, habits, and traditions, not just in France, but in French-speaking
“I've always loved learning about how technology operates.”
countries around the world.”
He also considers Sormani’s annual Spiritan immersion trip to St. Mark the Evangelist in Harlem a formative cultural experience. “We slept in the rectory, took a tour of Harlem, and took the subway down to Rockefeller Center and Times Square,” recalls Nipper. “But it wasn’t just about being tourists. We learned about drug patterns in Harlem during the 1970s and 1980s, and the disproportionate number of African Americans who were arrested for drug possession.”
Sormani’s passion for addressing social injustice from his spiritual convictions resonated with Nipper throughout his time at Holy Ghost. “He inspired me to read at various Masses and prayer services throughout my time at Ghost,” says Nipper. “I always enjoyed visiting his classroom and chatting.”
That sort of mentorship should only help Nipper at Penn State, where he will continue his quest to defy gravity’s laws. —By Matthew Jordan
A Desire to Pay It Forward
When he first heard about Holy Ghost, as a student at St. Martin of Tours in Oxford Circle, Juan Perez-Caicedo wasn’t sure that an education at a college prep school in Bensalem was in the cards. He was told that he was behind on the material he would need to know to perform well on the placement test and entrance exam.
“At first, I feared that my elementary school education might not have properly prepared me for a school like Ghost,” he recalls. “But I knew if I worked hard, managed my time well, and asked for help when I needed it, I could maintain good grades.”
While the preconceived notion of the high expectations that Ghost teachers have for their students had merit, Perez-Caicedo was more than up to the challenge. “Don’t get me wrong, Holy Ghost Prep students are smart. But I didn’t feel overwhelmed and I didn’t feel that I was less than others,” he says.
Defying expectations became the norm for PerezCaicedo at HGP; he maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout
Juan Perez-Caicedo ’24
Davidson College Biology
his time there. He praises a number of his former teachers for pushing him to reach his potential by placing him in some of the school’s most challenging classes. The recommendation to take the AP government class taught by Tom Saxton ’95 is one such example. “I have always struggled with history. But Dr. Saxton’s way of teaching was not only efficient but very engaging,” says Perez-Caicedo. “AP government was one of my favorite classes at HGP, and it’s because of Dr. Saxton.”
Likewise, Luke Profy ’17 moved Perez-Caicedo into an honors section of algebra in his freshman year and was placing him in AP calculus and AP statistics sections by his senior year. Last but not least, Amanda Coopersmith saw his potential in the sciences and recommended him for placement in her AP chemistry class. Coopersmith’s class inspired a passion for the sciences that has led Perez-Caicedo to Davidson College, where he plans to study biology. Such a plan would not have been possible if not for the full four-year scholarship Perez-Caicedo was awarded to attend Davidson from QuestBridge, a national nonprofit committed to serving highachieving students from low-income backgrounds. He first learned about Davidson through QuestBridge’s National College Match.
“I want to help those in my community who cannot afford basic medical expenses.”
In addition, he was one of the featured scholars at their annual BLOCS Gala in May. Held at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia, the gala celebrated the students whose lives have been changed by the generosity of BLOCS donors. (Perez-Caicedo attended Holy Ghost Prep thanks to the generosity of BLOCS/EITC donors and a Spiritan Scholarship.)
Perez-Caicedo has nothing but praise for BLOCS and its donors, who he believes are “doing God’s work” in their advocacy of high-achieving students like himself.
He plans to use his opportunities at Davidson to effect some social justice of his own. Perez-Caicedo will be pursuing a pre-med track at the school, with an eye on medical school and then becoming a doctor for his neighbors in and around Oxford Circle. “I want to help those in my community who cannot afford basic medical expenses,” he says.
Another goal: to help other young people receive educational opportunities of their own. “I want to help someone who is just like me. After I become a doctor, I’d like to help someone who has dreams but wouldn’t be able to chase those dreams without someone to fund their education,” says PerezCaicedo. “I want to pay it forward, and help those who don’t have the same opportunities I’ve had.”
Two experiences at Holy Ghost played an especially important part in his service-oriented approach to his future, Perez-Caicedo says: the class retreat that he guided his fellow seniors through last year, and his Spiritan immersion trip to the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2023. As the student most fluent in Spanish on that trip, he helped out with translations between Holy Ghost students and their fellow Dominican counselors at the summer camp for kids that the two groups ran together.
Both experiences “helped me develop an idea of the kind of person I want to become. I want to be someone that people look up to. I want to be a positive role model for those around me.”
—By Matthew Jordan
Boston College Biology
Destined for Success
In a Holy Ghost Prep Class of 2024 that was chock-full of big personalities, Brendan DiEnna ’24 emerged as a quiet leader — treasurer of student government, president of the National Honor Society, and captain of HGP’s cross-country and track and field teams in both his junior and senior years.
“His leadership skills are outstanding, whether clearly visible or done slyly behind the scenes. He accepts others as they are and encourages them to be better. He engages others confidently and without prejudice,” says Holy Ghost Prep cross-country and track coach Mike Meistering. “In my 40 years of teaching and coaching, Brendan is one of the top 10 men of scholarly academic ability and high moral fiber with whom I have had the pleasure to know.”
The qualities that Meistering references didn’t go unnoticed by the faculty and administrators at Ghost. Each year, there are several students who leave the HGP graduation ceremony with a Michael Phelps–like number of academic medals wrapped around their necks. This past June, DiEnna was a multimedal winner, including being chosen as the Ted Grabowski Award winner as the top scholar-athlete, receiving a medal for overall excellence in science, and receiving a silver cup for graduating summa cum laude.
Receiving medals and accolades was nothing new for DiEnna, who was a leader in the Holy Ghost Prep cross-country program that won the PIAA District One Class 2A title. DiEnna was an individual medal winner as he finished 11th in the District One race as a junior and then 10th overall as a senior. He also ran legs on some of HGP’s top performing indoor and outdoor relay teams during his last two years at Ghost.
“Running played a big role in my academic success at Ghost.”
Off the track, DiEnna was named a commended student in the 2024 National Merit® Scholarship program, as his 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit® qualifying test score was among the top 3% of all PSAT test takers that year. This summer, DiEnna won a $4,000 TruMark Financial Credit Union Difference Makers Scholarship. Aimed at fostering student engagement and community development, TruMark scholarships recognize Philadelphia-area students who demonstrate strong dedication to community service.
His impressive high school resume resulted in DiEnna being accepted into some of the nation’s most elite universities. In the end, he chose Boston College, where he is a biology major with designs on attending medical school.
“Boston College just felt like home to me,” says DiEnna. “I was looking for a first-rate academic university near a major city that was away from home, but not too far from home.”
While he won’t run competitively at BC, DiEnna continues to lace up his running shoes in Chestnut Hill.
“Running helps me clear my mind and allows me to decompress after classes and focus on what I need to get done academically post-run,” says DiEnna. “Running played a big role in my academic success at Ghost, so why mess with a formula that works?”
DiEnna left for life at BC feeling perfectly prepped for the challenges ahead — thanks to the time management skills and the ability to write and think critically that he left Ghost armed with.
“Brendan is a dedicated student. He is selfdisciplined, hard-working, and is able to manage his time well,” says AnnMarie Reteneller, director of college guidance at Holy Ghost. “Brendan approaches challenges head-on and genuinely wants to learn and to succeed. He will take advantage of all of the opportunities that BC has to offer him.
“I cannot wait to see where this next chapter takes Brendan, and I have no doubts that Brendan will achieve great success at Boston College and in life.”
—By Bill Doherty
Brendan DiEnna ’24
HGP ’s Class
of
2024:
Where They Headed After Ghost
Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2024 was a group of 112 unique and talented individuals who excelled in the classroom, on the stage, in laboratories, in community service efforts, and on the playing fields.
Upon graduation, 110 of these students continued their academic careers at 59 different schools in 18 different states and Canada. As for the remaining two HGP graduates, one started his own business and the other became a union electrician.
The Class of 2024’s collective talents did not go unnoticed as they received a combined $39,913,876 in scholarships.
“Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2024 was a special class. The wonderful array of college admissions offers that Holy Ghost’s Class of 2024 received is a reflection of the students’ many talents in and out of the classroom,” says AnnMarie Reteneller, HGP’s director of college guidance. “As the world of college admissions becomes more competitive every year, it is a source of pride that colleges recognize Holy Ghost’s excellent academic preparation and the significant contributions that our graduates are poised to make to their college communities.”
Kevin Burke, principal of Holy Ghost Prep, says: “The Class of 2024 left an indelible mark on Holy Ghost Prep. It’s a credit to them, their parents, our teachers, and our College Guidance Office. They are undoubtedly prepared to make a difference within their next communities, just as they have done in ours.”
The students in Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2024 headed to the following schools (listed alphabetically):
American University
Bloomsburg University
Boston College
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
College of Holy Cross
Concordia University
Davidson College
DeSales University
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Duquesne University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Fairfield University
Furman University
Georgetown University
Gwynedd Mercy University
High Point University
Hofstra University
Holy Family University
Ithaca College
Kings College
Jacksonville University
Lafayette College
Loyola (Md.) University
Marist College
Michigan State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Monmouth University
Mount St. Mary’s University
Northeastern University
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University-Abington
Providence College
Quinnipiac University
Rider University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rowan University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Joseph’s University
Seton Hall University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Susquehanna University
Temple University
University of Alabama
University of California-Berkeley
University of Notre Dame
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond
University of Scranton
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee
Villanova University
West Chester University
Widener University
Holy Ghost Prep FY 2023 and FY 2024
2023 2024
HOLY GHOST PREP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Marty Connor ’82, Chairman
Rev. John Fogarty, C.S.Sp., Provincial Superior
Gregory J. Geruson ’79, President
Rev. William Christy, C.S.Sp. ’82
P.T. Deon ’05
Gene DiGirolamo P’98
Dr. Gary Foster ’77
Charlie Gindele ’71
Angela Holt P’02, ’03, ’06, ’11
Robert Joyce P’16
Rev. James P. McCloskey, C.S.Sp. ’70
Tony Naccarato ’84, P’10
Paulette Neal P’22
Sean O’Hara P’16, ’21
Gregory Przybylski ’82
Ellen Rusnak P’18
Larry Scheetz ’98
Dr. Darlene Weaver
Rev. Michael White, C.S.Sp.
TRUSTEES EMERITUS
Joseph Blaston ’70
Joseph Quinlan ’71
LEGAL COUNSEL
Frank S. Guarrieri ’70
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Larry Scheetz ’98 (chair)
Ryan Becker ’98
Savio Braganza P’24
Tom Fithian, P’26
Stanley Gondek
Frank S. Guarrieri ’70
Rick Henn P’22, ’24
Angela Holt P’02, ’03, ’06, ’11
Michael Holt ’91, P’24
Sean O’Hara P’16, ’21
Frank Rauch ’79
Joanne Williams P’24
Gregory J. Geruson ’79
Matt Dwyer
Kim Armitage P’25
Bill Doherty
Jaclyn Gear P’28
Dear HGP alumni, parents, and friends,
Thank you for your interest in and commitment to Holy Ghost Prep. If you are reading this, you likely have an appreciation for what Holy Ghost has done for you or for someone close to you. As an alumnus, I have experienced Holy Ghost firsthand, and my gratitude for the benefits I garnered has kept me engaged with Holy Ghost Prep as a donor and now as chair of the Board of Trustees.
This is a special place. By nearly every measure that matters — the achievements of the students; the ever-improving facilities; the quality of the faculty, staff, and administration; the breadth and challenge of the curriculum; and the vast array of extracurricular opportunities — Holy Ghost Prep continues to excel.
Our forward momentum would not be possible without the incredible generosity and support of our entire community. Holy Ghost Prep’s donors have allowed us to build the state-of-the-art Duaime Athletic Complex, to grow our endowment to nearly $8 million, and to provide tuition relief to 55% of our students. Your generosity also provides critical support for educational and extracurricular enhancements, ongoing faculty professional development, and routine maintenance and upkeep of our facilities.
We are pleased to present this 2023-24 Annual Report of Gifts.
Thank you to everyone who has invested in Holy Ghost Prep. We hope we can count on your continued support and that you use this report to consider reaching out to a fellow alum. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and allows the school to provide an extraordinary experience for each HGP student. I am so proud of what we have accomplished, and I am excited to see what the future holds as we continue to work together to drive positive and meaningful futures for our students.
