SLUH Magazine

MAGAZINE

WINTER 2020

I N SI DE THIS I SSUE:

MEN FOR OTHERS Living faith and justice at SLUH, in the community and around the world

F E ATU R ES: Kameron Moses '20

(pictured) PAGE 22

Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ PAGE 24

Brian Roy '90

SENIOR PROJECT IN GUATEMALA CITY • SISYPHUS • GLOBAL EDUCATION STEAM HIGHLIGHTS • ALUMNI IN NONPROFITS • WOMEN OF SLUH

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“Today our prime educational objective must be to form Men for Others; men who will live not for themselves but for God and his Christ – for the God-human who lived and died for all the world; men who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men completely convinced that love of God which does not issue in justice for others is a farce.”

- Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus (1965-83), at the 10th International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe gathered in Valencia, Spain on July 31, 1973.

Forty Jr. Bill mentors shared their intellect and expertise in STEAM with 550 students from 45 middle schools, many from underserved urban areas, at the Clavius Project Robotics Jamboree at SLUH on February 1.

Today, Arrupe’s message, adapted to include women to make it applicable for a contemporary Jesuit alumni audience, endures. Thanks to Fr. Arrupe, “men and women for others” is a guiding value in Jesuit education that inspires students to integrate contemplation and action, so they become “agents of change” who work to bring about a more just and humane world.

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IN THIS ISSUE 4

WOMEN OF SLUH 20 The Reflection of Eternal Light

Tribute to the Women of SLUH Unveiled

21 Dressed for Success

1818 INSIDER AROUND THE HALLS 4 Semester Highlights SPORTS 6 Sports Highlights ARTS 8 Sisyphus: Imaginations at Work RETREAT SPOTLIGHT 11 Service Learning Retreat Puts Faith in Action STEAM 12 SLUH's STEM Program Ranked Nationally 13 Jr. Bills Find New Solutions for Old Problems 14 Up, Up and Away!

SLUH Places 3rd at Jr. 500 Race GLOBAL EXCHANGE 15 Jr. Bills Savor Exchange Experience 17 Insignis Podcast Goes Global!

Alumni Trailblazers

COUNSELING 18 The Price of Admission 2 | SLUH Magazine

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FEATURES

38 Teaching by Example

Cameron Spence '17 Jeff Commings '91 Fr. Jim Swetnam, SJ '45 John Ebel '72

22 Renaissance Man

ADVANCING OUR MISSION

24 Hope in the Valley of Death

45 Cashbah 2020 46 Inspired Leadership

Kameron Moses '20 has developed into a leader of the senior class and Man for Others Nonprofit founded by SLUH President Emeritus Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ saves lives and provides future for at-risk kids in U.S. and Latin America

32 Redefining Ability

Brian Roy '90 empowers children with special needs as Executive Director of Variety – St. Louis

U. HIGHLIGHTS 30 Living Faith and Justice:

Backer and John J. Divine, SJ Service Awardees

Christian Values Drive David Steward's Success and Philanthropy

48 St. Louis U. High Day 49 SLUH Summer Program 50 Noteworthy 51 Requiescat in Pace 52 Ignatian Reflection 53 Upcoming Events

36 Higher Purpose:

Alumni Lead, Drive Efforts at Nonprofits

Steve Hutchison '68 Jim Whalen '70 Nate Wilson '02 Jason Young, MD '97

32 ON THE COVER: Illustration of Kameron Moses '20 (see his feature article on page 22)

by Jackson DuCharme '20. To view more of DuCharme's remarkable artwork, visit his portfolio page at www.sluh.org/ducharme.

MAGAZINE

Dear SLUH Community, Fr. Pedro Arrupe’s iconic and powerful statement of “Men for Others” has provided a rallying cry and vision for Ignatian formation for nearly five decades. Few statements can be uttered worldwide that instantly identify and resonate with those who have been touched by Jesuit education or formation. Just as discussions of Kairos Retreats and JUGs bring young college freshmen from different Jesuit institutions together, Men for Others unites teachers and administrators as we program and measure the success of what we are doing against the standard laid out in these three words.

One of the greatest characteristics of Jesuit education, certainly within the walls of St. Louis University High School, is that the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are a big part of who we become as we engage the reflective and prayerful journey of building a relationship with Christ.

The Exercises can have transformative power as one explores, reflects and prays upon desires and questions. For some, that prayer and reflection has included the question of what does the statement “Men for Others” really mean in our world today. The result has been a powerful and often helpful modification to “Men and Women for and with Others.”

It has long been a tradition at SLUH to annually send our students into the world to engage in service projects of various types. As freshmen, they prepare and deliver meals to the needy in our city, and as seniors, they engage either

locally or internationally in three weeks of daily and intensive service with a variety of communities. Our voluntary community service program remains our most popular co-curricular activity, serving dozens of worthwhile charities and organizations.

Within this progression of service in our curriculum, we see the developmentally appropriate evolution from “Men for Others” to “Men for and with Others.”

Simply serving is not enough. As our students grow and deepen their faith and maturity, they become capable of walking beside those they serve.

Presence, empathy, engagement and relationship in these scenarios truly allow the service experience to transform the heart of both those serving and those being served. It is this type of transformative, deeper experience that cultivates a greater relationship with the Lord and inspires our young men to “set the world on fire” through an inflamed heart that seeks to do justice and serve others – for and with those in need.

As our Jr. Bills embark on service projects this spring and summer, let us pray that they are moved to become “Men for and with Others.” May their hearts as well as those they engage be transformed and inflamed by the deep love that Christ modeled for us.

God bless,

ABOUT SLUH Magazine is a publication for alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, benefactors and friends of St. Louis University High School. If you do not receive correspondence from SLUH but wish to, please send a note to alumni@sluh.org with your name, email and mailing address.

CONTACT SLUH Magazine St. Louis University High School 4970 Oakland Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 magazine@sluh.org EDITOR Ben DuMont '92 Director of Communications SUBMISSIONS Story ideas and submissions are welcome. Please send a note to magazine@sluh.org.

THANK YOU Photography Club for their dedication and commitment in digitally capturing life at SLUH and contributing to this publication...and to students in Prep News, SLUHTube, Sisyphus and SLUH Media, for enriching the SLUH experience through their coverage, perspectives and creativity.

www.sluh.org sluhigh sluh @sluhjrbills COPYRIGHT © 2020 St. Louis University High School

Alan Carruthers President

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AROUND THE HALLS

SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS

U.S. Department of Education Visit SLUH hosted a U.S. Department of Education delegation, led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Frank Brogan and Missouri Department of Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven, on December 19. The group visited SLUH to learn about the school’s STEAM program, recently recognized

by Newsweek as a top national STEAM school. A faculty panel representing STEAM disciplines talked with the delegation about how SLUH has incorporated project learning and STEAM initiatives into the formation of students. Several Jr. Bills discussed STEAM initiatives, such as Clavius Project, robotics, Hackathon Club and Sustainability Club, with the delegation.

Music to Our Ears The Missouri Music Educators Association invited SLUH’s Jazz Band 1, under the direction of Jeff Pottinger, to perform at their 82nd annual conference in January. SLUH’s Jazz Band was the only high school jazz ensemble in the state selected to perform. In other music

FROM LEFT: Fr. Ian Gibbons, SJ (SLUH Principal), Victor Lenz (Vice President, Missouri State Board of Education), Margie Vandeven (Missouri Department of Education Commissioner), Frank Brogan (U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education) and Alan Carruthers (SLUH President).

accolades, Alexander Unseth ‘21 was selected to play cello in the All-State Orchestra, and Bryce Van Bree ‘20 was Honorable Mention (piccolo) in the AllState Band.

Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice Fifteen Jr. Bills traveled to Washington, D.C. for a weekend full of social justice advocacy at the 22nd annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. This event, the largest annual Catholic social justice conference in the U.S., provides a forum for Jesuit institutions and the larger Church to learn, reflect, pray, network and advocate together. The Ignatian Solidarity Network, which hosts the conference, heavily emphasized climate change and immigration reform at this year’s event.

Adopt-A-Family The SLUH community raised $20,000 for 30 local families and 121 individuals as part of the ninth annual Adopt-A-Family drive, organized by Campus Ministry and the Mothers Club. SLUH partners with St. Francis Community Services Southside to LEFT: bring Christmas cheer The Dauphin Players put on three stunning to local immigrant performances of Noises Off from November 7-10. families, providing The show featured chaos, drama, humor, loads basic household of talent and a remarkable two-sided set, which necessities, clothes, gifts and gift cards. sat on a rotating turntable.

The Greatest Tackle SLUH football coach Mike “The Tackle” Jones was recognized by the L.A. Rams organization for having the "Greatest Play in Rams History." Jones, known for clinching the 1999 Super Bowl for the St. Louis Rams with his famous tackle, was honored at L.A. Memorial Coliseum during a home game on September 29, 2019.

Jr. Bills on Wall Street Ten students traveled to New York City for the annual Jr. Bills on Wall Street trip, exploring careers in business/ finance and learning firsthand about financial markets from alumni. The group also met with young alumni to discuss transitioning from college to the workplace.

Academic Merit Eleven Jr. Bills were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists for their exceptional academic merit. They earned this distinction with high PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores and qualified for National Merit scholarship awards.

Law and Order Jr. Bills signed bills into law and earned several awards for their leadership and performance at the Youth and Government Convention, held in Jefferson City from November 14-16.

They also held top leadership positions, including Governor (Micah See ‘20) and Speaker of the House (Adrian Gray ‘20), and secured key roles for next year’s event, including Attorney General (Jack Rosenstengel ‘21) and Speaker of the House (Connor Gunn ‘21).

Sustainability at Work Last fall, AP Environmental Science students harvested 300 pounds of sweet potatoes from two raised beds in the school’s Backer Community Garden.

Many of these potatoes were used by the Community Service Program in their outreach with needy organizations.

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SPORTS

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

BY CHRIS MUSKOPF ‘91, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

2019 FALL SPORTS UPDATE

CROSS COUNTRY The cross country team concluded the 2019 season with a 2nd place finish at the MSHSAA Class 4 Boys Championship.

The Jr. Bills excelled in Columbia, with six of the seven runners setting their personal bests in the state race. With a 16:06 average time for the seven runners, the group also established a new program best for average time at a state meet. Seniors Noah Scott and Lucas Rackers led the way in the state race, earning 5th and 6th place finishes and becoming the 10th and 11th runners in SLUH cross country history to earn medals at multiple state meets.

Remarkably, their times at the MSHSAA Championship landed Scott and Rackers in 2nd and 3rd on the list of all-time fastest times in a 5k race in SLUH cross country history. Joining Noah and Lucas in earning the 2019 MSHSAA Class 4 runner-up finish were Joe Callahan ‘20, Ryan Kramer ‘21, Adam Mittendorf ‘20, Grant Brawley ‘22, and Peter Dillon ‘20.

Lastly, three seniors were recognized as All-Metro Team selections, with Scott and Rackers landing on the 1st Team and Mittendorf earning 3rd Team honors.

