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Honorary and Memorial Contributions
from 2019-2020 Report on Giving
by olgchs
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We recognize those who gave a gift in memory or in honor of a relative, friend, student or teacher. These gifts are a generous and thoughtful way to recognize an individual’s life and accomplishments.
In Memory of Al Roberson
Ms. Helen M. Huntt Ms. Jane Johnston Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kaplan Ms. Ausma Karlsons Ms. Sharon L. Morrissette Mr. John C. Pertino and Ms. Regina Connell Ms. Dawn M. Powers Mr. and Mrs. Dale Roberson
In Memory of Phillip Sorrells ’18
Mr. Cameron Andrews ’17 Ms. Aashna Arora ’18 Dr. and Mrs. Paul G. Barker Ms. Loren Bass Ms. Gabriele Belgrave ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Peter B. Bell ’66 Ms. Leah Broome ’18 Ms. Catherine Brown ’13 Ms. Devyn Carter ’18 Ms. Abigail Chambers ’18 Ms. Kyley Dickerson ’18 Ms. Amaiya Dowdell ’18 Ms. Logan Dulski ’18 Mr. Matt Egan and Mrs. Karen Beane ’94 Egan Ms. Margaret Ellington ’18 Mr. and Mrs. James A. Fangmeyer, Sr. ’83 Dr. and Mrs. James Folmer Mr. Kyle Fritschi ’18 Ms. Karina Giampetroni ’19 Mr. John D. Gray ’74 Mr. Stephen Haase ’15 Ms. Kathy Hancock Ms. Brenna Höhl ’16 Ms. Taylor Holton ’18 Ms. Jill Kasprzak Ms. Katie Kellermann Ms. Casey Leach ’18 Mr. Connor Lu ’18 Mr. Michael Mayer ’18 Ms. Colleen Morgan ’17 Ms. Olivia Orr ’19 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Petersen Mr. and Mrs. William Phelps Ms. Savannah O. Renehan and
Mr. Kenny Fowler Ms. Nicole Shumway ’18 Ms. Carley Sweeney ’18 Ms. Garine Tahmazian ’18 Ms. Kaitlyn Tang ’18 Ms. Allyssa Thornton ’18 Mr. Garret Venezia ’18 Mr. Garrett Volley ’18 Dr. Alan R. Wolcott and
Dr. Ivonne Giuliana Centty Mr. Jacob Wright ’18 Mr. Kenneth Yotsukura ’18
Reaching for the Stars
Alejandro Tovar, a senior at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, is enamored with aerospace science, just as Joseph Reed Canavin ’63 was. It is fitting then that Alejandro was the 2020 recipient of the scholarship named for Canavin, an engineer who worked on the vibration of spacecraft.
“Since I was young, I was always interested in how planes and spacecraft work,” Alejandro says. Ever since I heard of the space program at Good Counsel, I was determined to get into it. I wanted to be an aerospace engineer like the late Joseph Reed Canavin.”
When Alejandro learned of the scholarship, named for Canavin by his sister, Mary Roderick, and her husband, Denny ’66, he looked into Canavin’s accomplishments. “I read an article he wrote for NASA about the vibration of spacecraft,” Alejandro says.
“I think it’s amazing,” he says. “It is humbling to receive a scholarship from the family of a guy who wanted to do the exact same thing in his future as you did. He’s a very inspiring man.”
Alejandro is proud to have his academic efforts and his work in the STEM curriculum recognized by the scholarship committee. “It demonstrates that hard work can truly pay off in the long run.”
A huge fan of Star Wars and a member of Good Counsel’s swim and dive team, Alejandro is considering applying to the aerospace program at the University of Maryland. He hopes to earn a master’s degree in the subject eventually, secure an aerospace engineering position, and hopefully be involved in the creation of the next generation of aircraft.
“I’ve always had a childlike infatuation with aircraft; since I was young I consumed many books that talked about the history of aircraft and their inner workings. My curiosity for aerospace and aircraft in general has only grown stronger as I’ve gotten older,” he says.
Alejandro has a variety of interests relating to STEM, including being an active member of the computer robotics clubs at school. “I enjoy building things, experimenting with what kind of configurations work and what doesn’t. It’s a fun hobby,” he says.
Currently, he is working with a partner from school to develop a delivery drone that can deliver mail within a short radius.
He says his experience at Good Counsel has been amazing. “The classes are rigorous, and the teachers have helped me push myself to my limits [for me] to be able to apply to top engineering programs. I have so much gratitude toward the entire staff,” he says.
“After graduation, I plan to come to alumni events, to come back, and see how the school is doing,” he says. Alejandro would also like to give back to the Good Counsel community some day. “If I’m ever in the position, maybe I’ll start a scholarship, to help deserving students to get a good education,” he says.
“I have so much appreciation for Denny and Mary Roderick. It is very humbling to receive this scholarship. Joseph Canavin was an amazing person and I definitely hope to follow in his footsteps through my career.”