Sincerely,
Marty Connor ’82 Chairman, Holy Ghost Prep Board
of Trustees
Annual Fund and Capital Giving: The Basics
FIREBIRD FUND PROFILE
The Firebird Fund is our newly rebranded annual giving appeal that targets the areas of greatest need at Holy Ghost Prep. While the name and the logo have changed, the goals of the Firebird Fund remain the same. Contributions to the Firebird Fund support the school’s highest priorities — including financial aid and scholarships — and can be used immediately, making them one of the most powerful ways to impact Holy Ghost Prep students right now. HGP’s mascot, the Firebird, symbolizes rejuvenation and long life, providing hope to those who need it. Whether you are an alumnus, parent, or friend of Holy Ghost Prep, we are all Firebirds working to provide hope and opportunity for our students during their formative high school years and prepare them for their futures. Your support of the Firebird Fund is critical to the continued success of Holy Ghost Prep, as it allows us to grow meaningful experiences for every student.
HOW ARE THE DOLLARS SPENT?
Annual giving dollars allow the school to fund critical programs and annual budgetary needs such as mission trips, performing arts, technology, and athletics.
SPIRITAN IMMERSION TRIPS
> Ireland
> Spain
> Portugal
> Dominican Republic
PERFORMING ARTS
> Musical instruments
> Costumes and props
> Art supplies TECHNOLOGY
> Smart boards
> LCD screens
> Computer lab equipment ATHLETICS
> Uniforms
> Team travel
> Tourney fees
CAPITAL AND ENDOWMENT GIVING PROFILE
Capital giving and major gifts are dollars raised for a specific project or need that requires funding beyond operating dollars. Endowment gifts are restricted funds that provide investment income to support scholarships and certain school programs.
HOW ARE THE DOLLARS SPENT?
Proceeds from capital gifts and endowment income allow HGP to erect new buildings, improve existing facilities, and provide scholarships.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
> Founders Hall (1999)
> Expansion and renovation of the Firebird Fieldhouse (2003)
> Holt Center (2018)
FACILITY UPGRADES
> Brennan Family Innovation Center (2017)
> STEM Tower (2018)
> Duaime Athletic Complex (2023)
> Evans Family Weight Room (2023)
SCHOLARSHIPS
> Merit/need-based scholarships
> Named funds
> Class funds
2023-2024 Giving Society Donors
PRESIDENT’S CLUB {$1,500+}
Domenic ’83 and Mary Ann Alcaro
Ambassador’s Fund for Catholic Education
Amy Canning Kohler Scholarship Fund
Anonymous Donor
Bank of America
Philip and Christine Bartholomew
Philip ’06 and Katie Bartholomew
Dennis and Kathryn Bell
Rudolph ’80 and Maryanne Betz
Blue Rock Construction, Inc.
Savio and Lorraine Braganza
Thomas ’03 and Liz Brennan
Justin and Frances Burns
Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools
Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund
Chubb
Joseph Ciecko ’79
Connelly Foundation
Martin ’82 and Regina Connor
Mary Corrigan
Jennifer Covino
William and Paula Coyle
Michael Daley and Marybeth Snyder
Michael and Elizabeth Dineen
ELC Innovation LLC
Abdallah and Jennifer El-Habr
Michael ’06 and Erin Etemad
Paul and Renee Evans
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
William and Samantha Fleming
Gary ’77 and Kathleen Foster
Francis J. Marx V Memorial Fund
Dominic and Michele Frederico
William ’72 and Phyllis Gallagher
Michael Gannon ’75
GDS Intetior Architecture
Gregory Geruson ’79 and Eileen Kelly
Charles ’71 and Connie Gindele
Rory Gledhill ’10
Raymond ’79 and Susan Glemser
Goldman Sachs
Stanley and Christina Gondek
John and Maja Graff
George Graffy ’82
Frank and Camille Gramieri
Frank ’70 and Mary Ann Guarrieri
Grant ’99 and Jennifer Holdren
Joseph Holston ’75
Thomas ’81 and Angela Holt
Michael ’91 and Susan Holt
Leo ’82 and Melinda Holt
Holt Logistics Corp.
Jimi T. Patrick Memorial Fund
Steven and Beverly Johnson
James and Sonica Kearney
Neil and Anita Kelly
Stephen and Lisa Kettelberger
KeyBank
David and Tina Klucsik
Timothy Kohler
Thomas and Michelle Kozlowski
Patrick Leonard ’74
Rita Linguiti
Jonathan and Jessica Lippy
Edward and Coleen Lydon
William and Lisa Macan
Gerald and Angeline Manna
Ryan ’04 and Caitlin Manney
Gerard ’74 and Patricia Margiotti
Thomas and Julie Markert
Kevin and Carmelina Marr
John and Janet Marsella
Francis and Joanne Marx
Brian McCarthy and Anne Marie McKnight
Christopher McCormack
James ’77 and Dorothy McCrane
Stephen ’81 and Lynne McGill
McGillin Architecture, Inc.
Thomas and Susan McLaughlin
Thomas ’86 and Kimberly McManus
Melio
Michael ’05 and Jenna Mergard
George and Carol Ann Mundy
Dennis and Lisa Murray
Joseph Myshko ’77
Anthony ’84 and Kathleen Naccarato
James ’66 and Celeste Nasuti
Karl ’79 and Lauren New
Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program
Denise Nowak
PA Partners for Education LLC
Richard and Sharon Patrick
Philadelphia Insurance Companies
Joseph Pintimalli ’88
Thomas ’79 and Lee Profy
Gregory ’82 and Joanne Przybylski
Wilfred and Annemarie Quigley
Joseph ’71 and Mary Quinlan
John ’85 and Christina Quinn
Francis ’79 and Wendy Rauch
Arthur ’03 and Katherine Reinholt
Republic Bank
Kenneth and Pamela Roessler
Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School
Scholarship #1 LLC
Colin and Karin Sanderson
Lawrence ’98 and Kathleen Scheetz
Eric ’86 and Kimberly Schiela
Ernest Schoellkopff ’79
Michael and Maureen Selzer
Charles and Donna Seravalli
Seravalli, Inc.
Shady Brook Farm
Mark and Stephanie Simon
Scott and Linda Staropoli
Michael Sternberg
William and Lauren Stout
David and Kathleen Taylor
Christopher and Alissa Taylor
Terminal Holdings LP
The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, Inc.
The Martin Foundation
Tom McLaughlin State Farm
JoAnn Trainer
Truist
James and Patrice Trusdell
Igor and Hallie Tutko
UGI Storage Company
UHS of Delaware
John ’96 and Laura Venne
Waste Management
Robert ’81 and Margaret Mary Watters
Darlene Weaver
James and JoEll Wittmer
Frederick and Kerry Yates
1703 SOCIETY {$1,000-$1,499}
Anonymous Donor
Brian ’91 and Lisa Begley
Patty Bo
Kevin and Carla Burke
Eugene and Christine Cascone
Christopher ’93 and Kelly Chapman
Terrence ’74 and Shen Cuskley
Michael ’71 and Patrica D’Arcangelo
John Di Paolo ’87
Brian and Margaret Firth
John Firth ’02
Christopher and Cathleen Flacco
Stanley ’79 and Maureen Glowacki
Charles and Lisa Hallahan
George and Margaret Hindley
Phillip Holt ’06
Christian Holt ’11
Timothy ’81 and Lynda Ireland
Johnson & Johnson
G. Daniel and Jo-Ann Jones
Lawrence and Jean Keeley
Jack Kelly ’19
Emma Markey
Joseph ’72 and Edith Markey
John and Angela McDonough
John Mundy ’65
Jack ’82 and Maureen Mycka
Nicholas Flacco Memorial Foundation
David ’85 and Wanaporn Petrucco
James Powers ’69 and Eileen Donnelly - Powers
Sean Reilly ’86 and Eileen Hurley
Vincent ’02 and Cara Rossomando
George and Ellen Rusnak
Joseph ’69 and Kathleen Smith
Delaina Smith
Lee Snyder and Marlene De la Cruz
Anthony and Kristin Viscariello
Patrick Walsh and Michele Musci
Chris ’81 and Dawn Webster
Robert and Joanne Williams
> Leave a LASTING LEGACY Consider naming Holy Ghost Prep in your estate plan
Make a gift that costs you nothing today by naming HGP in your will or trust. To discuss estate options, please contact Matt Dwyer in the Office of Development: mdwyer@holyghostprep.org or 215-452-6956.
Eugene ’76 and Margaret Wisniewski
Joseph ’85 and Caron Wollard
ONE HEART & ONE
MIND SOCIETY {$500-$999}
James and Mary Adams
Michele Addy
Anonymous Donor
Christopher ’09 and Kelli Applegate
John ’82 and Andrea Appolonia
Elise Arnone-Short
Ryan ’98 and Erika Becker
Bradford ’04 and Kylie Bitting
Patrick Boyle ’01
James ’98 and Kate Braunstein
Joseph and Anne Braunstein
Jonathan Brennan
William and Ann Marie Brennan
James and Celeste Britt
James ’67 and Anne Burtt
Patricia Byrnes
Scott Casper ’87
CBRE
Obasi and Ijeoma Chukwunenye
Vincenzo and Robin Ciocca
Craig Conlin
Thomas ’96 and Briar DiEnna
John Dobbins and Juliette Faughnan
Dorothy Doyle
Matthew and Nathalie Dwyer
Stanley Elias ’86
Honoria FitzGerald
John and Theresa Foody
Foundation for Catholic Education
James ’72 and Donna Helhowski
Samuel ’83 and Terri Hellings
Christopher and Heather Huot
Thomas ’79 and Christine Kardish
Daniel ’92 and Christina Kerrigan
Andrew and Jennifer Knaus
Knights of Columbus, St. Robert Bellarmine Council #17887
2023-2024 Giving Society Donors
Richard Krolikowski ’71
R. Brian ’02 and Angela Lamsback
Thomas ’81 and Monica Maiorino
Peter and Magdalen Manetas
Carl and Gina Marshall
Thomas and Amy McDonald
Janet McGill
David and Anne McGinn
Daniel ’69 and Kathleen Murphy
Thomas Nasta ’74
New York Life
Piper Sandler Companies
Prudential Foundation
Francis ’85 and Janet Rocco
Harry ’75 and Maryanne Rose
Dennis Ryan ’71
Salesforce
Joan Schott
Schwab Charitable
Kenneth Selvaggi ’79 and Anne Conaty
Francis ’06 and Megan Seravalli
Brian Shiue ’11
Gregory ’68 and Teresa Smart
Francis ’70 and Carol Smith
Conner Smith ’13
Rick and Maryanne Smith
Ronald and Suzanne Spangler
Thomas ’98 and Kelly Strybuc
Edmund Walsh ’95
Thomas Witkowski ’76 and Ingrid Kirschner-Witkowski
CORNWELLS SOCIETY {$250-$499}
AbbVie
> Why your GIFT matters
Your generosity supports Spiritan immersion trips — both abroad and within the United States.