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FOOTBALL After earning five regular season wins, including two over defending state champions from the previous season, the varsity football team concluded its 2019 season with a 27-14 loss to CBC in the district quarterfinal round. The accumulation of postseason accolades for members of this year’s varsity football squad was remarkable. Seniors Anthony Bohannon, Brendan Hannah, Joey Lansing and Luke Schuermann, along with sophomore Isaac Thompson, were each recognized as MCC AllConference 1st Team selections. Twelve other Jr. Bills, including seniors Aidan Lundergan, Justin Peacock, Kellen Porter and Trent Weaver, were selected All-MCC on either the 2nd team or Honorable Mention team. In Missouri’s top-ranked Class 6 District, Bohannon and Schuermann were named 1st Team All-District, with Lansing and Porter named to the 2nd Team. Schuermann was named 2nd Team All-Metro and 11 members of the 2019 varsity football team earned recognition on the Academic All-State Team.

SOCCER With 16 wins in the regular season, the Jr. Bills entered the district round of the postseason with the most wins of any team in their district. The squad opened district play against De Smet Jesuit and took the eventual Class 4 champions to overtime before falling by a score of 3-2.

Members of the 2019 varsity soccer team have been strongly represented in the various categories of postseason honors.

Seniors Peter Herrmann, Ethan Joly, John Marshall, and Charles Neuwirth earned 1st Team All-MCC recognition, while junior Tilahun Murphy landed on the 2nd Team. Neuwirth was also recognized with Academic All-State, AllRegion, and 2nd Team All-State honors, while Joly received acknowledgement as a member of the All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State teams.

75TH ANNIVERSARY Congratulations to our Riflery program on 75 years of excellence and six national titles. Alumni and friends are invited to celebrate the program's anniversary on Saturday, May 9. Visit www.sluh.org/alumconnect for details.

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Visit sluh.org/athletics for updates, or on Twitter at @SLUHAthletics

SWIMMING & DIVING The 2019 varsity swimming and diving team splashed its way to a second consecutive MSHSAA Class 2 Championship by an astonishing 67.5 point margin over the runnerup. Thirteen members of the squad contributed to the title by scoring points in at least one event of the state meet, including seniors Josh Brown, Evan Lu, Gabe Manalang, Max Manalang, Carson Massie, Sean Santoni, and Andrew Zimmerman, junior Eli Butters, sophomores Jonas Hostetler, Sebastian Lawrence, Ned Mehmeti, and Cooper Scharff, and freshman Jason Cabra. Special recognition to Cooper Scharff for claiming the 26th state championship in SLUH swimming history in an individual event with his win in the 100 backstroke! Six school records were set over the course of the 2019 season, including Gabe Manalang breaking the point total in an 11-dive event, which had previously been set in the 1990’s!

All-Metro honors were bestowed upon Scharff — Swimmer of the Year, Butters — 1st Team, and Lawrence — 3rd Team.

2019-20 WINTER SPORTS UPDATE (as of January 24) BASKETBALL As of press time, the varsity basketball team sat two games above .500, having won eight of its previous 11 games.

Notable achievements this season include winning the consolation championship of the Webster Groves Classic, a road win over Webster Groves, and home wins over St. John Vianney, Helias Catholic and Springfield (IL) Lanphier. The Jr. Bills host the district tournament in early March.

ICE HOCKEY The two-time defending Challenge Cup champions entered the last weekend of the regular season in 2nd place in the Municipal Conference of the Mid-States League. At press time, the team had 19 wins, including one in the Jesuit Cup game versus DeSmet on Thanksgiving weekend.

RACQUETBALL With three regular season matches remaining, the Varsity 1 squad possessed a spotless 7-0 record.

The program earned a 2nd place

finish in this season’s Top Seed Tournament and a 1st place finish in this season’s Winter Rollout event.

RIFLERY With robust numbers growing the size of the 2019-2020 rifle squad, the Jr. Bills entered four teams in the recently conducted Missouri 3-position State Championships. The SLUH squads placed 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th, with junior Nick Storer earning a tie for 3rd place as an individual, recording a score of 570.

WRESTLING The SLUH wrestling program is on the rise during the 2019-2020 season with dual match wins over Hazelwood West, Ritenour, Priory, Bishop DuBourg and Chaminade. The program has received outstanding performances at multi-team weekend tournaments, including top 6 finishes by seniors Augustus Lodholz and Kevin Flack, juniors Bobby Conroy, Logan Neumann and Leo Wagner, and sophomore Jack Onder. Junior Bobby Conroy won his weight class at the Patriot Classic at Parkway South and did not allow his opponents to score a single point during the weekend.

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ARTS

Imaginations AT WORK Sisyphus, the SLUH Magazine of Literature and Art, now in its 42nd year of publication, aims to promote good writing and artwork in the SLUH community – and to give that community a chance to appreciate the fine work created within the school. Twice each year, at the end of January and the beginning of May, Sisyphus publishes stories, poems, personal essays, drawings and photographs from students, teachers and staff at SLUH. We proudly feature a few additions to the latest issue here.

To view the complete publication, visit www.sluh.org/sisyphus.

The Hero’s Haunting CHRISTOPHER ST. JOHN ’23

After the King and Queen of Phaeacia took pity on the mighty Odysseus during his begging in the great hall, Odysseus entered his room. King Alcinous had provided the grandest of furnishings: a bed as large as the deck of a ship, a fire to keep the mighty warrior warm from Boreus, the god of winter who sends his winds throughout Greece, and a wall painted with stories of mighty heroes and gods. The room was far from the tents pitched near Troy, where thousands of Hellenic warriors rested as they besieged King Priam's city.

As Odysseus prepared for his longawaited slumber, he sat on the bed, motionless as the quiet peace of the room filled his heart. He was at ease for a few moments before he heard voices that seemingly came from nowhere.

He began to hear the voices of the dead, those who died before the walls of Troy. They cried out, “Odysseus, why have you condemned us so? You are the reason for our deaths!”

Odysseus was entranced as the figures of people from his past appeared before him: ghastly figures of transparent material, all resembling death itself. Odysseus cried out, “Why

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are you here? You should have all descended to the house of death!”

Those ghastly figures, each with a face as pale as the stone of Ithaca’s Mount Neriton, with clothes worn to rags, approached the warrior as he stood there confused and astonished at what he was witnessing. They came from everywhere, through the wall of thick stone, the ceiling and the floor.

The figure of his mother, Anticleia, cried out to him with a raspy voice, “Why did you leave me, my son?

You caused my death, YOU! You should never have left us!”

Odysseus pleaded with her, “I had to; what kind of a king would I be if I hadn’t?”

The ghost replied, “You were selfish.

You cared more about yourself than your own mother! I’ll show you the true consequences of your actions!”

Anticleia raised her hands as if she were praying to the gods, and a green mist was cast upon Odysseus. Within the mist, Odysseus saw his beloved Penelope and a boy, Telemachus, crying out as drunken suitors slaughtered them.

The slain family was cast away, and a new image appeared, an image of war

and the blood-soaked plains of Troy.

As the Trojan line advanced, they cut down every Hellenic Warrior in their path. The soldiers cried out to their leader “Odysseus, save us!

You promised to bring us home!”

Odysseus shouted, barely able to speak, “I tried! I tried to save you all!”

Odysseus fell to the floor and began to sob. When he opened his eyes, he saw the shadowy form of Menelaus, King of Sparta, standing over him. Odysseus pleaded, “Menelaus, my friend, what is all this? What led me down this path? Was it greed? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? Answer me!” Odysseus continued, “I have climbed and fought, and now I have a chance to return home, yet you plague me with these visions. Why?” Odysseus knelt on the cold floor, barely able to support his weight, for the ghosts had sapped all the energy from his body.

Menaleus responded, “You ask why I haunt you; it is because you are a fool. I would never have taunted that cyclops and caused the deaths of my crew; I would have never led them into that cave in the first place! I would have never given them the chance to disobey my command and kill those

cattle!” Odysseus was heartbroken, shattered by these words from the lips of his dearest friend. And suddenly all the apparitions disappeared except for one.

Anticleia now stood over the man in anguish, writhing on the floor in a pool of his own tears.

The ghost spoke in a condemning and judgmental voice: “Know this, my son, as long as you live, we will be watching you. Learn from what happened this night, and pray we never have to visit you again.”

Odysseus fell into a slumber and woke up the next day. A servant opened his door and said, “Sir, the King has invited you to the games and contests.” As Odysseus walked out of the room, still reeling from the trauma he had just endured, he glanced at the wall paintings. They stared back at him, whispering.

Humanitas; What Makes Us Human

BY LOGAN FLORIDA ‘20 Watercolor, 15"x26" “Watercolor portrait of my sister, wherein I explore the human themes of innocence and curiosity for the natural world.”

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ARTS

One runner starts at a point A and runs east at a rate of 10 ft/sec. One minute later, another runner starts at A and runs north at a rate of 8 ft/sec.

At what rate is the distance between them changing 1 minute later?

SWOKOWSKI, PAGE 163, #4

Related Rates

with appreciation to Donald Wagoner FRANK CORLEY ’77

It must have been you, running east, always faster than me, as On that evening on the quad, after dinner, I chased you round In circles, you moving like a running back, always just out of My reach, always leaving me as I fell behind.

Or was I heading north and you south, as I did to catch you and Then we did together? On parallel tracks but riding on people movers, watching as the other passed, waving, reaching out.

Then touching, holding on, never letting go.

If only the eastbound runner had a rate of 6 ft/sec, then, of course We would have a 3-4-5 triangle, and the solution would come easily.

Like they never have. But at least it would be a 3-4-5, so They would know it was you and me.

But instead, if I’ve figured correctly, we’re left with a much more Complicated answer, yet, again, hasn’t that always been?

So, without rationalizing the denominator, I arrive at 66/√29, If I’ve figured correctly for you.

As I tried to do, that evening forty years ago when you, Needing some help with homework, heard Tom Waits’ Blue Valentine On my stereo and peeked in, asking for help, “I hear,” you asked, “That you’re a math major.” I looked up.

We worked it out together, me trying to remember how to Do these problems that have an implicit differentiation in them.

Working the problem not by going directly at it, but teasing Out the solution using the velocities given.

So for a time we ran in different directions, you glancing at me As you passed, me trying not to look, as if we were on that track From Page 175 #23, a half-mile long, “a rectangle with semicircles At two opposite ends.” Maximize the area by running away.

Running away, running toward, you, me, us, differentiating, integrating.

You eastward, me northward. Me toward, you west. Clockwise, counter, Circling one another, then logarithmically spiraling in, like moths Toward light. Inward, inward, ever inward.

Until, like the trains in the story problem, we ran together, eased toward And steadily jogged side by side, sometimes racing, sometimes leading.

But the distance between us decreased, asymptotically approaching One over infinity. Won over, infinitely.

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The Curse of an Artist ADRIAN GRAY ’20

Fortune spins me round and round Her wheel of chance judging me “Success or failure?” she asks Knowing I have no answer As I put pen to paper The cruel wheel comes to a stop To tell of my fickle fate And make me her fool again

RETREAT SPOTLIGHT

SERVICE LEARNING RETREAT PUTS

Faith in Action

Four hundred thirty-five students heeded this call during Retreat Week, held the week of November 24, by participating in Senior Kairos, two Junior Retreats, Freshman Retreat, Service-Learning Retreat and Philia Retreat. The experiences helped students cultivate a deeper relationship with God and recognize how the Holy Spirit perpetually transforms us into people more capable of love.

The Service Learning Retreat explored what it is like to be homeless in the City of St. Louis, examining poverty from several angles in conjunction with Catholic Social Teaching to gain clarity about how our faith leads to action. Nine juniors spent two days and one night working with LifeWise STL, where they participated in exercises to better understand hunger and homelessness. They also visited Bridge Bread, a business that provides job opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, in addition to packing and distributing care packages to the less fortunate in downtown St. Louis.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

St. Ignatius of Loyola urged his followers to become ‘contemplatives in action’ by finding God in all things.

“While on the Service Learning Retreat I learned so much about poverty in St. Louis, my classmates and my relationship with God. Outside of my time spent near the city, financial poverty is difficult to encounter and left relatively insignificant aside from parishsponsored clothing drives and related donations.

Through numerous activities dealing with meal-planning and poverty simulators, I found a deeper understanding of poverties people face around me. I also learned more about fraternal living with our nine student group and three faculty chaperones. The meals, care packages, and most importantly, the

dishes were left to us to tend to.

“My relationship with God was impacted greatly on this retreat. Mass at St. Alphonsus set a lifegiving and joyous tone for the encounters we had waiting for us. I saw God in many of the people I met at LifeWise and those on the streets. Their attitudes toward life were humbling and inspiring.

“Looking into the eyes of the men crowding around our large bag of necessities, I saw firsthand the meaning of a “man for others.”

Something simple like a hat, socks or even a bag of chips could be a decisive factor in their life. This was an extremely meaningful interaction for all of us to encounter

on the Service Learning Retreat.”

– BERNIE KILCULLEN ‘21 “This retreat cultivated my relationship with God because it allowed me to see, as Jesus said, ‘the least of my brothers and sisters.’ I was able to meet people who were not as fortunate as I am, and I felt called to help them.”

– JOHN MCCLELLAND ‘21 “This retreat really opened my eyes to how different living off a low income in the City is.

It introduced me to all the hard decisions they have to make in order to survive and provide themselves with life’s necessities.”

– JOE KAMMER ‘21

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STEAM

SLUH’s STEM Program Ranked Nationally

BY FR. IAN GIBBONS, SJ, PRINCIPAL

Newsweek’s November 8, 2019 issue featured a major study on American high school STEM programs, ranking the top 500. We were delighted to find SLUH recognized in this top 500 list. Newsweek’s rankings were based on a broad set of data inputs, including extensive interviews with education and STEM professionals, high school program evaluations and qualitative analytics.

I look at this ranking as both an acknowledgment of how far we have come and a provocation to go deeper. Our James Guth Costigan ‘62 Innovation Lab has created an

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1818 INSIDER

Jr. Bills Find New Solutions for Old Problems explosion of project-based activities into our curriculum. For example, Jennifer Ice’s freshman Latin classes recently researched, designed and produced signet rings, creating Roman era signature seals for each boy to use to identify his school projects. Perhaps the greatest product of the iLab is the unleashing of our young men’s hunger and imagination to create.

Newsweek’s local interviews likely uncovered the widespread impact of SLUH’s Clavius Project for both our students and middle schoolers throughout the region. The Clavius Project has captured the imaginations of students and educators alike.

The program is based at SLUH and empowers our students to train, mentor and inspire urban middle school students in STEM-related areas, thus addressing a critical need of the community that lacks competently trained professionals in these key disciplines, particularly in underserved areas of the city.

Our work with Clavius, the iLab and project-centered units has propelled us into potent realms of curriculum that we probably wouldn't have believed possible for SLUH 25 years ago. We have many miles to go, but this is a wonderful acknowledgment.

Our Jesuit schools are disproportionately featured on this list, which is also wonderful to see. The Jesuit integration of faith and reason into pedagogy makes a sense of wonder and possibility a reality for our students.

Last semester, SLUH launched a new STEM Innovation Product Development course focused on creating an innovative product that helps others. The class features creative development, humancentered design and prototyping.

In the first part of the course, students learned about the innovation process through product research, conducting interviews and utilizing materials gleaned from business and college resources. Then, students worked on their own innovative products and built several prototypes. The capstone of the course was a presentation to students, parents and teachers about each product in which students made a pitch statement and then described their work in the context of the innovation process.

According to Dan See, who teaches the course, “Even though each student had their own product, they worked extensively in collaborative groups and applied a variety of methodologies to help them arrive at a problem statement, a pool of solutions and eventually prototypes.”

Students created innovative products in a wide variety of areas, including: • A solution to the problem of lighting control in buildings in which there is extensive use of glass (Sam Mulcahy ‘20) • A system of color coordination in engine design that would help DIY mechanics repair their cars (Jacob Heard ‘20) • A solution to the problem of comfort and portability for people who are on the move and need to relax or recline (KJ Daley ‘20) • An app that coaches could use to more effectively teach sports teams their plays (Tommy O’Keefe ‘20) • Application of electronic microprocessors and controllers to food preparation and food storage (Luke Giunta ‘20 and Micah See ‘20) • Creation of an app that would allow people to create their own music with their voice (Eric Wu ‘20) • An approach to helping children learn about the Bible through the use of recorders connected to a microprocessor (Noah Hayes ‘20) • A boot insert that would decrease the probability and severity of lower leg injury for motocross riders (Ryan Wiesehan ‘20) “The first iteration of the class was a success,” says See. “Students were able to use a variety of technology tools ranging from project-management software to computer-assisted design software.

They also applied STEM principles coupled with human-centered design principles to arrive at their solutions.”

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STEAM

SLUH PLACES THIRD AT JR. 500 RACE SLUH’s STEM Club built two race karts for the Jr. 500 Race at World Wide Technology Raceway last semester in conjunction with the IndyCar Series race. One of their karts, driven by Tom Nguyen '22, finished in third place out of 12 teams.

According to Science Department Chair Tim O'Keefe, “The karts that we assembled go faster than your average kart at an amusement park. They can get up to 65 miles an hour, although with all the twists and turns of the track they would not really go that fast for any period of time."

“Our students learned a great deal about the physics of race cars and kart racing, and saw a lot of the engineering that goes into getting an Indy car ready for a race. It was a fun and enjoyable experience.”

Up, Up and Away!

Field Immersion Three juniors, led by physics teacher Bradley Mueller, went on a private tour of Saint Louis University’s Parks Aviation Program, the hangar at St. Louis Downtown Airport and aviation classrooms at SLU’s main campus.

The students were able to get into planes used by current aviation students, in addition to experiencing top-of-the-line simulators (CRJ700 and Frasca) found in only a few other universities in the country. At SLU, they talked to two faculty members about aviation law as well as human factors in aviation safety and industry.

The Parks Aviation tour was given by Michael Harris ‘17, a SLU aviation science student who is pursuing a career as a pilot in corporate aviation.

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SLUH's James Guth Costigan '62 Innovation Lab provided students the environment and resources to build mini airplanes. This new space is an early result of the strategic vision of the Go Forth campaign.

Grant Recipient SLUH received a Take Flight Initiative grant from Flight Test for a Summer Aviation Engineering summer course. The funds will be used to help students work together in teams to design and build radio control (RC) aircraft in SLUH’s Innovation Lab.

Jr. Bills learned what it takes to compete on the race track at the Jr. 500 Race.

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GLOBAL EDUCATION

Jr. Bills Savor Exchange Experience Last semester, Casimir Magruder ‘21 and Jack Rosenstengel ‘21 hosted two Colombian exchange students at SLUH. The previous summer, the two Jr. Bills spent six weeks in Bucaramanga, Colombia as part of an exchange program with SLUH’s Jesuit partner school, Colegio San Pedro Claver. Here are their stories...

IN THEIR OWN WORDS Throughout my experience in Colombia, I was exposed to the country’s language, lifestyle and culture, and made new friends and memories for years to come. I immediately fell in love with the food and landscape of the country. I tried fruits and other foods that I had not known existed prior to coming to Colombia, and I saw mountains and valleys different from what I had experienced in the U.S. During our six weeks, I spoke almost entirely in Spanish and began to quickly improve my familiarity with the language. In times of discomfort, when I had to talk to someone new or had to try to describe something I had never explained before, I felt my language skills grow the most. This improvement along with the visits to some of Colombia’s most popular sites, weekend nights with friends, and retreat experiences made this opportunity one that I will always remember.

Not only did I have the amazing experience of going to Colombia, but I also had the wonderful opportunities of hosting the Colombian student who I lived with for a semester at SLUH. I saw St. Louis’ culture from an outsider’s perspective, and I learned how cool some of the typical things in our life are, like the Gateway Arch, ice hockey, Best Buy and omelettes. I have developed such an appreciation for both Colombian and American culture, the Spanish language and the overall value of immersing oneself in another country.

This experience, both studying abroad and hosting, has been one that I will cherish forever, and I could not be more grateful to SLUH for this opportunity.

- JACK ROSENSTENGEL ‘21 (PICTURED LEFT)

Winter 2020 | 15

GLOBAL EDUCATION

GLOBAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND A globally conscious education is vital to succeed in a world distinguished by interdependence, diversity and rapid change.

Moreover, it provides the knowledge and understanding of culture, language, geography and global perspectives needed to carry out our mission of building Christ's kingdom.

I felt euphoric in the days leading up to our trip, and it didn’t actually hit me that I was away from home when the plane landed in Bucaramanga. A sort of calmness that I do not normally have came over me as soon as we arrived. I met my host family and was embraced by them as a true family member.

At school I was nervous because I didn't think my Spanish was sufficient, but I quickly made friends with classmates who became some of my best friends.

The class 10-B, as well as the entire school, welcomed me. By the end of my time at the school I knew students 16 | SLUH Magazine

in all grades and gave them handshakes and hugs whenever I saw them. I also got the chance to play soccer with the school. The school’s fields are about 25 minutes away in the mountains where there is a single grass soccer field with manicured grass surrounded by a pure love of the game. Playing soccer in Colombia was perhaps one of my favorite moments ever. Since childhood I have felt that everybody was connected, but I truly experienced it while playing soccer. We were able to communicate through soccer, through my broken Spanish and everybody else’s

English, which was very impressive. By playing the game we were able to share in the love of the game.

I became best friends with the student who I stayed with in Colombia. Last semester my family hosted him while he attended SLUH. We had many good times, like playing jokes on my family members as they did not understand Spanish, yet they are not over.

We are still brothers, and I have nothing but love for all of my family in Bucaramanga, and I can't wait to see them again.

- CASIMIR MAGRUDER ‘21 (PICTURED ABOVE, RIGHT)

SLUH embraces a global education model that illuminates the vision of St. Ignatius, who saw the world as a place where Christ loved and served. Recognizing the importance of global education, SLUH offers many opportunities for students: • Language immersion programs in Chile, China, Colombia, France, Russia and Taiwan • Service immersion programs in Guatemala, Honduras, Russia, Taiwan and Mexico • Educational travel programs, including D-Day Tour (Europe), Ignatian Pilgrimage I and II (Europe) and Latin (Greece and Italy) In 2018, as a result of SLUH's strategic vision and Go Forth campaign, Rob Chura was named the school's first Director of Global Education.