Ryan Abramson ’94
Paul Ahearn ’01
Christopher and Stacey Albright
Jeffrey ’95 and Gina Angelucci
Francis ’69 and Anne Angiolillo
Anonymous Donor
William and Barbara Anthony
Paul Beck ’71
BLB&B Advisors, LLC
Michael and Tracy Boedewig
Jason and Rosemarie Boutilier
Paul and Alice Braun
Robert and Regina Brennan
James Brogan ’72 and Stacey Keenan
Donna Brown
Wyeth Burgess
James and Bushman
Francis ’96 and Stacey Butch
William ’85 and Joann Butler
Michael Byrne ’10
Albert and Stacey Champion
Gabriel ’82 and Pauline Cieri
Citizens Bank
Timothy ’76 and Rosemary Clay
The Coffey Family
Comcast Corporation
William and Melanie Davis
John and Cindy DeLuca
Michael and Mary Devine
Michael and Laura Dewees
Bill and Bridget Doherty
Gerald and Carol Donahue
Dennis Durkin
Glenn and Michelle Dydak
Edward ’82 and Kristin Easley
Joseph and Patricia Esposito
James ’97 and Jenny Esposito
Wayne Fawber and Lola Leonardo
Alfons and Isabela Filip
Thomas and Jill Fithian
James ’97 and Gabrielle Frawley
Keith and Tiffany Freiband
John and Barbara Gdovin
Richard and Jaclyn Gear
Brian Gossner ’97
Frances Grabish
Michael ’81 and Christine Harte
Andrew Hauber ’03
Robert Holmes
Matthew and Michelle Houseman
William and Christine Hussey
Tom Joyce
Jayme Karolyi
Francis and Marilyn Kerns
James and Shannon Koran
Theresa Kudla
James ’79 and Dana Lewis
Jun Li and Yunjun Yan
Robert ’65 and Christine Liberati
John and Amanda Loveman
Paul and Jill Lucas
Steven and Susan Macchione
Gamaliel and Lydia Martinez
Ryan ’95 and Megan Mastil
David ’76 and Nancy McBride
Thomas and Kathaleen McGinley
Eric and Meghan McHugh
Matthew McKeon ’99
Derek and Maria McNab
Michael Meistering
Peter and Laura Naccarato
Kenneth Novak and Angela Logan
Christopher Novick ’06
John ’81 and Laura O’Donnell
Sean and Carla O’Hara
Dennis ’84 and Tracy O’Leary
Edwin Palmer
John and Alison Paul
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Samuel ’87 and Michelle Perugini
David and Mary Petro
William Pitts
Edward and Marta Riendeau
Robin Hood Ventures
Edwin and Kelli Rosado
Anthony and Dana Samuel
Michael and Melissa Schafer
Michael and Margaret Seminack
Stephen Shandor ’79
Jay and Mia Sharlin
Dennis ’69 and Catherine Slattery
Michael ’94 and Jami Smith
Peter Sweeney
The Hartford
Gary and Susan Tretina
Jacob and Leanne Tuzza
Christopher ’03 and Meghan Vito
Bryan ’93 and Holly Walsh
Francis Weiss ’69
Robert ’67 and Mary Carol Williams
Jeremy Yespy
Eugene and Christine Zalewski
Pamela Zenzola
FRIENDS OF THE MISSION {$100-$249}
Joseph Adams ’75
Daniel Affeldt ’09
Anonymous Donor
Mark ’94 and Cathi Aridgides
Alyce Ashe
Gilbert and Maureen Bainbridge
Brian ’85 and Andrea Baker
Jason and Julia Bannon
David and Shirley Beal
Gerald and Mary Becker
Hannah Bend
Richard ’70 and Henrietta Biedrzycki
Stephen and Jody Bielecki
Jennifer Birkelien
Brian and Saramarie Bittmann
Helen Blier-Swider
Richard and Eugenia Bodnar
Steven ’85 and Shelly Bogle
Erica Brody
James and Kathleen Burke
Gregory and Didi Burns
Robert and Angela Burns
David and Kathleen Burst
Barry ’76 and Mary Lou Burton
Patrick and Patricia Cahill
Michael ’71 and Pamela Camiel
Raymond ’61 and Virginia Carlin
Lauren Carr
Edward and Marie Cartwright
Michael ’01 and Meghan Cavanaugh
Frank and Michelle Cerne
Christine Cerquetelli
Anthony ’71 and Jane Chapman
John Chapman ’72
David and Tara Charles
Brian Chiolan
Cole and Barbara Chun
Anthony Cirigliano ’04
Patrick Clapp ’90
Sarah Coh
Mary Connell
John Connor
Thomas and Ellen Conoscenti
Matthew and Amy Conoscenti
Nicholas Conway ’10
Carl Cordek ’70
Bruce ’75 and Robin Corini
John ’83 and Adeline Corry
Peter ’86 and Jennifer Cridge
Matthew and Allison Cronin
John and Colleen Crouse
Thomas Dailey ’77
Susan Daly
Frank and Debra Dellisante
Christopher and Cassandra Dietz
Ralph DiGuiseppe ’94
Ralph and Monica DiGuiseppe
William and Donna Donohoe
Robert Duaime
Daniel and Stephanie Duffy
Duke Energy Foundation
Michael and Nicole Ewerth
Joseph and Dawn Farrell
Kevin Faughnan and Keshu Yang
Daniel and Magda Fedejko
Michael ’98 and Carrie Fife
John ’89 and Clare Fitzpatrick
Dorothy Fitzpatrick
Dorothy Fitzpatrick
Amanda Flanagan
Rodger ’74 and Michele Flavin
Thomas and Donna Forkin
Joseph and Heather Forkin
Thomas ’70 and Elizabeth Fornal
John and Lynn Forsythe
Suzanne Foster
Michael ’74 and Karen Foster
Nathan Frey and Pauline Kouyoumdjian-Frey
William and Mary Ann Fucich
Richard and Ann Fuschetti
James and Katiebelle Gallagher
Albert and Lisa Gallo
Ann Gardiner
James and Heidi Gardner
James and Joanne Gault
Joseph Gaydosh ’06
Francis and Mary Gentile
Caroline Geremakis
John Giamalis ’83
Mark and Francine Gindele
Eugene ’89 and Cristie Giordano
Amy Glabicki
Sebastian Gosek ’03
Trish Gossick
Theodore and Nancy Grabowski
Kathleen Gregory
Sean Griffin ’99
Eric and Melissa Gyuraki
Lawrence ’88 and Nancy Harkins
Daniel ’86 and Theresa Harmon
James Harper ’92
Steven and Holly Hartner
Kathleen Hartnett
Edmond ’66 and Virginia Hartwich
> Why your GIFT matters
Your generosity made Holy Ghost Prep’s Duaime Athletic Complex a reality.
Charles Hauser ’67
Pingping He
Kathy Heilig
Shawn and Chevon Helms
Richard and Angelina Henn
Brian and Sharolyn Hessenthaler
Michael and Mary Higgins
Brian and Maureen Hilinski
Jeff Hoffman and Tara D’Alo
John Holmes ’84
Steven ’81 and Susan Howard
Bruce and Illiana Hubbard
Joseph ’71 and Joan Huntowski
Matthew Iacchei ’98
IBM
John and Diane Irwin
Robert and Mary Jackson
Dan and Beth Anne Jacobs
Dennis ’91 and Mauri Johnson
Robert and Christine Juliano
David and Maria Kasperowicz
Bart Kelleher
Bryan Kelleher ’17
James ’88 and Nicole Kerrigan
John ’74 and Deborah Killion
John and Eileen Klitsch
Drew ’74 and Cathy Knasiak
Alex and Tara Kolaris
Dennis and Joanne Konczyk
Constantine Konugres ’12
Chris and Julie Koppenheffer
Paul and Lori Ann La Plante
John La Rosa ’73
Joseph and Bernadette Laukaitis
David and Catherine Lawall
John and Ellen Lawall
Brian and Athena Levan
Sharon Levan
Kenneth ’05 and Karen Lorence
Nathaniel ’10 and Dominique Lorence
Richard and Concettina Lucarini
Ludus, LLC
Michael Lynagh ’61 and Marguerite Mertz
Gregory and Dana Lynch
Joseph ’75 and Denise Lynch
David and Jessica MacKay
John and Christina Mahan
John and Terri Malkowski
Thomas ’96 and Mary Mallon
Michael and Geraldine Malloy
Tim and Colleen Malpezzi
Matthew and Kimberly Massari
2023-2024 Giving Society Donors
Ann Matheis
Christopher McBride ’13
William ’81 and Theresa McCloskey
James ’02 and Nicole McCrane
Thomas and Stephanie McCurry
James and Mary Beth McFadden
Gerard ’98 and Rose McGeever
Daniel ’69 and Joni McKenna
David ’76 and Colleen McKenna
Alexander ’11 and Andrea McMullen
Thomas and Marion McNulty
Michael Meacham and Jeannine Chimbos
Timothy ’94 and Alicia Melinson
Robert Melling and Jennifer DiGuiseppe
Francis ’70 and Ann Menna
Philip and Ida Meringolo
Edmund and Kathryn Mindiak
Charles ’71 and Fiona Mitchell
Kenneth and Sammi Mo
Louis and Giulia Monaco
Jeffrey Moore
Ivan Morris
Alphonce ’10 and Kelley Mshomba
Richard and Elaine Mshomba
Elizabeth Murdy
Linda Musial
Duncan Muturi and Marilyn Wathiru
Robert ’06 and Danielle Naiberk
Scott and Le Nerenberg
Thomas ’80 and Elizabeth Nestel
Brian and Jennifer Nizio
Christopher ’96 and Tiffany Nork
James Nycz ’17
Daniel and Angela O’Brien
Sean O’Hara ’18
W. Gerard ’70 and Dina Oleksiak
Joe and Grace Opdyke
Steven and Diana Osiecki
Richard Owens
Jonathan and Ruela Pabalan
Vincent and Diane Paccapaniccia
Milton and Jennifer Padilla
Ankit ’98 and Urmi Parikh
William ’01 and Raquel Parkes
Arthur and Cathleen Parsons
David ’03 and Colie Pascone
John ’68 and Beth Peirce
William and Jennifer Perez
Wayne and Stacey Pinkstone
Richard Plunkett ’64
Christopher Potter ’83
Nora Price
Thomas and Elaine Profy
Ryan Raiker ’12
Albert Rauch ’82 and Karen Augustine-Rauch
Thomas and Christine Razler
Joseph and AnnMarie Reteneller
Daniel Richards
Daniel Riley ’00
Christopher ’90 and Carrie Rivera
William and Christine Robinson
Albert and Ann Romer
Joseph ’80 and Margaret Rosowski
Matthew ’98 and Megan Rosso
John and Anna Roth
Elizabeth Rottschaefer
Matthew Rueter ’18
Richard Scarlata
Michael Schwartz and Linda Morrell-Schwartz
Joseph ’74 and Rosemary Sharp
Matthew and Sheila Shaulis
Michael Shepherd ’82 and Sue Barr-Shepherd
Anthony ’79 and Ann Silvi
Bruce and Staci Simon
Stephen and Maryellen Siwiecki
Cindy Slutsky
Peter and Deborah Smiley
Patrick and Donna Smith
David Smith
Matthew ’02 and Christine Smith
Gerard ’65 and Mary Ann Smith
Joseph ’67 and Kathy Ann Smith
Helene Spause
Michael and Laly Spingler
Kathleen Stanton
Charles and Jo-El Steinmetz
James Stewart
Christopher and Stephanie Sullivan
Derek Swider
Niel ’80 and Linda Lee Tagliamonte
Joseph ’78 and Marylou Tantum
James ’89 and Janelle Tarpey
Patrick Taylor ’17
The Support Network of Madison
Sara Thompson
Timbo Trees LLC
Daniel and Jennifer Tirendi
Bao Tran and My Nguyen
Daniel ’66 and Rebekah Truxal
Cole and Roseanne Unger
Anthony ’97 and Kathleen Valach
William ’97 and Amy Van Sant
Donald and Lisa Varley
Michael Venedam
Debra Venedam
David Ventresca ’87
John ’74 and Theresa Vogel
John Vogler ’71
George ’74 and Barbara Vogler
Peter and Kelly Vyzaniaris
Thomas and Kristin Walsh
JoAnne Westberry
Mark and Amanda Whartenby
Fr. Michael White, C.S.Sp.
Jason White
Patricia White
Christopher and Elizabeth Whiteside
Albert Wilson ’17
Kevin Wilson ’97
Lloyd Wirshba
Elizabeth Wiseman
Brian ’84 and Dawn Wolford
Nicholas Wozniak ’08
Matthew ’96 and Lauren Zielenbach
THE FIREBIRD CLUB {up to $99}
Sasha and Colleen Afanassiev
Iretta Albright
Michael Altmeier ’00 and Stephanie Cohen
Anonymous Donor
Joseph and Kim Armitage
George Barbe ’17
Jeffrey and Aimee Bass
Brian and Michelle Bass
Brian and Jennifer Beatrice
Patrick ’05 and Lauren Becker
Michael Best ’07
Roland Blier
Henry and Renee Bollenbach
Richard ’93 and Michele Brady
Constance Brady
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Jeffrey ’02 and Varina Brown
Frani Bruno
Thomas and Elizabeth Bruno
John ’64 and Arlene Buettler
Rev. John Burger ’64
Joseph ’78 and Jeanne Burns
Robert and Ann Bushek
Kevin ’04 and Maryann Bushek
Michael Bushman ’88
Richard Butler
Nura Calderon
Anthony and Janine Cancelliere
Janine Cancelliere
Rita Cancelliere
Pietro and Lisa Candela
2023-2024 Giving Society Donors
John and Bree Cassidy
Peter Cassidy ’13
Kristen Celii
Linda Chewning
Richard and Wendy Chodes
Jessica Ciaramella
Meredith Cofer
Victor and Jacquie Cole
Anthony and Monica Conte
Robert ’75 and Cynthia Conway
Charles and Rita Corbett
Jared and Katrina Culhane
Katherine Curran
Piotr and Robin Cymbalski
Jennifer Daily
Lawrence and Carole Dalesandro
Stephen D’Andrea ’03
Evan Davis ’17
Ryan Deegan ’17
Joseph and Rosemarie DeFelice
Nicholas ’07 and Kara DeLuca
Joe and Stephanie Dembik
Dante DeSanctis ’17
David Di Paolo ’81 and Susan Fasulo
Timothy and Lisa DiCicco
Daniel DiFranco ’17
Anthony DiGirolamo ’98
Kevin Dineen ’17
Linda Dodge
Matthew Doucette ’18
Tyler Downing ’12
Daniel ’64 and Margaret Doyle
Vincent ’72 and Anne Drybala
Bernadette Dunn
Thomas and Nancy Eckerle
Richard ’02 and Claire Esche
James and Dorothy Esposito
Mark Featherstone ’17
Kevin Fenstermaker
Jacqueline Fey
Anthony Figliola
Richard and Ana Fitzhenry
Ryan Fitzpatrick ’20
Thomas Fluehr ’90
Sean and Karen Flynn
John ’99 and Gina Foody
Kathryn Forster
Michael Fortino and Maria Lehr-Fortino
Keith and Colleen Foster
Donald ’83 and Janet Furmanski
Bernard Gallagher
Adam Gasiewski ’17
Michael ’07 and Lauren Gaughan
Philip ’97 and Kimberly Gaughan
James Geddes ’08
Allison Gehlmeyer
George and Donna Geiss
Conor Gibbons ’17
Daniel and Debra Glod
Lawrence Goldenberg
John and Lisa Grabowski
Franics and Michelle Graham
Richard ’97 and Mary Haggerty
Sean and Dana Harrison
Edward Hepting ’67
John ’70 and Karen Herman
James and Moira Hill
Patrick ’01 and Desiree Hoelzle
Gerard and Ann Huot
David and Christine Iannacone
Joseph and Karen Iuliano
Michael ’01 and Jackie Jacobs
Matthew Jordan
Tyler Joyce ’16
Michael ’76 and Sheila Kahrimanian
Leonard and Maribeth Kane
Daniel and Tracy Kawash
Mark and Dana Keddie
Anthony and Diane Kelly
Robert Kensil
Christopher King ’96
Amanda Kirby
Brian and Theresa Kohler
Karen Kohler
Albert and Marylin Kopczenski
Ryan Kovacevich ’14
John ’65 and Sharon Lachall
John LaRosa ’17
Peter Lee and Jeanne Chong
Hector Leonardo and Wendy Brewer
Justin Letizia ’17
Daniel and Michelle Lodise
Robert and Alicia Loper
Elizabeth Lorence
Greg and Georganne Lutz
Joseph Lynch ’67
Dominic Macaluso ’17
Kyle Macan ’19
Jonathan and Beth Mahan
Michael Major ’15
Matthew Marcinkowski ’22
Ronald and Stephanie Marcinkowski
Walter Marcinkowski ’17
Gerard ’03 and Lindsay Margiotti
Anthony and Cheryl Marino
Ronald and Brenda Marrero
John and Anne Mastil
Stephen ’92 and Jacqueline Mastil
Michael Matza ’72 and Kate Boczar
Joseph ’70 and Eileen Maum
Ken and Maureen McDermott
Brian and Dianna McDonough
Robert and Nora McDonough
Dale ’70 and Sherry McFadden
Richard McFillin and Kimberly Pawlowski McFillin
Daniel and Carolyn McGovern
Michael and Bridget McGrogan
Patrick ’86 and Patricia McKeown
John and Carolyn McLoughlin
Robert McLoughlin ’17
Robert and Mary McNally
Linda McQuoid
Michael and Susan Milici
Donald and Elizabeth Sue Miller
Gerard Mittleberger
Kristi Morgridge
Carey Mundhenk
Michael ’06 and Jackie Murray
Nathan Nicastro ’17
Patrick and Michelle Nipper
Vincent and Jennifer Nowakowski
Richard ’97 and Amy O’Brien
Charles and Lori O’Connor
Patrick O’Donnell
Robert and Jennifer Pawlowski
Freddy Perez and Victoria Caicedo
Carol Ann Peterson
Dominic and Linda Petolillo
Frank and Jennifer Pezzotta
Adrienne Pfaeffli
Robert Pfender ’05 and Christina Cicco
Martin and Mary Ellen Phillips
Michael and Marci Pienkowski
Andrea Pigott
Mark and Kathleen Pisauro
Micheal and Alison Polek
Timothy and Amanda Power
Michael and Erin Previtera
Timothy Price ’17
Luke Profy ’17
Thomas and Maureen Quintieri
Andrew and Jacqueline Racz
Nolan Raghu ’17
Charles ’73 and Kathleen Rauchut
Red Hat
Daniel Reifsnyder ’17
Thomas ’04 and Elizabeth Ricchezza
Eric and Megan Riley
Bradley and Kristi Ringen
John Ritchie ’06
Robert and Christine Rittenmeyer
Sascha Robinson
Karenna Rodriguez
Terrence and Jennifer Rooney
Jose and Ana Rosado
Andrew Rose ’14
Heather Rowan-Kenyon
Shuvankar Roy and Neetu Gupta
George Rusnak ’18
John Sager and Moira Meacham
Rita Sammons
Stephen ’00 and Amy Sawka
Thomas ’95 and Sarah Saxton
John Scafidi
Nancy Schneider
Robert and Jennifer Scotese
Thomas and Eileen Scotti
Dmitri and Melissa Segarich
John Selsky ’69
Anthony and Kerri Smigo
Frank ’69 and Randi Sobolesky
James ’87 and Maureen Socha
Rev. Dan Sormani, C.S.Sp.
Brian and Tara Spadaccino
St. Andrews School Fund
Anthony and Lorilee Stearn
Robert Stewart and Rosemarie Citrino-Stewart
William Stewart ’12
Dennis and Shannon Strange
John Sunkiskis ’69
Alan Superfine
Derek Swider ’19
Kevin ’01 and Emily Sylvester
Joseph and Wanda Taibi
Robert and Catherine Talarico
Alexander Taylor ’19
Sean ’01 and Audrey Tierney
Daniel and Jennifer Tietz
Grant Toller ’15
P. Matthew Toto ’05
Palmer Toto
Joseph and Marianne Trovato
John and Lois Tyburski
Theresa Venedam-Fleming
Angelo and Bethanne Vigliotti
Ryan Wade ’16
Kevin and Stacy Walsh
Charles and Melissa Walters
Joseph and Elizabeth Walton
> Why your GIFT matters
In 2023-24, over 55% of HGP students received a need-based or meritbased scholarship.
CBRE, MGC Landscaping, The Nowak Family, Shady Brook Farm, and ZNH Technologies
Friends of HGP Sponsors:
Connelly Foundation, Curtin & Heefner, GDS
Interior Architecture, In A Flash Plumbing/ Heating, Mahan Family, MRP Office Front
Solutions, and Villa Joseph Marie High School
Campus NEWS
Holy Ghost Prep Graduates Its Class of 2024
HOLY GHOST PREP graduated 112 seniors at its commencement exercises on Saturday, June 1 on the campus lawn behind Cornwells Hall.
During the ceremony, students were recognized for their accomplishments and were reminded of the lessons learned at Ghost by classmate Michael Holt, who weaved a theme of “If the graduates’ blazers could talk, what stories they could tell” throughout his cleverly constructed valedictorian speech.
“Our Ghost blazers are our story,” said Holt. “Each person and their blazer paints the picture of how we, the Class of 2024, have learned, witnessed, strived, sang, laughed, cried, won, lost, danced, and celebrated.”
Besides Holt, the other featured graduation speakers were salutatorian Dominic Gallo, Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79, and David J. Dausey, Ph.D., Ed.D., executive vice president and provost of Duquesne University.
“But before you leave HGP to begin authoring life’s next chapter, I want to offer you one piece of advice. And it’s a really simple piece of advice: Stay connected — never lose that sense of community and brotherhood that is Holy Ghost Prep,” Geruson told the graduates. “It is not as easy to do as it sounds. Friends move, life changes, career opportunities unfold. But you are a remarkably close group. My prayer for you is that it always remains that way.”
Gallo talked about how “change is certainly not a Ghost-specific idea; but here, change is special.” Dausey assured HGP’s Class of 2024 that they were ready for what’s next in life, pointing out that the 112 graduates present had earned a combined $40 million in college scholarships, an “amount that could purchase 100 median-priced homes, 864 median-priced cars, or, more relatably, 7.7 million Big Mac sandwiches.”
2025
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
Holy Ghost Prep will hold its annual commencement exercises for the Class of 2025 on May 31 on the Clock Tower lawn.
Justin Goulet ’99 is Holy Ghost Prep’s Next Director of Admissions
AFTER AN EXTENSIVE search, Justin Goulet ’99 has been selected as Holy Ghost Prep’s next director of admissions, effective July 1.
Goulet has spent the past 18-plus years as an English teacher, department chair, and varsity tennis coach at Holy Ghost Prep. In addition, Goulet has been a valued member of HGP’s admissions team for years — conducting admissions interviews with prospective families, playing a key role in admissions events, and interacting with prospective students/families as one of the leaders of the school’s Ghost Summer program.
“Justin Goulet is a great fit as our new director of admissions. He brings an alum’s love to the position, an entire career of knowledge about the school, the skills of a gifted communicator — both spoken and written — and a relaxed yet professional style that puts both students and parents at ease,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson’79. “There was unanimous agreement from the search committee that he was the choice, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Goulet is honored to become Holy Ghost Prep’s new admissions director.
“Holy Ghost Prep has been my home for more than half of my life,” says Goulet. “HGP had and still has a tremendous impact on me each and every single day, and I look forward to communicating the Holy Ghost Prep difference to future generations of Ghost families.”
Goulet will finish out the 2024-25 academic year in his current roles as an English teacher, department chair, and head varsity tennis coach before becoming the admissions director and a member of the school’s executive team this summer.
Goulet holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communications as well as a master’s degree in English — both from Villanova University. Goulet has won many accolades during his teaching career at Holy Ghost Prep — most recently being named the 2024 winner of the John Buettler ’64 Outstanding Spiritan Educator Award in a vote of HGP’s entire faculty and staff.
Guru Patel ’25 Achieves Highest Possible ACT Score
HOLY GHOST PREP senior Guru Patel has earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36.
How rare is the feat that Patel achieved? Only 0.25% of all test takers scored a 36.
“Guru is a highly motivated young man who has truly excelled as a student at Holy Ghost Prep,” says AnnMarie Reteneller, director of college guidance at HGP. “Guru is a quietly confident young man with many gifts and talents. Through academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, and different volunteer opportunities in the medical profession, Guru always contributes his best effort and continues to be open to expanding his talents even further.”
One of the top students in Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2025, Patel, who wants to be a doctor, currently takes an AP-laden course load and is involved in numerous extracurricular activities.
His in-school activities include running track and cross-country, establishing a CPR training program at Ghost, serving as the Chemistry Olympiad founder/president and Physics Olympiad co-founder/vice president, participating in Mathletes, and serving as an Unum house leader.
Outside of school, Patel is a nursing home/hospice volunteering team leader at Chandler Hall, is obtaining his private pilot’s license at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, and has been an operating room scrub tech for a private plastic surgeon, observing countless plastic surgeries in the process. Patel has also participated in the Shriners Hospital Research Program and has done a research lab internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“Guru is one of the most motivated students I have ever met,” says Thomas Saxton ’95, who had Patel in his AP United States Government and Politics class last year. “Whether he pursues medical research or something else, he can do whatever he wants; he has great potential.”