Learn more about SLUH’s comprehensive global education program at:

www.sluh.org/globaleducation

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INSIGNIS PODCAST GOES GLOBAL!

BY JIM LINHARES ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR MISSION AND HOST OF SLUH’S INSIGNIS PODCAST

SLUH's Insignis podcast claims to take the listener "down the hall, across the St. Louis Metro region and around the world." We're pleased to announce that the next installment delivers on that global angle!

"World Learning" features interviews with a diverse collection of SLUH alumni who have lived and worked all over the world. You'll hear from key faculty members involved in global education initiatives at SLUH, including recently sworn-in American citizen and SLUH President Alan Carruthers. And, as always, we'll take you "down the hall" for spontaneous student and teacher voices and home-grown music. The program will be available in three installments from the SLUH website, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

1

2

The first episode takes you to a cafe table in Paris for a conversation with Joe Dickmann '00, now a French citizen who, among other pursuits, had a gig as an American-style football coach despite never having played the game in the States himself! You'll hear the moving story of how our President, Alan Carruthers, went from a boyhood in rural Canada to his leadership role here at SLUH. And you'll meet the remarkable Tom McTigue '55 who directed the dawn of digital computing in Boeing aircraft and came to be a globetrotting educator on the importance of understanding other cultures.

In the second episode, we'll get a sense of the panorama of Global Ed programs at SLUH from Director of International Education, Rob Chura.

We'll visit with Human Geography teacher Sarah Becvar for a look at a recent innovative approach

to Social Studies and you'll meet recent alumni Matthew Stauder '18, a college classmate of Venezuela's Juan Guiado, who is studying International Affairs.

3

In the third and final episode, we talk with Sam Owen '17 whose work in the spectronomy of other planets for NASA took him on an unexpected adventure to Iceland. Then, you'll get an insider's view on a project near and dear to many students, alumni and faculty at SLUH: the St. Ives Nutrition Center in Yoro, Honduras, a long-time Senior Project site. We'll talk with the founder and father of the work, retired teacher Charley Merriott, and get a picture of the new opportunities and challenges at "The Center" from current director Patrick Mulligan '13. We'll also spend some time going “down the hall" into foreign language classrooms to listen in on the daily work of learning to speak and write all over again.

Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the SLUH website: www.sluh.org/insignis

Alumni Trailblazers When it comes to equity and inclusion, SLUH is especially proud of several alumni who have done notable work toward creating a community where the wounds of poverty, hatred and discrimination are healed. Following are a few Jr. Bills featured on our newly installed Alumni Trailblazers display, which celebrates the achievements of graduates of color. It is situated on the first floor of our main building near the Robinson Library.

Stop by the next time you’re on campus, or visit www.sluh.org/trailblazers.

Nominations are welcome.

FROM TOP: Kwofe Coleman '01, Darryl Jones '73, Milton Wilkins, Jr. '65, Msgr. Eugene Morris '83

Tune in for a “world view” from SLUH! Winter 2020 | 17

COUNSELING

e c i r P The OF n o i s s Admi

BY KEVIN

College pricing models are something that everyone understands, right?

Over the years there have been significant developments in the way that higher education has structured its financing. There are also an astonishing number of exceptional colleges and universities to choose from, many of which are surprisingly affordable. The College Counseling department, which was created as an early realization of SLUH’s strategic direction and Go Forth campaign, offers families an insider look at the options available to them, based on their unique family situation. For many of our families, especially for our students who will be first generation college students, our office provides an understanding of how the financial aid process works for students from all backgrounds.

In SLUH’s College Counseling department, we believe that forewarned is fore-armed. Having parents that understand the tools available and the knowledge of the innerworkings of the financial aid process can result

18 | SLUH Magazine

OUNSELING F COLLEGE C

DIRECTOR O CRIMMINS,

in significantly different results for a student. It can be counterintuitive, but based on what a college and a university “think” you can afford, sometimes the colleges with the highest price tags cost less for a particular family compared to an in-state option. That’s where the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and “Expected Family Contribution” come into play.

The key is that it is all based on your individual family’s situation.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for the right amount to save or pay for college. Since we cannot turn to cookie-cutter templates, our counselors meet individually with every family to better understand their financial situation as well as their hopes and expectations for the desired educational program. We bring these unique factors into conversation with our expertise as a staff based on years of experience working for colleges and with high school students.

For SLUH families who are capable of paying for any university experience, we tailor our conversations to consider highly selective schools and programs that align with the student’s academic and professional goals. The majority of SLUH families fall somewhere on the spectrum between having vast need

and no need at all. For many in this group, the prospect of financing higher education has become increasingly challenging for a number of reasons.

Increasing Costs: A Snapshot Since the 1980s, when many of our current SLUH parents graduated from college, the cost of college has risen nearly 275 percent, compared to the Consumer Price Index of about 120 percent. This means that the interest and earnings from savings by both students and parents is often not able to keep up with the increasing costs, and more students are taking on debt to make up the difference. Currently, 70 percent of students nationally are graduating from college with an average debt of about $30,000.

At SLUH, these increasing college costs are not being evenly distributed — to the detriment of the lowest income families. For example, the highest quartile of household income has seen an increase in $3,180 since 2000 in tuition dollars paid per year, while the bottom quartile has taken on an additional $4,350 over the same time period.

In addition, middle class families are being asked to pay more than they feel they are able to because of the

1818 INSIDER

increased costs and allocation of financial aid. You may have heard of the “donut hole” in college financial aid, which means that there are many families who don’t make enough to pay the full amount of tuition but make too much to qualify for needbased financial assistance.

At SLUH, I’ve found this to be one of the biggest challenges for our families.

Need-based financial assistance at many public colleges is typically unavailable to families earning more than $35,000$50,000 annually. Institutional grants might exist at private institutions for households with somewhat higher income levels, but they are certainly not universal and often have stringent financial cutoffs.

A Proactive Approach Our College Counseling team believes that knowledge is power when it comes to financial awareness and college planning. Over the past couple of years, we’ve begun to expand our programming in several ways: • Financial Aid 101 for freshman and sophomore parents. This workshop introduces the tools to calculate how the FAFSA calculates a family’s ability to pay for college. Providing this to underclassmen families allows them to work with their own financial advisors regarding any changes that need to be made, or can be made, before the college selection process.

• Financial Aid 201 for parents of junior students. This presentation leverages tools that colleges provide so they can see specific financial aid award examples for colleges they are considering. We also discuss how we have seen families best integrate financial resource tools like Net Price Calculators into the college research process.

• Financial aid expert advice for senior parents.

Each year we invite an outside expert to walk families through the filing of the FAFSA to avoid mistakes and help ensure awards are accurate.

Average Published Tuition and Fees in 2019 Dollars by Sector, 1989-90 to 2019-20

Published Tuition and Fees in 2019 Dollars

$40,000

Private Nonprofit Four-Year

$36,880

$30,670 $30,000

$23,890

$20,000

$17,860

$8,420

$10,000

$5,170 $3,510

$0

$3,060

$2,540

Public Four-Year

$10,440

Public Two-Year

$3,730

$1,730 89-90

94-95

99-00

04-05

09-10

14-15

We focus on dispelling rumors and digging deep.

For instance, if a family has a low calculated ability to pay for college, there are some surprising, and very selective, colleges that can award financial aid packages that can make college-direct costs less expensive than instate public options. In other circumstances, if colleges assume that a family has a high ability to pay for college — even if a family does not feel they can — it will help our counseling team to focus the college search on schools that offer robust meritbased awards. It is all about meeting every individual family where they uniquely are and listening to what it is that they want and need.

We are also utilizing programs for students who fall in the lowest income brackets to help them get the funding to attend their dream colleges. In recent years, we have had exceptional success with the Questbridge scholarship program, available only to families with the greatest need. Two of our Questbridge finalists attended Princeton University, and another went to the University of Notre Dame.

SLUH is working diligently to educate families about all the tools available to help make college more affordable.

Of course, college decisions cannot be made in a vacuum, and cost is becoming an increasingly strong driver for our families, but it should not be the only factor. We’ll dive deeper into that in our next issue of this publication.

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Source: CollegeBoard

Winter 2020 | 19

WOMEN OF SLUH

THE REFLECTION OF

Eternal Light Tribute to the Women of SLUH Unveiled

From the Blessed Virgin and Anna Backer to teachers and Mothers Club volunteers, women have played an unsung yet unprecedented role in SLUH's history of forming Men for Others. As part of the Bicentennial celebration in 2018, the school launched the Tribute to the Women of SLUH to bring the impact of countless dedicated women to life in a moving and memorable tribute.

Art teacher Sean Powers '05 and students created a beautiful, unique work of art incorporating hundreds of photos of mothers, grandmothers, teachers and others. This artwork, to reside permanently in the Si Commons, was unveiled at the Mother-Son Mass and Brunch on October 27.

This tribute reflects SLUH's gratitude to the women who have toiled tirelessly, and largely anonymously, to make the school what it is today, and what it will be for future generations.

A few of the women of SLUH are proudly highlighted here.

Lindsey Ehret AP World History teacher and head coach of the Swimming & Diving team As a teacher, Lindsey Ehret stands out for her commitment to active, creative and engaged learning for her students. That same level of commitment is evident in the pool, where she has shown remarkable achievement as SLUH’s first female head coach to win a state title.

Last year, she earned a second consecutive state title for the Swimming & Diving team!

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Kathy Hylla Food Service Manager at SLUH for the past 30 years If you’ve ever eaten a meal at SLUH, chances are Kathy Hylla played a role in the planning and preparation. Hylla is one of the most dedicated, hardworking and nurturing people in the building.

In the midst of an incredible volume of work, she makes sure you feel her care, her concern and her kindness.

She is definitely tough, but you always feel the love next to her toughness.

Tribute to the Women of SLUH Artwork Mary, the mother of Jesus, features prominently in the design as an immediate symbol of the sacred love that so many women have shown to our community. This painting features a particular image of Mary that originates from medieval Spain, “Our Lady of Montserrat.” Holding Jesus in her lap, the Blessed Mother is depicted as the “Seat of Wisdom.” Soon after his spiritual conversion, St. Ignatius prayed for an entire night in front of Our Lady of Montserrat.

After his prayer he shed his knightly armor at Mary's feet and, with it, his worldly ambitions. Afterward he sought only to be a “humble pilgrim” at God's service.

Included in the painting are words from Sacred Scripture, “She is the reflection of eternal light ... the image of God's goodness” (Wisdom 7:26). A gift of the Spirit, the virtue of Wisdom comes to us so readily through our mothers, teachers and loving role models.

In the background are the images of 315 women who have had a unique, personal bond with SLUH. They represent the thousands of women who have supported our mission of developing Men for Others.

May we always honor the women of SLUH and give them thanks for being models of God's love and wisdom to our community.

ARTIST: Sean Powers ‘05 INSPIRATION: Tim Rodgers ‘71 SIZE: 48"x84" MEDIUM: Oil paint, paper collage, silver leaf on maple panel TIMELINE: Created 2018-19

Carol Ferrara Past Parent, Mothers Club President (1980-81) Pictured: Carol Ferrara (seated in the center) surrounded by her family, including son Fr. Charlie Ferrara '75 (back row on the left), grandson Alex Ferrara '14 (Back row, second from left), and sons Peter Ferrara '87 (back row

center), John Ferrara '81 (seated on far left) and Frank Ferrara '78 (seated on far right). Cashbah 2019 was a celebration of 50 years of this annual gala, and Mrs. Ferrara has attended every single year without fail. Her oldest son, Robert '73 was a freshman when the auction was first held 50 years ago.