Patel’s perfect ACT score adds credence to Saxton’s statement. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science, each scored on a scale of 1-36. A student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores.
Five HGP Students
Receive National Merit® Recognition
FIVE HOLY GHOST PREP seniors have earned recognition in the 70th annual National Merit® Scholarship Program.
Daniel Perez and Brendan Bittman have been named semifinalists for the 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program. The semifinalists are among 16,000 students nationwide chosen to compete for the National Merit Finalist level and Merit Scholarship competition. Students qualify for semifinalist recognition by their 2023 PSAT results.
The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Perez and Bittman have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit® scholarships that will be awarded in the spring of 2025.
Three additional Holy Ghost Prep students have been selected as commended students. They are Jacob Hackman, Jonathan Hackman, and Isaac Newell. These students are being recognized for the exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test used for this program. Commended students are in the top 3-4% of all test takers.
“I am extremely proud of these five Holy Ghost students who were recognized by the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program,” said Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to the diligence and determination that each of these students puts toward their academics.”
Holy Ghost Prep recognized these five outstanding students at the school’s morning meeting on September 11.
“We are proud of these young men, not just for this recognition as a National Merit Scholar, but for their commitment to their overall academic excellence,” said Holy Ghost Prep principal Kevin Burke.
HGP Welcomes Seven New Employees
HOLY GHOST PREP WELCOMED seven new employees at the start of the 2024-25 academic year. The collective credentials of the new employees are truly impressive, and HGP is excited to have each and every one of them on the team:
Mike Ivcic ’03 is HGP’s new business teacher in residence. He is a 2007 University of Dayton graduate and is the managing director of municipals at Bancroft Capital, LLC.
Julia Schumacher is HGP’s new assistant director of college guidance. This marks a return to Holy Ghost for Schumacher, who previously served as an intern in the counseling office during the 2022-23 school year. She replaces Joe Dembik, who is now HGP’s new theology department chair and the director of retreats.
Renee Evans, a current and alumni HGP parent, was hired as a learning support professional. She will be working alongside Theresa Kohler to support the academic needs of the HGP students in the Montgomery Scholars program. Evans has 17 years of experience working in multiple education roles.
Lauren Carr joins our math department. She held a variety of roles at Villa Joseph Marie — teaching math for the past 20 years, serving stints as math department chairperson and director of curriculum and instruction, and then becoming Villa Joseph Marie’s principal in 2013.
Susan Lodise joins Holy Ghost Prep as our new school nurse. She has been a compassionate and dedicated health care provider for the past 25 years, with experience in infusion therapy, vascular access, and pediatrics.
Glenn Dyson is a new math and physics teacher at Holy Ghost Prep. He has 32 years of experience teaching math and physics for the School District of Philadelphia.
Jonathan Gilbert is HGP’s new video and digital communications manager. He comes to Holy Ghost Prep from the Agnes Irwin School, where he served as a creative content producer, and the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a video producer for Penn athletics.
The Best of the Best
AFTER AN OUTSTANDING 45-year teaching career, including the past 27 years at Holy Ghost Prep, Gerri Carmine retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Since arriving at Holy Ghost Prep in August of 1997, Carmine taught algebra, geometry, calculus, math analysis, and statistics. Her teaching duties took a back seat for a few years when she became the school’s dean of studies, a role in which she was responsible for creating a class schedule for every student in the school. But Carmine missed teaching, so she went back to fulltime teaching in the fall of 2019 (all while helping the then-new dean of academics, Pat Hoelzle ’01, learn the ropes).
“Gerri mentored me when she went back to the classroom, and I stepped into the dean of academics role, a role she held for seven years. In my first couple of weeks in the role, she answered more than one frantic email from me — some while she was on a mission trip to Africa — when I really had no idea what I was doing,” said Hoelzle. “Five years in this role and I’m still asking her questions and she still knows the answers. I’ll be forever grateful for the sense of calm reassurance she provides not only for me, but for every one of her students. I am proud to call her a colleague, a mentor, and a friend.”
Carmine’s masterful teaching ability, along with her sense of humor, patience, and kindness, resulted in her being a mentor to many colleagues over the years.
Moira Hill, HGP’s math department chair and a math teacher at Ghost, said: “Gerri is the best of the best. When I think of HGP, I think of Gerri. Gerri has been my go-to person over the last nine years. Her passion for math and teaching is unparalleled. She works tirelessly to help her students, gives the best advice, is willing to try something new, and is always there to lend a listening ear. I am lucky to call her my colleague, and more
importantly, my friend. I am going to miss her dearly.”
In the spring of 2023, Carmine was named the first recipient of the new Outstanding Spiritan Educator Award named in honor of iconic HGP teacher John Buettler ’64.
All told, Carmine has taught for 45 years — eight years at Nazareth Academy, then 10 years at Bucks County Community College (with two years at Delaware Community College, along with BCCC), and then for the past 27 years at Holy Ghost Prep.
In addition to her leadership, HGP’s faculty and staff will also miss Gerri’s incredible baking skills — especially her homemade pizzelles every Christmas season. Her colleagues will also undoubtedly miss the selection of pies that she would buy and lay out in the faculty dining room every March 14 (Pi Day).
“I will definitely miss the people at Ghost, especially the colleagues that became friends, and the students for keeping me sharp and up to date,” says Carmine.
Now retired, Carmine is looking forward to traveling with her husband, Frank. She has already booked four trips over the next two years. Carmine is headed to Scotland in December 2024; Sicily in March 2025; and then is taking a Christmas Markets Danube cruise to Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Budapest in December 2025.
A woman of many interests, Carmine will keep plenty busy when she’s not traveling — including doing an expansion of her little urban “farmlette.”
“I recently purchased more fruit trees, strawberries, asparagus, and several more berry bushes,” says Carmine. “Yes, I live in Northeast Philadelphia with a small backyard, but I’ll make it work!
“Also, I’ll continue reading, walking, and hiking, and of course, cooking and baking.”
Campus NEWS
Celebrating Academic Excellence
MANY OF HOLY GHOST Prep’s best and brightest students in the Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027 were recognized at an Academic Honors Convocation on May 28.
In addition to a slew of academic awards and inductions into honor societies for excellence in world languages, mathematics, English, and science, a series of scholarships and prestigious prizes were presented over the course of the ceremony.
Rob Loper ’25 received the Downey Scholarship, a scholarship that is presented to an HGP student who best exhibits a blend of academic ability, a sound work ethic, and a strong school spirit. The recipient fully supports and practices the Catholic beliefs and values taught at Holy Ghost Prep.
Matteo DiCicco ’25 was presented with the Francis J. Marx ’00 Scholarship, a scholarship that is awarded to a Holy Ghost Prep student who demonstrates leadership, sound academic ability, and a commitment to giving back to HGP. This scholarship is named in memory of Francis J. Marx ’00, a brilliant young man who died tragically at the age of 21 in 2004.
Anthony Marrero ’25 received the Thomas F. Flynn Scholarship, which is presented to a member of the current junior class of Holy Ghost Prep who best demonstrates an adventurous spirit, a sense of independence, sound academic ability, service to the school community, and physical and athletic rigor.
Syed Hassan Raza Naqvi ’25 was awarded the Clare McGovern-Warning Scholarship (in memory of St. Katherine Drexel), given to a current junior who demonstrates a love of God, demonstrated by a willingness to use personal resources for others; a faithful regard for religious obligations; a diligence toward schoolwork; assumption of family responsibilities; efforts to reach out to people different than himself; and efforts to embrace all members of the school community.
Cayden Stewart ’25 received the Amy Kohler Memorial Scholarship, which is presented to a Holy Ghost Prep student who demonstrates exceptional all-around character. This recipient is a student who participates in extracurricular activities, contributes significantly to the school, and challenges himself in the classroom.
Peter Olsen ’25 and Adrian Calderon ’26 were both awarded Class of ’79 Scholarships.
Owen Bittmann ’27, Nicholas Filip ’27, and Ryan Stearn ’27 each received Kevin Montgomery National Honors Society scholarships, named in honor of Kevin Montgomery, a Holy Ghost Prep student whose life was tragically cut short at the age of 17 from complications of a diabetic attack in 1998. Montgomery, who carried a 3.98 GPA and was set to attend Duquesne University in the fall of 1998, was one of those students who dove into everything that Holy Ghost Prep had to offer. He also found time to tutor his classmates and was the driving force behind the creation of the Holy Ghost Prep National Honor Society tutoring program.
Jeb Bannon ’25 was chosen as the National Art Honor Society Scholarship winner, and Liam Winkler ’25 was the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award winner.
The John Buettler Outstanding Spiritan Educator Award winner, as voted on by the Holy Ghost Prep faculty and staff, was presented to English department chair and English teacher extraordinaire Justin Goulet ’99. A truly deserving recipient, Justin has delivered many years of teaching excellence to HGP students.
In addition, the following awards were presented at Holy Ghost’s Academic Honors Convocation on May 28:
The Harvard Prize Book Award (presented to a rising senior who demonstrates excellence in scholarship and achievement in other non-academic areas deemed to be worthy by reason of scholarship, character, school spirit, influence, and all-around ability): Cole Rosini ’25
Excellence in Art Awards: Jeb Bannon ’25, Angelo Codospoti ’25, Liam Power ’25, Patrick Tavernier ’25, Cillian Bender ’26, Gavin Egan ’26, Daniel Iannacone ’26, Jude Ringen ’26, Nicholas Filip ’27, Stephen Hellings ’27, Liam Robinson ’27, Nathaniel WoldeYohannes ’27
Excellence in Music Awards: Chase Halpin ’25, Joshua Manangan ’25, Evan McCrane ’25, Thomas Qunintieri ’25, Xyrus Mangapit ’26, John McKenna ’26, Bradley McNally ’26, O’Bryan Pierre ’26, Finn Bruno ’27, Zachary Huot ’27, Nicholas Kane ’27, James Manangan ’27
Excellence in Social Studies Awards: Brendan Bittmann ’25, Brian Chewning ’25, Matteo DiCicco ’25, Liam Power ’25, Sean Boedewig ’26, Gianluca Cavallo ’26, Karl Hussey ’26, Xyrus Mangapit ’26, Brendan Meehan ’26, Kolton Koron ’27, Joseph Nizio ’27, Thomas Mallon ’27, Ryan Stearn ’27
Excellence in English Awards: Brendan Bittmann ’25, Ryan Mendez ’25, Cole Rosini ’25, Liam Winkler ’25, Sean Boedewig ’26, Christian Fonseca ’26, Timothy O’Reilly ’26, Nicholas Riccio ’26, Owen Bittmann ’27, Thomas Glod ’27, Chase Hoffman ’27, Landon Nerenberg ’27
Excellence in Science Awards: Brian Chewning ’25, Daniel Fawber ’25, Guru Patel ’25, Jake Schutsky ’25, Cillian Binder ’26, Xyrus Mangapit ’26, Louis Monaco ’26, Jude Ringen ’26, Kellan Mahan ’27, Thomas Mallon ’27, Joseph Nizio ’27, Keven Rodriguez ’27
Excellence in Religion Awards: Tyler Fey ’25, Rob Loper ’25, Mark Stendardo ’25, Liam Winkler ’25, Rodolfo Espinoza ’26, Matthew Evans ’26, Louis Monaco ’26, Nicholas Riccio ’26, Andrew Knaus ’27, Isaac Lee ’27, Kellan Mahan ’27, Ian Schneider ’27
Excellence in Computer Science Awards: Jacob Hackman ’25, Mark Stendardo ’25, Marcel Chattophadhyay ’26, Brendan Lawson ’26, Ronan Anderson ’27, Stephen Hellings ’27
Excellence in Mathematics Awards: Brendan Bittmann ’25, Joshua Manangan ’25, Guru Patel ’25, Liam Winkler ’25, Cillian Binder ’26, Marcel Chattophadhyay ’26, Jackson Culhane ’26, Xyrus Mangapit ’26, Brendan Meehan ’26, Ethan Comitalo ’27, Nicholas Filip ’27, Isaac Lee ’27, Joseph Nizio ’27
Top Mathlete Scorers (by year): Sean Boyle ’24, Jonathan Hackman ’25, Marcel Chattophadhyay ’26 and Xyrus Mangapit ’26, Nicholas Filip ’27
Excellence in French Awards: Jackson Culhane ’26 (level two); Braden Wetzler ’25 (level three)
Excellence in Latin Awards: Christian Ewerth ’27 and Landon Nerenberg ’27 (level one); Cillian Binder ’26 and Christian Fonseca ’26 (level two); Joshua Manangan ’25 and Anthony Marrero ’25 (level three)
Excellence in Spanish Awards: Thomas Aschenbrenner ’27, Owen Bittmann ’27, Adrian Calderon ’27, Thomas Mallon ’27, and Bodi Tran ’27 (level one); Daniel Felli ’26 (level two); Guru Patel ’25 (level three)
Mike Pappadakis Retires from Teaching
AFTER A DISTINGUISHED career as an engineer and an educator, one that included over two decades of teaching at Holy Ghost Prep, Mike Pappadakis retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Pappadakis enjoyed two separate teaching stints at Holy Ghost Prep — from 1971 through 1974 and then again from 2004 through 2024. During his time at Holy Ghost Prep, he taught a wide variety of courses in physics, mathematics, and even mechanical engineering and design.
Pappadakis left HGP in 1974 to pursue a successful 30-year career as an engineer. During those years, he was also a part-time instructor at Delaware Valley University and Bucks County Community College. Pappadakis realized after one of his Delaware Valley classes that it was time to make a career change back to teaching.
“I had kept in touch with HGP during those 30 years, and I knew I did not want to teach at any other school,” says Pappadakis. “So I contacted Ted Grabowski and he gave me Paul Pomeroy’s name, who at that time was HGP’s principal, and the rest is history.”
“Mr. Pappadakis mixed his passion for teaching, experience in the field, and love for science to create an amazing classroom atmosphere,” says Holy Ghost Prep principal Kevin Burke. “We were blessed to have him as an educator for two separate stints, which combined for many years of dedication to HGP.”
Pappadakis’ mastery of the subject matter, commitment to bring out the best in each student, and trademark sense of humor made him a popular teacher throughout his many years at Ghost.
“Mike is a great example of the classic Holy Ghost Prep faculty member — he was committed to our Spiritan charism, dedicated to his field of study, and devoted to bringing the sciences to life for his students,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “He joins a list of great faculty retirees and he will be missed.”
Mark Seibert ’18 had the privilege of knowing Pappadakis as
his teacher (he took his pre-calculus class as an HGP senior) and as a colleague (Seibert just completed his first year at HGP as a science teacher).
“I am saddened to hear this news (of Pappadakis’ retirement),” says Seibert. “I had the privilege of taking Mike’s pre-calculus class my senior year. This was right about the time that things started to click for me in mathematics. The confidence he was able to instill in me as a student is still ever-present within me today.
“In fact, if it weren’t for Mike Pappadakis, I am not sure if I would have ever finished my college degree. I withdrew from calculus after my first semester in college — at the time, I couldn’t tell you what a derivative was, let alone how to solve for one.”
Seibert returned to HGP as a visitor for the first time in 2018, at Thanksgiving, and he ran into Pappadakis. “I saw ‘Mr. P’ in the hallway and he stopped me to ask how calculus was going, and I said not well,” Seibert recalls. “It was a foreign language to me. I had to withdraw and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever understand it.”
Pappadakis explained the huge difference between pre-calculus and calculus and, of course, offered to help Seibert in any way that he could. Before Seibert departed that day, Pappadakis told him: “Look, this is one of those things where you’re going to retake the class next year, and you’re going to get the highest grade in the course. That’s all you need. You just need to see it again. You’ll do great. Keep me updated.”
Seibert still had his doubts but he retook the class a year later and, you guessed it, finished with the highest grade in the class.
Seibert still recalls Pappadakis’ characteristic jokes in the classroom — whether it was pointing in the direction of School Lane Charter across the street as a way of sending his students to “little people school” after incorrectly answering a rather simple question or offering a (fictitious) “cee-gar” for a job well done.
“Mike demanded the best of his students each and every day, and he would not accept anything less. His unwavering commitment to bring out each student’s potential is what made him such an effective educator,” says Seibert. “It was never a part of his character to give up on a student who asked for help.
“As a colleague, I am grateful for his guidance in helping me navigate my first year in the classroom. He was always willing to lend an ear and talk things through with me without hesitation, sometimes at the cost of a free period, for which I cannot thank him enough. Mike will certainly be missed within the science and math departments, but his impact on the HGP community is certainly shared and felt by many.”
Seibert admits that he will miss seeing “Mr. P” on a daily basis, but wishes him all the best.
“I wish Mike all the best as he embarks on this new chapter of his life and finally takes some time for himself,” says Seibert. “Maybe he’ll even enjoy his own cee-gar on the beach somewhere.”
The cigar might have to wait, because Mike and his wife, Noreen, have a new granddaughter that they want to spend a lot more time with.
“We also both like bike riding and photography, so we will be spending time pursuing those activities,” says Pappadakis. “I am passionate about woodworking so I plan to spend more time in my workshop. I have two music boxes I am working on — one for our granddaughter and one for our daughter-in-law.”
Alumni NEWS
Mike Carragher ’80 Serves as Executive in Residence
MIKE CARRAGHER ’80, president and CEO of the Massachusetts-based civil engineering consulting and design firm VHB, became the latest HGP alum to serve as Holy Ghost Prep’s executive in residence this past March.
Since becoming president in 2015, Carragher has led VHB through one of its most transformational, successful, and strategic periods of growth, geographic expansion, and technological advancement. He is also a passionate and vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion across the architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) industry.
During his full day on campus, Carragher spoke in a couple classes about his time at Holy Ghost Prep and his career path, toured campus, and had lunch with HGP administrators and students.
During his talk in Justin Goulet’s World Literature I class comprised entirely of HGP seniors, Carragher did a quick retrospective of his life and career. He spoke about growing
up in Northeast Philadelphia and his father’s sudden passing when he was just a seventh grader, and also discussed working at VHB on some of the largest infrastructure projects in U.S. history (including the “Big Dig” that changed the face of downtown Boston and installing the first rail system in the history of Orlando, Fla.).
His talk was filled with valuable takeaways for the Ghost students.
“Life is too short to do things halfway,” Carragher told the World Lit students. “So whatever you decide to do in life, go all in, and occasionally step outside your comfort zone because doing that will help you grow. And lean on your faith and the lessons you’ve learned here at Holy Ghost Prep.
“I have tried to do all of these things during my career and it’s made all of the difference in the world.”
Carragher holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware in civil engineering. He began his career at engineering firms in transit and infrastructure design. He joined VHB in 1998 as director of the transit and rail program, and progressively moved through senior leadership positions, becoming president in 2015. Throughout his career, Carragher has had the opportunity to work on some of the most complex mobility challenges, including highway and multimodal systems in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., and Orlando.
“We were thrilled to have Mike back on campus to serve as our latest executive in residence,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79, who was a soccer teammate of Carragher at Ghost. “Mike really connected well with our students and provided invaluable insight to them.”
Holy Ghost Prep’s executive in residence program, which began in 2015, is modeled after similar experiences found at many top business schools at major universities where senior executives who are alums are integrated into the life of the school.
Previous HGP executive in residence visitors have included Ray Glemser ’79, co-founder and CEO of Glemser Technologies; Robert Barber ’75, executive director and senior legal counsel in AT&T’s Washington, D.C. office; acclaimed financial writer turned novelist Jim McTague ’67; actor/director Paul McCrane ’78; and general counsel for Vineyard Vines Justin Zamparelli ’92.
“Our executive in residence program is just another avenue for Holy Ghost Prep alums to give back to our school,” says Geruson. “We are grateful for their willingness to give of their time and to share real-world experiences with our young men.”
George Graffy ’82 Receives
the McCloskey
Award
DURING THE 2024 commencement exercises on June 1, George Graffy ’82, the president of Smart Circle LLC and a former member of Holy Ghost Prep’s Board of Trustees, received the Reverend James P. McCloskey, C.S.Sp. ’70 Award. The award is given to “an alumnus whose profound generosity, commitment, and support demonstrates a unique understanding of the mission of Holy Ghost Prep.”
“George is an ideal recipient of this award. He loves Holy Ghost Prep, understands our Spiritan charism, and is so very generous with his time, his expertise, and his financial support,” says Holy Ghost president Gregory J. Geruson ’79.
Graffy has been president of Smart Circle since 2003. Smart Circle has nearly 10,000 full-time sales representatives who are deployed in major retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada, including Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, BJ’s, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Kroger, and Target. These representatives engage in face-to-face new customer acquisition on behalf of Fortune 500 companies like AT&T, Verizon, Frontier Communications, Just Energy, Rogers Communications, and many others.
Prior to joining Smart Circle, Graffy held executive marketing positions with Yum! Brands, PepsiCo, and the Clorox Company. He also is a certified public accountant and worked early in his career at Deloitte, where he won the Alexander E. Loeb Gold Award for scoring the highest grade on the CPA exam in the state of Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, Graffy has been, in his own words, “the creative marketing and sales guy who is also really good at math.”
During his six-year tenure on HGP’s Board of Trustees that ended this past spring, Graffy was a driving force behind the successful completion of Holy Ghost Prep’s Vision 2020 strategic plan, a $7.5 million campaign that transformed the school’s facilities in the areas of STEM, the performing arts, and athletics. As
the host committee chairman for the 50th anniversary celebration of HGP forensics, he helped to ensure the future of the school’s most storied program by establishing the $500,000 Tony Figliola Forensics Endowment Fund. As a student, Graffy was a member of HGP’s first state championship forensics teams in 1981 and 1982, and he was also the 1982 state champion in prose interpretation.
In 2021, Graffy became the founding chairman of the HGP President’s Leadership Council. As chair, he works tirelessly to keep HGP’s most passionate and loyal alumni, parents, friends, former trustees, and financial supporters actively engaged and informed about what is happening at the school today. In addition, he served as the commencement speaker for HGP’s Class of 2023.
“My parents truly loved Holy Ghost … but even with great sacrifice, they could not have afforded to send me to HGP without the aid of the four-year Spiritan scholarship that I was blessed to receive,” says Graffy. “Even as a teenager, I realized that Holy Ghost was a special place, and I felt an obligation to remain fully engaged throughout my four years to extract the most out of the experiences that were offered to me.
“Little did I know then that 40 years later I would still feel a sincere passion and desire to make certain that Holy Ghost remains in a strong financial position to continue to help young men identify and refine their strengths and talents. Today, my parents would be proud to see me accept this award and to know that I’ve continued to make the support of Holy Ghost Prep one of the highest ongoing priorities of my adult life.”
Graffy joins an illustrious group of McCloskey Award winners:
2002 Fr. James McCloskey ’70
2003 Leonard Moss ’50
2004 John Buettler ’64
2005 Joseph Blaston ’75
2006 Joseph Quinlan ’71
2007 Frank Guarrieri ’70
2008 Anthony Geonnotti ’76
2009 John Mundy ’65
2010 Anthony Naccarato ’84
2011 Thomas Holt ’81
2013 Fr. Jeffrey Duaime ’76
2016 John Di Paolo ’87
2017 Bob Watters ’81
2018 Tony Chapman ’71
2019 Vincent Profy ’65
2021 Gregory Nowak ’77
2022 Jerry Stahlecker ’83
2023 John Fitzpatrick ’89
LOOKING TO GET MORE involved?
WORK WITH THE HGP ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN OFFERING YOUR TIME AND TALENT TO THE SCHOOL.
SERVE AS CLASS AGENT TO HELP PROMOTE HGP EVENTS AND GIVING VOLUNTEER FOR LEAP (HGP’S STUDENT EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM)
Ken Lorence ’05/President 64LORENCE@GMAIL.COM
Jim Esposito ’97/Co-Vice President ESPOSIT832@HOTMAIL.COM
Dave Pascone ’03/ Co-Vice President DAVE.PASCONE@GMAIL.COM
50-Year Reunion
ON JUNE 1, Holy Ghost Prep welcomed back over twenty Class of 1974 alumni and their guests for the celebration of the group’s 50th Reunion. The daylong celebration included taking part in the graduation ceremony, tours of campus, reminiscing about the state basketball title, and a special cocktail reception and dinner.