For the next 18 years she was an active volunteer at SLUH, including a term as the President of the Mothers Club in 1980-81. She continued her service in the Alumni Mothers Club for years after her youngest son graduated in 1987.

Dressed for Success Peek inside the closet of a typical SLUH student, and chances are you’ll find Sperry shoes, a navy blazer and plenty of classic khaki pants.

But for students who are of greatest financial need, finding something appropriate to wear to school can be yet another high school hurdle.

SLUH Women for Others: Martha Staley “Teachers and counselors have long noticed (left) and Lucia Carruthers that there are always some students who wear the same clothes to school every day,” says former Mothers Club President Martha Staley. “And they decided that the best way to help these kids build a more robust, appropriate school wardrobe was to provide the clothes in house.”

Last summer, Staley, along with Lucia Carruthers, wife of President Alan Carruthers, volunteered to acquire clothing donations and hanging racks to build Father Kellett’s Closet, a free clothing store where students in need can shop (accompanied by their school counselor) for pants, shirts, suits, belts, shoes and spirit wear. The store, which is located in the old basement bookstore, is stocked with both new and used items donated by SLUH parents, alumni and faculty.

“When students see the store for the first time, they can’t believe the school has done this for them,” says school counselor Nina See. “They are so excited and so grateful, and I hear it over and over again: It feels like Christmas.”

Since its inception, Fr. Kellett’s Closet has been guided by a philosophy that all students, regardless of financial means, have access to the complete SLUH experience – and that includes dressing the part.

FULFILLING A JESUIT’S VISION For many alumni who attended SLUH from 1953-73, one Jesuit in particular seemed to embody the spirit of the school: Fr. Phil Kellett, SJ. In addition to serving as athletic moderator for nearly his entire career (his talks at pep rallies were legendary), he taught Latin and helped with the production of Senior Follies. Fr. Kellett’s tough exterior was balanced by a soft spot for those in need.

Winter 2020 | 21

Renaissance Man

Kameron Moses '20 has developed into a leader of the senior class and Man for Others

BY JOHNO JACKSON ‘20

Kameron Moses '20 at the Ignatian Family Teach-In in Washington, D.C. in 2019.

(Photo by Juan Hernandez '20.)

22 | SLUH Magazine

Kameron Moses is a renaissance man. Through his passion for music, social justice and architecture, Moses has carved himself a unique position in the class of 2020 as a multifaceted leader uneasy to pin.

Moses attended Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School (VPA) before beginning at SLUH, where his love for music blossomed. Originally attending VPA to cultivate his passion for studio art, VPA provided a well rounded, arts focused education — and Moses flourished. It was there that his brother, CJ, first introduced the idea of potentially applying to SLUH. At the time, Moses had never heard of SLUH. No one he knew had attended — CJ was a Gateway High School graduate, and the world of Catholic high schools was to him a distant one. Still, his brother invited him to apply, and with a teacher’s help he did. Next thing he knew, he was staring down his freshman year in a place unfamiliar even by freshman standards.

It was then that tragedy struck the Moses household. In the summer of 2016, a fire destroyed their home in North City. In the fire, the family lost treasured belongings, including priceless photographs and family mementos. Their loss was heightened by the instability that followed. Kameron and his mom then began moving frequently, hunting for better housing. With few belongings and no permanent address, Moses began the early days of his high school experience.

He couldn’t help but feel misplaced at school, too. He was a black student surrounded by mostly white peers for the first time, studying a religion that wasn’t his, and taking classes unlike those offered at VPA. Courses at SLUH were far more rigorous and time consuming than he was used to. Unlike his peers, his priorities seemed to be elsewhere. He was navigating bigger, more jarring transitions behind the scenes than in his academic life. He fell into SLUH at a time when he not only didn’t know what to expect out of high school itself, but also of his life over the

next few years. He leaned on his counselor, Mrs. Nina See, and Campus Ministry.

“When I first came to SLUH, the teachers were very welcoming to me while I talked to them,” said Moses. “I found new spaces to clear my mind like in Campus Ministry or in Mrs. See’s office.”

Moses found community in the Association for Cultural Enrichment at SLUH (ACES), where he began to foster a passion for social justice. To Moses, the framework was always there. Before understanding the framework of justice in the context of faith, the Jesuits and Catholicism, the same values had governed his upbringing and personal philosophy.

He plugged in to SLUH's social justice scene with relative ease, joining peers in discussions he found meaningful and, often, personal. Meetings with ACES, the Black Student Union, and the StudentTeacher Alliance for Racial Studies (STARS) became staples of his day-to-day SLUH experience throughout his four years.

“SLUH gave me a platform to express my passion for social justice, giving me several avenues to enhance my skill for action,” said Moses. “SLUH has helped me realize my reality — both good and bad — while also showing me how to guide my conscience.”

He joined the delegation attending the Arrupe Leaders Summit his freshman year, and the Bay area based conference nurtured a forceful passion for the issues he had spent time at SLUH learning about.

It was also his inaugural plane ride and West Coast adventure. Moses went on to also attend the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, a conference of Jesuit schools in Washington, D.C. centered around justice and public advocacy, three times. After taking his passion beyond St. Louis, he brought back more enthusiasm to the SLUH community. That enthusiasm registered in activities like Youth Leadership St. Louis, the hand-picked group of juniors that explore and study inequality in St. Louis and in their school with students from other area high schools.

At the end of freshman year, Moses found a way to try to plug himself in on a broader scale: he ran for the sophomore

class presidency. His candidacy focused on unity of the class as well as his position to better represent students of color on STUCO. Aided by a boisterous and unapologetic personality, by the end of the highly contested election cycle, he emerged victorious, and went on to be class co-president. His STUCO tenure offered a chance to engage his whole class, as well as SLUH, from the student body in-group — a stark contrast to where he had been as he began his SLUH career.

Outside of the classroom, Moses continues to entertain himself through music, writing songs and posting them to the online streaming service SoundCloud.

With the help of a classmate who creates his beats, Moses produces raps. His lyrics tell the story of his own life, and songwriting offers a calming outlet from the often chaotic stresses of daily life. His most recent project is putting a debut album together. His freestyle ability rivals that of anyone in his class.

Beyond SLUH, Moses hopes to study architecture, a field he sees as a gateway to helping underserved communities experience the beauty, functionality and comfort of good design — qualities Moses feels were lacking in the community he grew up in.

“I hope that my future job can be intertwined into everything in my life like God. I hope to renovate my community and give the resources to my neighborhood that they desperately need and deserve,” said Moses.

Still in touch with his artistic vision found at VPA, and armed with a dedication to doing justice, Moses seeks to merge his passions into a lifelong vocation.

Johno Jackson ’20 is editor-in-chief of Prep News, a Senior Advisor, member of the YMCA Youth and Government program, and co-president of Ongoing Conversations (gender identity and Catholic social teaching student group). He has participated in a cross section of social justice activities, such as the Ignatian Family Teach-In in D.C., the Kino Border Initiative spring break trip, and the Association for Cultural Enrichment at SLUH (ACES). Johno enjoys Social Studies and English classes, and may study “something in that realm” in college.

Winter 2020 | 23

HOPE IN THE

Valley of Death Nonprofit Founded by Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ Saves Lives and Provides Future for At-Risk Kids in U.S. and Latin America

BY BEN DUMONT '92

When six seniors arrived in Guatemala City for Senior Project in January, nothing could have prepared them for what they would encounter. Two thousand miles from home, amid extreme poverty and desperate living conditions, they felt in another world, yet it was an all-too-familiar scene for their trip leader, Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ. Fr. Sheridan, theology teacher and former SLUH President (1997-2005), has committed his vocation as a Jesuit to providing hope for the hopeless. In 1977, he founded Boys Hope Girls Hope (BHGH), a program to nurture and guide motivated young people from challenging backgrounds to become welleducated, career-ready men and women for others. The program started with residential homes and has since expanded to also include non-residential academy programming. In 1992, he started Esperanza Juvenil, the BHGH affiliate in Guatemala City for at-risk boys and girls to achieve their potential and break the cycle of poverty. This January marked the second consecutive year SLUH partnered with Esperanza Juvenil for Senior Project.

24 | SLUH Magazine

On their first day in Guatemala City, the seniors, led by Sheridan, visited the home of two Esperanza Juvenil students. It was in an extremely poor area on the outskirts of town and inaccessible to vehicles. The group walked cautiously along a narrow, crumbling road at the top of a hill, which sloped precipitously to a trash-strewn stream and was lined with makeshift huts like old shoeboxes haphazardly stacked on top of each other.

The further down the cliff wall, the rougher and more ragged the structures, comprised of dirt floors, cinder block walls and rusty corrugated roofs. Exposed wiring and stray dogs casually meandered inside and outside of the makeshift abodes.

It was a precarious descent for anybody, but Sheridan was determined to make the trek. In his heyday, he played minor league baseball and could throw a football more than 80 yards. Though he was older now and recovering from recent back surgery, he still possessed unshakable tenacity and mental fortitude. Step by steep step — with grit and determination — he descended into the ghetto depths.

When they reached the destination near the hill bottom, they met the Guatemalan family. Ten family members from three generations lived in the hut, which was smaller than an average American’s bedroom. Running water and bathrooms were absent yet the dangers of flooding and destructive mudslides were omnipresent. The SLUH students were wide-eyed, in disbelief.

Sheridan spoke to the mother, who praised BHGH for giving her boys an education and a chance to succeed in life. He offered words of encouragement and said a prayer before blessing their home and leaving a cash donation from BHGH to buy food and other necessities.

Then he clawed his way back up the incline. His lesson plan was not over. They had another important stop.

Esperanza FROM LEFT: Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ, Adam Mittendorf '20, Sutherlan Litke '20, Lucas Rackers '20, Joe Callahan '20, Ben Garcia '20, Noah Scott '20 and Michael Mohr '20 in front of the cathedral — Catedral Primada Metropolitana de Santiago — in Guatemala City.

Winter 2020 | 25

26 | SLUH Magazine

“

This should not be happening,� Fr. Sheridan told the students, asking them to reflect on what they were witnessing and how the Holy Spirit was moving them.

FROM LEFT: A very poor area of Guatemala City, where some Esperanza Junveil students live; dilapidated cemetery; the trash dump of Guatemala City; and a cross outside of a church in Antigua.

Winter 2020 | 27

Later that day, the group visited a run-down cemetery perched on a steep hillside, a vantage that allowed them to peer down into the infamous trash dump of Guatemala City. The biggest landfill in Central America, it is a humanitarian disaster marked by a steady stream of trash trucks, bulldozers, swarms of buzzard vultures and a deathly stench.

Thousands of human scavengers, known as guajeros, work from dawn until dusk every day in the dump, collecting plastic, metals and other materials to sell to recyclers, all while breathing toxic fumes, sifting through biohazardous materials and dodging dangerous machinery. Many of these trash-pickers are children.

The students said it seemed surreal, as if it were not really happening.