FYI: The 50th Reunion for HGP’s Class of 1975 will take place on May 31, 2025.
Nice Turnout for NYC Alumni Happy Hour
HOLY GHOST PREP’S New York City Alumni Happy Hour event at Bella Union on September 26 was well attended. HGP alums from different eras enjoyed talking about the good old days at Ghost.
Volunteer TO BE A CLASS AGENT. DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR HGP CLASSMATES ON A REGULAR BASIS? IF SO, WE NEED YOU. PLEASE CONTACT JACKIE GEAR AT jgear@holyghostprep.org TO BECOME A CLASS AGENT.
Elena Adams Is HGP’s New Ultimate Frisbee Coach
ELENA ADAMS, WHO has been playing competitive college and club level Ultimate for over a decade, has been named the new Ultimate Frisbee head coach at Holy Ghost Prep.
Adams, who played collegiately at Rowan University, is very involved in both the New Jersey and Philadelphia area Ultimate communities, most recently playing with the mixed club team Jughandle. Adams succeeds Tom Croskey, who left Holy Ghost Prep after 17 years at the school to take a teaching job at the Penn Wood Academy in Delaware County.
Adams inherits a successful Holy Ghost Prep program from Croskey. The Firebirds have qualified to compete in the Pennsylvania state championships every year since 2018. The Firebirds welcome back a vast majority of their team — including proven leaders in seniors Carter Beaver, Braden Wetzler, and Allan Adrayan — so Adams’ goal will be to prepare this team for league competition in the spring with the hope of qualifying for the 2025 Pennsylvania state championships.
“Elena Adams is the perfect choice to lead our Ultimate program because of her deep experience, passion, and leadership,” says Holy Ghost Prep athletic director Craig Conlin. “With over a decade of playing at the college and club level, she understands both the technical and strategic aspects of the game. Her knowledge, combined with her ability to inspire and mentor young athletes, makes her an ideal role model for our students.”
HGP’s Cross-Country Team Nearly Wins Fifth Straight District One Title
THE HOLY GHOST PREP cross-country team finished second to Lower Moreland at the 2024 PIAA District One Class 2A cross-country championships on October 25 at Lehigh University, snapping its four-year streak of team district titles.
The Firebirds had three top-10 finishers in the District One race and all three were district medalists: senior Daniel Perez (second place), sophomore Jack Loveman (third place), and sophomore Owen Bittmann (10th place). Freshman Conor Bittmann took 17th place, while junior Nicholas Giordano, sophomore Cole Tomolonis, and junior Patrick McGowan finished 17th, 23rd, and 28th respectively.
Lower Moreland ended HGP’s four-year team district title streak, edging the Firebirds 38-50 (low score wins) by having seven of the top 15 finishers in the 2024 District One race.
Perez and Loveman both medaled at the 2024 PIAA Class 2A state championship, finishing in 15th and 25th place, respectively.
Athletic NEWS
Holy Ghost Prep’s Scoring Ace
ADRIEN “ACE” VARELLA carries the reminders. One is a slightly indented inch-long vertical line on the front of his left shin, and the others are three small circular dots on his left knee. He is working on his stories when people ask him about the scars. He can laugh about them now. On a chilly weeknight in December 2020, he wasn’t laughing.
Instead, he was alarmed that he would never play basketball again, clutching his lower leg after falling awkwardly on a fast break. He took a Euro step, his left knee popped out of the socket, and he fractured his left tibia in his first game as a seventh grader.
It has taken some time for the 6-foot-3 Holy Ghost Prep senior guard to recover physically, psychologically, and emotionally from close to a year of rehab, the draining downtime of COVID, and the absence of competition.
Not until this past season did Varella feel completely confident in his left leg and in his game. That manifested itself in a star-turning season in which he achieved PIAA Class 5A thirdteam all-state honors after averaging a team-high 20.8 points a game and scoring 20 points or better in 17 games of the Firebirds’ 14-13 season. (They lost to eventual PIAA Class 5A state champion Imhotep Charter in the first round of the state playoffs.)
In addition to his scoring, Varella led the team in rebounding, averaging 8.5 boards a game, along with 1.7 assists and 1.8 steals.
“As a sophomore, Adrien deferred to the upperclassmen. So last year, with a little more freedom and a little more opportunity, Adrien showed everyone what he is capable of doing,” said Firebirds second-year head coach Tom Heston ’12. “Ace is a 6-foot-3 high school point guard, and we knew he would be our best player last season. We knew our playing style was going to be suited to his strengths. We ran more last year than in previous years, and Adrien just excels in transition. Up and down, he set the table for us. I would not call him a shoot-first point guard, more like a score-first point guard. We wanted to get him the ball as much as possible.”
Varella’s game is silky smooth. He shot 43 percent from three-point range and shot 80 free throws for the Firebirds last season — 20 more than the player with the next most free throws. He is a matchup problem for opposing teams, simply because he is too big for a small guard to stay with and too fast for a big to keep up with.
The Firebirds started last season 3-8 and closed the regular season 9-2 over their last 11, which qualified them for the District 1 Class 5A playoffs. This season, the top five scorers return, and nine of the team’s top 10 scorers are back. Varella will be the go-to player. He was on a star trajectory in seventh grade, considered one of the better CYO players in the Philadelphia
area, when the injury occurred the first game of that season.
“Nothing came easy, going back to seventh grade when I broke my tibia,” Varella recalled. “I thought I was done. There was that fear that I would never play basketball again the way I played before. I snapped the bone. Doctors didn’t put a rod in there. They placed the leg in a cast and let the leg heal naturally. I was young enough where the bone could be set. But there are scars from the operation two days after I got hurt. I get reminded every time I see them.
“It was a scary time.”
He had to learn how to walk with a large brace over his left leg. Then COVID hit, and he had to do physical therapy in a mask. Because of the limited time he had to rehab, he failed the first physical strength test that would have allowed him back on the court. He missed a year of basketball between the injury and COVID.
He did not return to the court until his freshman year at Holy Ghost Prep.
“There were a couple of times I cried myself to sleep, because I was filled with questions whether I would be the same again,” he said. “Once I got hurt, I kept asking myself repeatedly, ‘Will I be the same?’ In 2021, I was able to work out a little bit and I really couldn’t put weight on my leg until January 2022. I started junior varsity when I got to Holy Ghost Prep, but I did not really begin to trust my leg until this past year. My freshman and sophomore years, it would be in the back of my mind if my leg would hold up.
“I was not 100 percent my first two years in high school. I had this thing on my left side because I broke my left foot playing football when I was in fifth grade. I’m 190 pounds now. My left leg feels stronger than my right leg. I had to get over that fear that I would get hurt again.”
That came the very first game of his junior season.
He told himself, “I’m back! I feel it!”
Heston is now dealing with the frustration of Varella, who is receiving interest from a number of Division III programs, being under-recruited.
“It amazes me as to why,” Heston said. “He is built, he is strong, athletic, jumps well, and finishes over the top of people. He is built for the college game. We are right down the road from a few schools, and he did not even get an offer from them. It is more motivation for Ace. He does everything for us, and I actually wish he took more shots.”
For now, Varella is in a safe zone. Raised by his mother, a homecare nurse, and his maternal grandfather, Varella added more muscle over the summer and spent countless hours on improving his outside shot.
“I thought about transferring my freshman year, but I got to really like Holy Ghost Prep, the place is really a family environment,” he said. “This school has taken me in. I know I have 20 brothers on the basketball team any time I need. This school has helped me out my three years here. This is a big senior season for me. I want to get more college offers and everyone is coming back. I want to graduate with a state championship.”—By Joseph Santoliquito
Honored at the State Capitol
ON OCTOBER 22, Holy Ghost Prep held an early morning pep rally to send the school’s 2024 PIAA state title–winning baseball team off in style to Harrisburg, where they were recognized on the floor of both the House and Senate by state representative K.C. Tomlinson and state senators Frank Farry and Jimmy Dillon ’96.
The Commitments
ON APRIL 22 in the Chapman Arena, six members of HGP’s Class of 2024 officially signed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
The newest HGP alums, in alphabetical order, who officially signed to be college student-athletes were:
JOE AMATI / University of Scranton (baseball)
RYAN BURNS / Gwynedd Mercy University (soccer)
75% OF STUDENTS PLAYED AT LEAST ONE SPORT
DURING THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
LIAM HALLIGAN / Susquehanna University (swimming)
MAURECE JEAN-BRIAN / Mount St. Mary’s University (cross-country, track and field)
ANTHONY RAMOS / Gwynedd Mercy University (soccer)
OWEN SCHWARTZ / Drexel University (rowing)
A seventh member of HGP’s Class of 2024, TIM DEVINE , signed his letter of intent in November 2023 to play Division One soccer at the University of South Florida (USF). Devine headed off to college early, in January 2024 — taking college classes at USF and working out with his Bulls teammates during the spring 2024 semester. Another Class of 2024 graduate, PAPAJOKO DANQUAH , became HGP’s eighth college student-athlete just before graduation, accepting an offer to run track and cross-country at American University.
Class NOTES
Please take a moment to send us information for the next issue of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine We would love to hear from you, and we are all interested in what you are doing with your life. Please send information (including high-res photos) to either Jackie Gear, director of annual giving and alumni engagement, at jgear@holyghostprep.org or Bill Doherty, director of communications, at wdoherty@holyghostprep.org .
INVEST in the Future. INVEST in Ghost.
Annual giving is the lifeblood of Holy Ghost Prep, providing tangible, bottomline support to the school’s key priority areas. But the act of giving to our annual fund, no matter the size of your gift, is what matters. Annual fund participation is a vote of confidence in Holy Ghost Prep’s leadership and its current direction, and sets an example to others.
An unrestricted gift to the Firebird Fund allows us to:
> Direct funds to the area(s) of greatest need
> Invest in the professional development of our faculty/staff
> Continue to provide cutting-edge programming
To preserve our place as one of the premier independent Catholic schools in the state, Holy Ghost Prep needs the generous financial support of its alumni, parents, and friends on an annual basis. Simply use the giving envelope in this issue of the magazine or visit www. holyghostprep.org/onlinegiving to make an annual fund gift today.
1963
Tom Flynn , a retired U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant commander, and his wife, Mary, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on April 12, 2024. The happy couple has known each other for over 60 years.
1971
Charlie Gindele published his third book More Lessons Learned – How to Accelerate the Growth of Your Home Improvement Business on October 1 on Amazon. It is available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle versions. It was the number one best seller out of all 61 new books launched on Amazon on October 1. The book, says Gindele, is intended to “show business owners, especially those in the home improvement and remodeling contracting business, how to get close to their Danger Zone — the zone where you take your business leadership, financial literacy, marketing prowess, management
1. Tom Flynn ’63
2. Charlie Gindele ’71
3. Gene Morris ’75
skills, sales process, and production skills to the highest levels possible; the zone where you find out what you can do by taking your applied knowledge to levels you’ve never gone to before.”
1973
Rev. John LaRosa , a priest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, retired in April 2022 after 41 years of active duty in various parishes. At the time of his retirement, he had served as pastor for 12 years at St. Bartholomew parish in Philadelphia. Father John lives in Sea Isle City, N.J. He assists at Philadelphia-area churches on weekends and also does weekend missions for Food for the Poor.
1975
Gene Morris has gotten back into running track. He ran sprints, hurdles, and relays all four years at HGP under John Mundy ’65. This past June, Morris ran the 100 and 200 meters at the Delaware County
Class NOTES
Senior Games and won gold medals in each event. Morris admits that his times aren’t what they used to be, but he is loving being back on the track and competing again in his mid-60s.
1984
Earlier this year, Holy Ghost Prep alum, alumni parent, and current HGP board member Tony Naccarato was sworn in as the president of the Carpenters’ Company. This is quite an appointment for Naccarato. The oldest extant trade guild in the U.S., the Carpenters’ Company is celebrating its 300th anniversary and is comprised of some 180 prominent architects, contractors, and engineers who have been building in Philadelphia since prior to the framing of the Constitution; they set precedence with early colonial monuments such as Independence Hall and Christ Church. Their innovations have
continued over the past 300 years in civic structures from City Hall to the Comcast Center, one of the tallest LEED-certified buildings in the country.