Michael Mohr, SJ, theology teacher who was on the trip, likened the dump to the “valley of death” in Scripture: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” PSALM 23:4 “This should not be happening,” Sheridan told the students, asking them to reflect on what they were witnessing and how the Holy Spirit was moving them. He encouraged them to see Christ in all those they saw, including the guajeros, and to offer up their plight and struggles to our Lord. It was part of his plan to create a deep, authentic sense of awareness within the students before they embarked on more than three weeks of service at Esperanza Juvenil.

Things could have turned out much differently. In addition to the prospects of marriage and a professional baseball career, Sheridan could have excelled in the business world. He possessed a commanding presence and a gift to think strategically, to set forth a vision and make things happen. But the Holy Spirit moved him in another direction.

Because of his father’s traveling job as a senior executive with Pfizer Drug Company, Sheridan grew up in California, Connecticut, New York, South Africa, Japan and Australia. From ages three to nine, the terms “poor” and “desperate” were firmly embedded in his vocabulary while living near the impoverished conditions of South Africa.

It was here that he grew “a soft spot,” a sensitivity to the needs of others.

After high school, Sheridan returned to New York and joined the Jesuits.

He worked with youth programs in the poor areas of Boston, New York and St. Louis. It was while teaching basketball to the inner city kids of St. Louis, just two days before leaving for Georgetown University to pursue his master’s degree in the School of Foreign Service (his “dream” ambition at the time), that he had a vision.

“There was an absolute certainty that I could not leave those kids,” he recalls. “Somebody needed to take them from their hopeless situation and give them proper care.”

Sheridan chose to stay in St. Louis, forgoing his aspirations at Georgetown, and moved into the poor neighborhood

“There was an absolute certainty that I could not leave those kids," he recalls. "Somebody needed to take them from their hopeless situation and give them proper care."

where he served. He devised a plan to provide a foundation for these boys who had the potential — but not the suitable environment — to succeed. For four years he pursued his resources tirelessly, working with business executives, educators and child welfare experts, until 1977 when the first Boys Hope home opened in St. Louis.

“Children should not be forced to sleep under the pipes of a kitchen sink; to be fearful of being beaten; to be used to sell drugs; or to witness a family member shooting another,” Sheridan says.

“We believe children should have lives that are secure, supportive, loved and directed. That is why Boys Hope Girls Hope was founded.”

Since its founding, thousands of boys and girls have benefited from Sheridan’s vision for a hope-filled future. Today, BHGH serves 16 cities in the U.S. and Latin America, offering residential environments, academy programs, continuing support of collegians and community-based, after-school programming. Young people come to Boys Hope Girls Hope facing significant barriers, like poverty, parent illness, neighborhood violence and underperforming schools. They also bring with them grit, resilience, determination and big dreams.

Since its founding by Sheridan, the organization has been dedicated to removing barriers and helping boys and girls reach their full potential.

On the last day of Sheridan’s fourday trip to introduce the seniors to Guatemala City and Esperanza Juvenil, they toured nearby Antigua,

Philip Wilson, Ecofiltro CEO

28 | SLUH Magazine

a popular attraction with cultural charm and natural beauty, including two volcano peaks at the edge of town. After showing the students poverty at the beginning of the trip, he wanted to leave them with models of hope.

The group visited Ecofiltro, a social enterprise dedicated to providing clean water to the rural poor of Mexico and Central America. Philip Wilson, the organization’s founder and CEO, gave them a tour of the facility. He talked about his journey from being a successful businessman, which he said lacked meaning and purpose, to using his gifts and talents to lead a mission-oriented organization that has already distributed one million water filters throughout Guatemala.

After Ecofiltro, they explored Antigua and visited the home of Kristin Ostby, current BHGH President and CEO, for dinner. Her husband, Benito, told the students about his experience growing up in an orphanage and the importance of getting proper support and education. He is now a business owner and loving husband and father of two boys.

Lucas Pinzon, Executive Director of Esperanza Juvenil, shared his equally inspiring story at dinner. As a young boy, Pinzon’s father died in the Guatemalan Civil War. His mother, desperate to provide support for her eight kids, placed Lucas in a caring orphanage, where he met Benito. He went on to earn his college degree at the University of the Ozarks in Arkansas and became proficient in English.

While in college, he earned and saved enough money to build his mom a home.

After returning to Guatemala City, he was recruited to work for BHGH. Today, Pinzon is responsible for overseeing the Esperanza Juvenil grade school and high school in Guatemala City, in addition to eight homes, each providing secure residence for up to a dozen kids.

“I am very thankful for everything Esperanza Juvenil does for our boys and girls,” says Pinzon. “I benefited from an organization like this and will always be grateful for the foundation and education it helped to provide me.”

Sheridan, though he would not admit it, has saved many lives. A man of great humility, he sees it as his mission to proclaim the Gospel message by branding generosity and hope in the tender hide of humanity. In restoring love and dignity where they have been forsaken, he has given thousands of children from broken homes a reason to endure, and most of all, a will to prevail. Though we live in the “shadow of the valley of death,” he shows through his life’s work that our Lord is with us. Despite our suffering, there is hope. There is salvation.

“Fr. Sheridan has taught me to live boldly in service of Christ,” says Noah Scott ‘20, who served at Esperanza Juvenil for Senior Project. “He has such a vibrant, real relationship with our Lord, and he loves to let students in on it. His love of the poor and his get-after-it personality inspire me to use my talents for others in need."

Jr. Bills interact with students from Esperanza Juvenil during Senior Project.

Strong Legacy of Education In addition to his exceptional leadership in Jesuit secondary education and with Boys Hope Girls Hope, Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ founded Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuit middle school for boys, in 1999. Loyola serves young men from families struggling with socio-economic obstacles.

The school offers an extended day/extended year program, a small student body, wrap-around services to serve the whole student and a Graduate Support program that supports alumni through all four years of high school and college. Many Loyola alumni have successfully continued their education at SLUH and beyond in college.

The Fr. Sheridan Scholars program at SLUH, a result of the school's Go Forth campaign and focus on strengthening financial accessibility, allows graduates of Loyola Academy to attend SLUH on full scholarship.

Winter 2020 | 29

U. HIGHLIGHTS Living Faith and Justice On July 31, 1973, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus (1965-83), spoke to the 10th International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe gathered in Valencia, Spain. His words, considered revolutionary at the time, continue to reverberate around the world.

Arrupe, who led the Jesuits during a time of change in the Catholic Church post Vatican II, created a stir with his remarks. Because of the “new awareness in the Church,” he said that a graduate from Jesuit schools and colleges had not been properly educated to participate “in the promotion of justice and the liberation of the oppressed.”

Nevertheless, he remained hopeful that “the paramount objective of Jesuit education” could be reached.

30 | SLUH Magazine

“Today our prime educational objective must be to form Men for Others," he said, “men who will live not for themselves but for God and his Christ — for the God-human who lived and died for all the world; men who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men completely convinced that love of God which does not issue in justice for others is a farce.”

Arrupe’s message, adapted to include women to make it applicable for a contemporary Jesuit alumni audience today, endures. Thanks to Fr. Arrupe, Men and Women for Others is a guiding value in Jesuit education that inspires students to integrate contemplation and action, so they become “agents of change” who work to bring about a more just and humane world.

Arrupe’s incredible leadership and influence has inspired a movement to canonize him.

To read Fr. Arrupe's full speech, visit www.sluh.org/arrupe.

ALUMNI: MEN FOR OTHERS

Men for Others Personified Generations before Fr. Arrupe had coined the term Men for Others, SLUH alumni were living out the Christ-inspired ideals that the former leader of the Jesuits so deeply valued. Today, graduates continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to justice and service in every field from medicine and religion to science and humanitarianism.

SLUH's Backer and John J. Divine, SJ Service Awardees, though a small sample of alumni, have been driven by an active commitment to building God’s kingdom on earth. They are our very own Men for Others.

Tom Dooley ‘44 Humanitarian, medical doctor, activist, author and Congressional Gold Medal recipient

Henry Hampton '57 Civil Rights activist, recipient of the Heinz Award, filmmaker and producer of the documentary Eyes on the Prize

Fr. Ralph Houlihan, SJ ‘52 Educator and administrator at SLUH, Regis Jesuit (Denver) and DeSmet, and founding Board member of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association (now Jesuit Schools Network)

Bishop Adolph Paschang 1915 Missionary, relief worker and educator working in the southern part of China

Max Starkloff '56 Founder of Paraquad, which empowers those with disabilities throughout the St. Louis area to increase their independence through choice and opportunity

U. HIGHLIGHTS

BACKER AWARD The highest honor that SLUH bestows upon its alumni, the Backer Award, started in 1983, honors alumni who are open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving and committed to doing justice.

PAST RECIPIENTS Matthias H. Backer, Jr., M.D. '44 | Fr. David P. Baltz, SJ '58 | Del L. Bannister 1924 | Robert L. Bannister, Ph.D. '54 | Robert Barnidge '58 | John D. Bouhasin, M.D. '48 | Paul J. Burgett, Ph.D. '64 | Joseph P. Castellano '71 | Michael R. DeBaun, M.D. '78 | Thomas A. Dooley, M.D. '44 | Timothy L. Drone '68 | Rev. William B. Faherty, SJ '31 | Fr. David Fleming, SJ '52 | Donald J. Gunn, Jr. '54 | Theodore J. Dubuque, Jr., M.D. '45 | The Hon. Edward L. Filippine '48 | Rev. George E. Ganss, SJ '24 | George E. Gantner, Jr., M.D. '45 | The Hon. J. Donald Gunn '26 | Henry E. Hampton, Jr. '57 | Rev. Claude B. Heithaus, SJ 1916 | Theodore W. Hellman '66 | George F. Hellmuth '24 | David A. Hilliard '67 | Fr. Ralph D. Houlihan, SJ '52 | Stephen E. Hutchison '68 | Robert F. Hyland, Jr. '36 | Robert L. Jackson '52 | William F. James '36 | Rev. John F. Kavanaugh, SJ '59 | R. Emmet Kelly, M.D. '26 | Edward C. Macauley '45 | F. William McAlpin '39 | Daniel J. McAuliffe '53 | James S. McClellan '26 | The Hon. Richard J. Mehan '41 | Dcn. Anthony I. Messineo '42 | Rev. John W. Padberg, SJ '44 | Bishop Adolph J. Paschang, M.M. '15 | Richard D. Perl, SJ '66 | The Hon. Melvin C. Price '23 | Carl J. Reis, Jr. '57 | Paul J. Rodgers '37 | Carl J. Rossow, Ed.D. '55 | Prof. Peter W. Salsich, Jr. '55 | Thomas W. Santel '76 | Daniel L. Schlafly, Sr. '28 | F. Joseph Schulte '54 | Msgr. John A. Shocklee '35 | Rev. John B. Warner, SJ '62 | Rev. Robert F. Weiss, SJ '42 | Kenneth S. Wild '45 | Mark A. Wilhelm '72 | John D. Wunderlich '66

JOHN J. DIVINE, SJ ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD This award, established in 1974, is presented annually to an outstanding alumnus in recognition of his dedicated service to SLUH. PAST RECIPIENTS Joseph P. Bannister ‘56 | James T. Barry, Jr. ‘63 | Peter H. Benoist ‘66 | James G. Blase ‘75 | J. Michael Bruno ‘62 | George G. Callahan ‘43 | Robert F. Chickey ‘50 | Terry Donohue '63 | Timothy L. Drone ‘68 | Francis A. Ferrara ‘48 | John A. Finan ‘30 | Joseph M. Grana D.D.S. ‘37 | Robert L. Gund ‘36 | Donald J. Gunn, Jr. ‘54 | Robert X. Holloran ‘26 | Ron Horst '63 | Daniel P. Hurley ‘43 | Stephen E. Hutchison ‘68 | Joseph F. Jedlicka '80 | Thomas J. Keeline '68 | Mark J. LaBarge ‘70 | Henry F. Luepke, Jr. ’53 | Robert L. Lynch, Jr. ‘65 | Daniel J. McAuliffe ‘53 | Richard G. Millman ‘68 | Deacon James L. Murphy ‘54 | Marty O'Brien '63 | Tim O'Connell '63 | Francis J. Pawloski ‘63 | Martin J. Ribaudo ‘68 | Jack E. Pohrer ‘58 | Lee Schilligo '63 | Bob St. Vrain '63 | Norm Thomas '63 | Mark Wilhelm '72 | Matthew C. Sciuto '70 | James A. Walther ‘73 | Joseph A. Weber ‘28 | John C. Weller ‘70 | John W. Williams ‘59 | John D. Wunderlich ‘66

Winter 2020 | 31

ALUMNI: MEN FOR OTHERS

Redefining ABILITY A profile of Brian Roy ‘90 and Nick George ‘23

BY JUSTIN SEATON ‘13

His stocky body bulging in a button-up shirt and eyes glinting kindly behind rimless glasses, Brian Roy ‘90 offered me a tour of his offices — those of Variety, the Children’s Charity of St. Louis in Maryland Heights.

The employees at Variety lifted their heads and smiled as we passed, their broadshouldered Executive Director showing off a renovated playroom and a collection of newly donated furniture.

I immediately sensed a duality in Roy, in the way he spoke and the things he chose to speak about. A corporate executive concerned with justice; a rugby player with a gentle heart; an analytical, administrative mind with an upfront tenderness.

We made our way to his office and Roy launched into his story: He was raised in Kirkwood, one of four boys, all of whom went to St. Louis U. High. His dad, Barbeau ‘54, was also one of four, all of whom also went to SLUH. It was clear from the start how much he admired his alma mater, and how eager he was to talk about it.

“You find a place at SLUH – you find organizations or sports or clubs to get into,” said Roy. “When you’re down there, you feel that sense of

32 | SLUH Magazine

community … My senses of justice, community and service were absolutely ingrained in me by the Jesuits.”

Tim Curdt, now the Director of the SLUH Learning Center, first met Brian Roy on their Direction Day in 1986. Thirty-four years later, Curdt remembered his first impression of Roy as a “connector.”

“Brian was pretty comfortable there from the beginning,” said Curdt.

“He was a kind, funny, galvanizing personality that could bring a lot of people together ... I think those qualities are still evident now. He remembers everybody. He’s fundamentally kind.”

Roy went from SLUH to the University of Dayton, then onto a 15-year marketing career in the sports and entertainment industries. His gift with people served him well as a professional in the corporate world, but the parts of him that were rooted in justice and service felt undernourished.

“At some point I thought, ‘I don’t see myself being in this career anymore. Maybe I could use these skills somewhere else,’” said Roy. Roy had been talking with Jan Albus, the CEO of Variety, about transitioning to the nonprofit world for “the better part of ten years.” In July 2010, Albus’ persistence finally paid off, and Brian signed on as the new Director of Marketing & Sales of Variety, the Children’s Charity of St. Louis.

“I felt, as his buddy, like he landed in a job that was perfect for him,” said Curdt. “What was a secondary asset in all those other jobs became a

primary asset in this job. That is: he’s fundamentally person-centered.”

The Variety Club, as it was called then, was established in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1928 as “the charity of the entertainment industry.” Roy described those early Variety affiliates, or “tents,” as social clubs for philanthropic theater owners. Variety became well-known for putting together big-ticket fundraising shows in the ‘30s and ‘40s, and later, for telethons headlined by stars like Sammy Davis Jr. The funds raised at these events were then allocated to children with various needs.

In 2003, Variety St. Louis’ board of directors narrowed in on a new mission – to specifically serve children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Under the new mission, Variety’s model shifted. Whereas they had always raised money for outside grants, Variety’s leaders realized that they could provide better opportunities for the kids they served by creating and funding their own specialized programs.

“We were a pass-through organization,” said Roy. “We were raising money, then spreading it around to all these different silos. You had to go to one place for one thing and across town for another thing. But there was no one that was combining critical needs.”

From 2000 to 2010, Variety pioneered several programs: a children’s chorus, a three-week adventure camp and a fully inclusive theater program, to name a few. Then, starting around 2014, under newly appointed COO

U. HIGHLIGHTS

"With access to opportunities, these kids can do anything.”

– Brian Roy ‘90 Brian Roy '90 (far left), Executive Director of Variety, empowers children with special needs by providing access to medical equipment, therapy and innovative programs.

Brian Roy’s leadership, Variety started to quantify the impact of these programs in four distinct categories – skills, socialization, self-esteem and independence – by surveying the doctors, therapists and families in their network.

“No one else in the country was doing this stuff,” said Roy. In 2016, Albus stepped away from her day-to-day administrative work at Variety, and in January 2017, Roy was named the new Executive Director. In his new role, Roy has continued to develop, assess and build upon Variety’s groundbreaking programs.

“Why can’t these kids go ice skating? Why can’t they rock climb? Why can’t they do robotics?” said Roy, more excited than I’d seen him all day. “We might have to adapt them a little bit, but Variety kids should have access to these experiences.

With access to opportunities, these kids can do anything.”

SLUH freshman and lifelong Variety kid Nick George ‘23 was diagnosed, just before birth, with a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis

imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. He was born with several broken bones and spent about a month in the NICU. When Nick was cleared to go home, his parents Dottie and Tom had to find a way to safely get him there.

“The nurses at the hospital suggested calling Variety to get a specialized car seat for him, and that was our first contact,” said Dottie.

With Variety’s help, Nick made it home from the hospital and onto the stage. Over his 14 years with Variety, Nick has been a guest emcee at Variety’s trivia nights, a galvanizing spokesperson on local news appearances, and the first Variety kid to star as a principal cast member in the role of Flounder in The Little Mermaid.

After one theater rehearsal, Brian Roy and Nick George crossed paths backstage, and Nick told Roy he was looking at private high schools.

“I said, ‘you need to be down at SLUH,’” said Roy. “I knew the community would embrace him. It’s not easy. You’ve got

Winter 2020 | 33

ALUMNI: MEN FOR OTHERS to think things through and make accommodations, and I knew the people at SLUH would work to do that.”

At Roy’s behest, the Georges went to the 2019 SLUH Open House, where they ran into a fellow show parent, Tim Curdt, whose son Michael had appeared in a few Variety shows.

“Tim Curdt stopped us and said, ‘if Nick wants to go here, we’re up for the challenge,’ and they have been,” said Dottie. “It’s been tremendous

everything that SLUH’s done for Nick to make this possible.”

When Nick chose SLUH, the staff and administration worked together to make sure that he could be independent in the building. Modifications were made to the first-floor restroom, accessible desks were ordered for all of his classrooms, and his class schedule was carefully designed to accommodate his needs.

“My job was to think through all of the events of the school year with the lens of,

‘how can we incorporate Nick in a way that maximizes his participation,’” said Curdt.

Variety chipped in, too, paying what insurance wouldn’t for a brand new, $50,000 power chair that can raise, recline and tilt – functions that allow him the freedom to go to school without an aid.

Now, into his second semester of freshman year, Nick has capitalized on the opportunities he’s been given to succeed and push boundaries at SLUH. On his first day of orientation, he asked

"Nick and his classmates have redefined ability and re-imagined what’s possible.” – Brian Roy ‘90

34 | SLUH Magazine

U. HIGHLIGHTS

if he could introduce himself to his class.

He rolled up to the stage, a 14-yearold boy facing a room full of his peers, still strangers, and said: “I can do just about everything you guys can do, it’s just that I’ll do it a little slower …

I’ll make a deal with ya: Don’t bump into me, and I won’t run over you.”

And like that, Nick solidified himself as a leader, a connector. A few months later, Nick prepared to address his class once again, as a student council

nominee, but he was sick on the day of the speeches. A friend stood in for him and delivered a moving speech about friendship, about feeling lonely, and about building community. By the end of the day, Nick had won the election for freshman class Vice President.

“That class has seen in Nick what I’ve seen in Nick, and their expectations of him as a leader represent them well,” said Roy, when he heard that Nick had won. ”They’re not going to expect less

from him, and that’s what we’re going for.

Nick and his classmates have redefined ability and re-imagined what’s possible.”

Justin Seaton ‘13, a graduate of Saint Louis University, served as an Alumni Service Corps teacher in SLUH’s English department in 2018-19.

He is a member of the school’s Communications Advisory Board.

Winter 2020 | 35

ALUMNI: MEN FOR OTHERS

HIGHER Purpose Alumni Lead, Drive Efforts at Nonprofit Organizations St. Ignatius once prayed, “Lord, teach me...to labor, and not to ask for reward...” Thousands of SLUH alumni live this prayer through their commitments to nonprofit organizations.

Many dedicate their professional lives as educators, social workers or civil servants. Many more commit significant hours of volunteer service, or lend expertise to nonprofit leadership and Boards of Directors.

Here are a few of their stories.

Steve Hutchison '68 In 1998 I helped found Revitalization 2000, which emerged from a project at St. Matthew the Apostle Church, a Jesuit parish in the Ville (North St. Louis).

We operate Claver House, which assists children whose lives are in constant trauma to develop life skills and walk the path to personal academic achievement. We help them learn by involving them in fun educational activities.

Our Claver House Saturday and Claver House Summer Camp programs offer STEM and literacy-based enrichment activities to grade school students living in our neighborhood. It helps them discover and achieve their potential.

In welcoming them into Claver House, we help them save their lives by loving them and providing a safe, mentoring environment where they can find themselves.

Claver House is also for us. It offers a holistic, formational service learning environment that contributes to the physical and spiritual well-being of volunteers and all who embrace it. It promotes what Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ, founder of Home Boy Industries, terms “kinship” at the margins. Through such kinship we gain the trust and understanding to respond to some of the stark needs of neighborhood residents.

Jesus asks us to love our neighbor as our self, but what does that mean? St. Vincent de Paul once wrote that we must find a way to “love more effectively.”

St. Ignatius said that we must “love more in deed than in word.” Catholic Social Teaching instructs us to love and act in solidarity and subsidiarity.

Encompassing these perspectives, Claver House is a place of communion where all

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It is a covenant between equals...a shift from the cramped world of self-preoccupation into a place of fellowship, of true kinship.”

- FR. GREGORY BOYLE, SJ, AUTHOR OF TATTOOS ON THE HEART

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can more effectively and inclusively love.