1985
After practicing law in the Philadelphia area for the past 25 years, Brian McLaughlin was appointed by then-Governor Tom Wolf to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in 2022. In 2023, he was elected by the voters of Philadelphia to a full 10-year term as judge. McLaughlin is happily married to his wife, Lisa, and they have two children, Brian Jr. and Matthew.
1993
John Spera is the senior director of market access strategy–rare disease for Kyowa Kirin, Inc. in Princeton, N.J. Kyowa Kirin is a global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art
biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines. Prior to that, Spera was vice president, commercial for Ascendis Pharmaceuticals A/S and served on the company’s management team.
2000
Jim Britt was named the new Vice President of Sports Events for VisitPITTSBURGH in early November 2024. Britt, a seasoned professional in sports and nonprofit industries with deep roots in Pittsburgh, will be responsible for overseeing VisitPITTSBURGH’s sports tourism initiatives, driving economic impact through world-class sports events, and further elevating Pittsburgh’s reputation as a premier sports destination.
2002
Joe Iuliano, Jr. graduated from Syracuse University in 2006 and has been working
at ESPN ever since. He is currently director of the weekly College GameDay show. Joe and the team of College GameDay recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Studio Show. This is the fourth Emmy Joe has received for his work at ESPN.
2005
Kenneth J. Lorence and his wife, Karen Lorence, welcomed their daughter Guadalupe Avery on March 27, 2024. He is president of the HGP Alumni Association. The family lives in Glenmoore, Pa.
2009
Dr. Daniel Lewis and his fiancé, Elise Young, were recently engaged and will be getting married this summer. Lewis has completed his dermatology and Mohs surgery training at the University of Pennsylvania. He became a Mohs and reconstructive surgeon and assistant
1. Tony Naccarato ’84
2. Brian McLaughlln ’85
3. John Spera ’93
4. Joe Iuliano, Jr. ’02
5. Kenneth J. Lorence ’05
6. Dr. Daniel Lewis ’09
7. John Pearce ’10
8. Nicholas Chingas ’12
9. Matt Kling ’15 and Tim Brennan ’15
professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in August 2024.
2010
John Pearce started his seventh year as chief neurosurgical resident at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago on July 1. He has been accepted into a neurosurgical fellowship at Emory University Medical Center in Atlanta, beginning in July 2025.
2012
In early 2024, Nicholas Chingas was named to Saint Joseph’s University’s first-ever “30 under 30” list. Chingas serves as the senior director of strategy and development at Real Time Medical Systems, a New York City–based company that partners with healthcare organizations and uses AI technology to monitor
and analyze key clinical data points across all patients in post-acute healthcare facilities.
2015
Matt Kling has worked in Las Vegas at KVVU-TV, FOX5 Las Vegas, since 2019. He is a senior news producer, crafting newscasts on a daily basis for one of the top-watched stations in Las Vegas (and as a humble brag, he is an Emmy Award winner). In September, Kling had the chance to catch up with Tim Brennan , another member of the HGP Class of 2015. Tim is a pitcher for the Texas Rangers organization and spent the 2024 season on the Round Rock Express at the Triple-A level. When the Express visited the Las Vegas Aviators, the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, Kling went to the game and the two HGP alums talked for a good half hour before the game.
Class NOTES
Father Randy Kraft came back to Holy Ghost Prep in April to celebrate his Mass of Thanksgiving during a break period in the Chapel. The turnout of HGP students, faculty, staff, and administrators who came to celebrate Mass with Father Kraft and Father Dan Sormani was heartwarming.
2017
After graduating from Duquesne University with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Kyle Gregory Leon graduated from Rutgers University Law School in 2024 with his juris doctorate. He honed his skills as an intern with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, focusing on defense litigation while working on cases involving Roundup, Mercedes-Benz, and U-Haul. Leon has joined the prestigious law firm The Cook
Group as an associate attorney focusing on medical defense litigation. Leon will be practicing in the Philadelphia office as he awaits his bar results.
2018
George Rusnak and his HGP Class of 2018 classmate and friend Eric D’Angelo completed the Happy Valley Half Ironman on June 30. It is great to see two former Ghost athletes continuing to challenge themselves athletically and strengthen a friendship formed at HGP.
2021
Kyle Stone, a senior at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, had his short film premiere in the New York Shorts International Film Festival this fall. The film is a mockumentary called Project Spooky
HGP alums Jake Marek ’21 and Mike Holt ’24 are suiting up together this season for the University of Notre Dame ice hockey club team.
2022
Carlos Santiago Torres received his white coat at Duquesne University’s pharmaceutical program this fall. The annual Duquesne University School of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony marks the transition from the pre-professional phase (two years) to the professional phase (four years) of the Doctor of Pharmacy program and welcomes student pharmacists to the Online Pharm.D. Program. A presidential scholarship recipient at Duquesne, Torres will complete the six-year program in 2028.
Turn Your Pennsylvania Taxes into Scholarship Assistance
1. Father Randy Kraft ’15
2. Kyle Gregory Leon ’17
3. George Rusnak ’18 and Eric D'Angelo ’18
4. Kyle Stone ’21
5. Jake Marek ’21 and Mike Holt ’24
6. Carlos Santiago Torres ’22
7. AJ Olczak ’23
2023
This past summer, AJ Olczak had the amazing opportunity to attend Johnson & Johnson Finance Immersion Day in New Brunswick, N.J. Olczak, a sophomore at Villanova, felt honored to be selected as one of 50 students to attend J&J’s Finance Immersion Day from various colleges and universities. Olczak will be an intern at Johnson & Johnson this summer.
Think Engaged.
The Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program is quickly becoming a popular way for many Holy Ghost Prep families and businesses to contribute scholarship dollars to our school. In the past few years, Holy Ghost Prep has gone from $50,000 in annual EITC support to over $400,000 in the current fiscal year. Individuals have taken advantage of this opportunity by making a direct donation to a Holy Ghost Prep Special Purpose Entity (SPE) created for this program. Donors will receive 90% credit for that donation toward their annual Pa. tax bill. Holy Ghost Prep uses those dollars to provide scholarships to students with financial need and/or students living within the boundaries of an underperforming school district as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Don’t let another year go by without directing your tax dollars to Holy Ghost Prep! Here’s what two of our EITC donors are saying:
“My Pennsylvania tax dollars now go to Holy Ghost to support our students—and the process was extraordinarily simple!”
—BOB WATTERS ’81
“I have been participating in the Pa. tax credit program for the past four years and just renewed my commitment for two more years. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about joining.”
—TOM MCMANUS ’86, P’20, P’24
To learn more about using your Pa. tax dollars to help HGP students reach their goals, please contact Matt Dwyer, Executive Director of Development, at mdwyer@holyghostprep.org or 215.352.6956.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Chris McGinnis ’06
FROM BRISTOL PIKE TO
Broadway
BY ISABELLA TORRES
Chris McGinnis ’06 has built a highly successful career in the ultra-competitive world of theater. How successful? Earlier this year, McGinnis joined his colleagues onstage at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center to accept the 2024 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play for Appropriate, starring Sarah Paulson.
“The entire experience was absolutely surreal. Even just to be among the talent in that room was completely humbling, and to be able to join my colleagues and the incomparable Branden Jacobs-Jenkins on stage to accept the award was a totally euphoric moment for me,” says McGinnis. “Our industry is filled with an incredible amount of rejection — with the accolades being few and far between — and a moment like that reaffirms that the grit and sacrifice are absolutely worth it.”
McGinnis’ lifelong love of the arts began when he did chorus at his elementary school and acted in his first show, playing Tiny Tim in a production of A Christmas Carol in fifth grade. His desire would be further fueled by being part of the theater productions at Holy Ghost Prep. Today, he works at Second Stage Theater in New York City, but McGinnis credits Holy Ghost Prep with helping to ignite his passion and setting him on the path to success.
During his years at Holy Ghost Prep, McGinnis was influenced by many teachers, most notably Father Chris McDermott, C.S.Sp.
“I was fortunate during my time at Ghost to have an immense amount of support from the faculty and staff — none more so than Father Chris,” says McGinnis. “Father Chris was an incredible advocate for me and nurtured me not only as a performer, but also allowed me to be logistically and administratively involved in the programming while I was at HGP.
“Having entered the school when it did not have a fully realized theater program, I found my love of producing by being part of the team that worked toward enhancing the production value and ultimately defining what the program could be with the full support of the institution behind it. There’s no question that his influence has shaped me as an artist and an artistic leader.”
Father McDermott first noticed McGinnis during a freshman year fundamentals class. McDermott asked the students to perform a skit around a Biblical story.
“Chris organized all the boys in his group from the script right down to the costuming,” Father McDermott remembers. “The costumes were his family’s old bathrobes to represent the Biblical robes. Years later when I was clearing out the closet where I had thrown the acting props, I found the Chris McGinnis memorial bathrobes. I should have had them framed!”
From there, McGinnis was cast as Danny in Holy Ghost Prep’s production of Grease and as Jesus in the school’s production of Godspell, a unique and memorable experience because the show was performed in HGP’s Chapel because the gym was being renovated.
“My first foray into directing was Godspell with my two A-list actors, Chris (McGinnis) as Jesus and Paul Pride as John the Baptist/Judas,” says Father McDermott. “Chris and Paul, as befitted their characters, were the heart and soul of the production — professional, committed, and supportive of the rest of the cast.”
National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for four years as their director of admissions, which not only helped him learn more about the mechanics of managing a nonprofit institution, but also introduced perspective to creative problem-solving within the arts. He then returned to the theater as associate general manager and then general manager for four-plus years at Bucks County Playhouse.
Armed with this experience, McGinnis believed he was ready to make the leap to Broadway. He landed a job at Second Stage Theater, a nonprofit organization that produces the work of living American writers on and off Broadway. While working there, McGinnis has had many accomplishments, including managing the creative process for Appropriate, which garnered 13 Tony nominations and three Tony wins, including Best Revival of a Play. McGinnis was the general manager of the production, overseeing everything from production budgets and deadlines to negotiating artist deals and contracts for the commercial transfer. McGinnis thoroughly enjoys being in a leadership position and continuing to learn at Second Stage Theater, but his ultimate goal is to eventually transition into being an artistic director or executive director of a theater.
During his junior year at Ghost, McGinnis was awarded a scholarship to attend the DeSales University Summer Theater Institute. McGinnis enjoyed his summer experience so much that he ultimately elected to attend DeSales, where he double-majored in musical theatre performance and marketing. While at DeSales, McGinnis focused on performing but also produced his own shows and worked on production crews in order to gain a more holistic experience.
After graduating from college, McGinnis was a working actor for seven years in both the Philadelphia and New York areas, while simultaneously producing his own productions before making the switch to the producing side full-time. His first job was an apprenticeship at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia in theater management, and he was able to continue his career there in almost every department. He then took a brief hiatus from theater, working for the
“I’ve always been someone with an eye on the future, a trait I learned at Holy Ghost Prep and a mentality that is responsible for the majority of my past success. Making it to Broadway was — of course — a dream of mine, but it’s always been more about the work, the art, and the people who make it. I want to continue on that journey, having the opportunity to lead and inspire the next generation of artists and theatre-makers in a way that puts humanity back into the entertainment industry.
“Whether that be in an executive director or artistic director capacity, I look forward to helping to shape the future of the industry, while navigating a new and challenging landscape, and to continue to forge opportunities for those who have not had them before.”
His old mentor, Father McDermott, is certain that McGinnis will succeed in whatever he sets his mind to next.
“I couldn’t be prouder of his success,” says Father McDermott. “Chris always gave his whole self over to whatever he did, and his generosity of time, desire, and commitment has finally borne fruit. I know he has more great things ahead.”
Holy Ghost Prep Magazine Office of Communications
2429 Bristol Pike
Bensalem, PA 19020
www.holyghostprep.org
Now is the time to #ThinkGhost
The Holy Ghost Prep success stories you read in this magazine don’t happen by accident.
With a 9-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, our unmatched faculty gets to personally know each student, as well as his hopes and dreams. All of our graduates go to college, so students leave Ghost perfectly equipped to make those dreams come true.
Now is the perfect time to #ThinkGhost. Take a tour, schedule a visit, or tell a friend about the amazing opportunities that only happen at HGP.
To learn more, visit ThinkGhost.org or scan the QR code today!