At Claver House I have learned that the journey with Christ only starts with being Men and Women for Others. It must lead to being Men and Women with Others. Jesus said “Come and see” that we might “come and be,” “come and be with,” and thereby “come and be one."

Steve Hutchison '68 Founder of Revitalization 2000, Inc., an all-volunteer organization

Jim Whalen '70 I am involved with several not-for-profit boards on the Finance/ Investment/Risk/ Executive Committees that allow my education (Finance and Accounting major at the University of Notre Dame) and my professional experience (PriceWaterhouse/ Coopers, Ralston Purina, Dell Computer and MasterCard) to provide expertise and drive value.

Each one of these not-forprofit enterprises focus on giving back or enriching the St. Louis community and are personally and professionally rewarding to me.

U. HIGHLIGHTS

SLUH provided me with the perspective of being dedicated to building Christ’s kingdom of truth, justice, love and peace on this earth and to do all things for the greater glory of God. In this small way by participating in endeavors such as these, I hope I can bear witness to what I learned at SLUH. I have been most inspired by the work I do for SSM and Cardinal Glennon Hospital.

Through the exceptional health care offered, SSM and Cardinal Glennon reveal the healing presence of God. With the focus on the poor and vulnerable, and through the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, SSM and Cardinal Glennon Hospital improve the health in mind, body, spirit and the environment of those in need. It has been a rewarding experience that values the ‘man of others’ philosophy.

Jim Whalen ‘70 Consultant/Strategic Executive (CFO/COO) who serves on several St. Louis-area Boards of Directors, including Cardinal Glennon Hospital Foundation, SSM Health Care, Maryville University, St. Louis Zoo (Audit Committee) and the St. Louis Sports Commission

Nate Wilson '02 I never thought I would be in "peacebuilding." In fact, I did not even know that this was a dedicated field when

I was in graduate school in Washington, D.C. But my education at SLUH prepared me for understanding principles behind this work focused on bridging divides between peoples and reconciling after conflict.

Indeed, the idea of service was cultivated when I was a senior and spent a month at a school at the Pine Ridge Reservation.

I did not find my mission right away, trying business studies, waiting tables, and odd jobs. When I took the time to reflect on what excited my mind, I saw that the U.S. had a role in world affairs, especially the Middle East; we had invaded Iraq in 2003 during my freshman year in undergrad. The narratives on how to look at people in that part of the world did not match what I learned about human nature: human affairs are messy and millions of people cannot be reduced to what the media tells us. It was important to learn more for myself.

While at American University studying U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) was not on my radar. When I looked closely, USIP’s place between diplomacy, defense and development is unique in the Washington, D.C. landscape.

As a national institution, we are serving the interests of the American people.

However, at the same time, peace is served best when Americans uphold universal principles of respecting human dignity. During my current job leading our

peacebuilding program in Libya, having an opportunity to serve the interests of Americans and Libyans at the same time is a privilege.

I was lucky to find a place like USIP. The people there make it special: Mentors and supervisors have been instrumental in my learning, and my current team is composed of extraordinary folks, including Libyans.

It was because of my education that I was able to see the special mission and recognize that the cause of peace is noble, unending, and the only way to serve it is to get out, meet people and put in the work.

Nate Wilson ‘02 Libya Country Manager, U.S. Institute of Peace

Jason Young, MD '97 I decided to get involved with the Children’s Heart Foundation shortly after my wife, Ashley, and I had our second child affected by a congenital heart condition.

Graycen (SLUH Class of 2021) has had two heart surgeries and lives with a pacemaker for congenital heart block.

Our youngest, Myles, who is five years old, was born with an AV Canal Defect and required open-heart surgery at five months old. I was astounded to find out that congenital heart defects

occur in 1 in 110 births, and 25 percent of these children will need surgery to survive.

While caring for our children, I realized that much more needed to be done to improve diagnosis, prevention and treatment for children born with congenital heart defects.

I wanted to use my experience as “heart-dad” and orthopedic surgeon to help the organization make substantial change, and that requires funding the best, most promising research.

The Children’s Heart Foundation works primarily through peer-to-peer fundraising to fund research grants. We have an amazing medical advisory committee to help select the best projects. We also support a collaboration network to help researchers share data to improve the power of their research. This year, we started funding a research fellowship to create a steady pipeline of research projects.

To date, we have funded $12 million of research projects nationwide.

I feel truly blessed that my children have been able to live healthy, active lives, and my heart breaks for all those children who have not been as fortunate. I know that with more hard work and dedication, our foundation can help our children live their best life!

Jason Young, MD ‘97 Orthopedic Surgeon, Executive Director of the Missouri Region for the Children’s Heart Foundation

Winter 2020 | 37

ALUMNI PROFILES

TEACHING BY EXAMPLE Albert Einstein once said: "Example isn't another way to teach, it is the only way to teach." SLUH alumni continue to personify this mantra by sharing their experience and expertise in various fields with Jr. Bills — at Backer Memorial and beyond in Washington, D.C., Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

The following pages highlight just a few of many graduates who are generous with their time and willing to share their intellect and perspectives.

Spence Sets Sights Beyond the Stratosphere Cameron Spence '17, who ran Cross Country and participated in Youth and Government at SLUH, is the Recovery Lead on the University of Southern California Rocket Propulsion Laboratory. In this capacity, he was part of the first-ever student-designed and -built rocket that successfully launched into space. STEM is his passion, and space travel is in his blood.

Were there any particular classes or clubs during your time at SLUH that had a great effect on your passion for STEM? The class that most inspired me to further pursue STEM was AP Physics 1 with Mr. Baudendistel. I had always been interested in the science classes I had before, but I found a new passion for STEM in learning the basics of physics. I was fascinated by how powerful the simple equations taught in the first year of physics proved to be. I would try to picture the forces interacting on everyday objects and how that explained how those objects behaved according to Newton’s Second Law. That is when I began to realize that I wanted to study physics in college, which eventually led me to engineering.

38 | SLUH Magazine

What would you suggest to high school students who are trying to gain research and STEM projects once in college?

I would say to do your research on what is available at your school and to not be afraid to reach out to multiple groups or professors early on in your time in college. These groups tend to start looking for new students right at the beginning of the year, so it’s best to prepare an idea of where you may be interested in getting involved. At the same time, it is hard to know exactly what working on a particular project is going to be like, so it’s hard to know which projects or professors to reach out to.

Some students may feel more comfortable working directly with a professor on research, while others may prefer working with larger groups of students on design teams. It’s not uncommon for students to switch around between different projects until finding the one they are most passionate about.

What was the most influential part of your high school career, and how did it shape your path today?

AP Physics 1 and 2. Throughout junior and senior year, I was still weighing several different options of what I wanted to do in college, but each of those classes had an open-ended project near the end of the course that inspired me to work on STEM projects in college.

Who were your mentors growing up, and how did they influence you?

My father was my most impactful mentor growing up. Being an engineer himself, he was always excited to expose me to the things that introduce kids to engineering like LEGOs, RC cars and model rockets. When I became older, he encouraged me to take the most advanced math and science classes available and later helped me realize that I wanted to go into astronautical engineering in college.

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What was your favorite part while working on the first student rocket to reach space?

It was the final integration and assembly of the rocket. Integration is essentially sliding the motor (a cylinder of rocket fuel) into the airframe (a slightly larger cylinder acting as a case for the fuel), which is a fairly simple process on its own. However, this is the moment that the separate pieces of a rocket become the rocket itself. The motor now has an airframe to guide it along its ascent and land it after the flight, while the airframe now has its source of propulsion. Viewing the culmination of the hours of labor that everyone in the lab put into the rocket as it came into its final form was very rewarding.

How has the brotherhood aspect of SLUH influenced your relationships in your work at USC? It has prepared me to be a better team member and friend to those who I work with at the USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory. As a member of the lab, I have found that it is far more helpful to have a collaborative mindset rather than a competitive one when approaching all aspects of my college career. Instead of constantly competing to be the most helpful member of the lab or to have the best grade in a particular class, I have gained more from continuing to approach forming relationships the way I did at SLUH. Even though it is a more professional setting, many of the other students in the lab have become my best friends at USC. I know I can trust them to make an informed engineering decision about a rocket, but also to be there as a friend.

What was your most rewarding accomplishment at SLUH? My most rewarding accomplishment at SLUH was running for and winning an election at the Youth and Government conference as part of SLUH’s delegation, which pushed me to further develop my leadership and public speaking abilities. As well as with STEM, I have always been passionate about politics and the solutions to the problems we as a country face today. I find that with the space industry indefinitely entangled with public agencies, it is interesting to study the relationship between engineering and the government.

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM? The NASA Space Shuttle missions in the early 2000s were the first to make me excited about the idea of working to further space exploration.

I remember watching the entire coverage of the launch and asking my mother to make sure she would record it if it was launching during school.

This started the trend of me listing my dream job as “rocket scientist” throughout elementary school.

What other interests do you have outside of school and research?

I am still interested in politics and public policy and worked with the debate club for a couple of semesters.

After taking a class on ping-pong, I have started playing off and on with the club ping-pong team as well. I also like to take advantage of my location just south of downtown Los Angeles by trying out different local restaurants and, of course, going to the beach often.

What do you look forward to after graduating from USC? I look forward to working in a career in the space industry, particularly on a project that involves human spaceflight. With so many new companies emerging as leaders in the world of spaceflight, there are no limits to the opportunities to work on interesting projects aiming to discover more about the field. I have always been passionate about pushing the boundaries of space travel to their limits and have hoped to see a human trip to Mars since I was very young. I am excited that I am entering the industry at a time where I can contribute to this next step in humankind’s endeavor into space.

Questions by John Hilker ‘20. John is active with the Photography Club, Pastoral Team, STEM Club, Racquetball and Prep News at SLUH. In addition, he has participated in The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC). His father, Bob ‘81, is an aerospace engineer at Boeing, and his brother, Ben '12, currently works for Boeing on the Space Launch System. John plans to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering at Iowa State University and is interested in propulsion in spacecraft and airplanes as a career.

“Instead of constantly competing to be the most helpful member of the lab or to have the best grade in a particular class, I have gained more from continuing to approach forming relationships the way I did at SLUH.” — Cameron Spence '17 Winter 2020 | 39

ALUMNI PROFILES

Legendary Swimmer Knows About Speed and Overcoming Obstacles Jeff Commings ‘91, who owns a swim school in Arizona and hosts "Deck Pass Live" for USA Swimming, is arguably the best swimmer in SLUH history. He is a former USA national team member, NCAA All-American (University of Texas), MSHSAA state record holder and current Masters swimming record holder. Commings still holds SLUH’s 100-meter breaststroke record.

How did SLUH swimming help jumpstart your swimming career?

Though I had been swimming competitively for many years before joining the SLUH swim team, I learned many new aspects about the sport that I might have otherwise not known until my college years. The most important thing was the concept of team bonding.

Swimming is primarily an individual sport, and I never truly understood how much my teammates could positively affect my performance in the water.

“Setting those short-term goals makes the long-term goal more attainable. Plus, having fun is a crucial component of being a great athlete.” — Jeff Commings '91

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Of your many remarkable swimming accomplishments, what accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Breaking the Missouri high school state record in the 100 breaststroke will always be my happiest accomplishment. In the 28 years that my name was listed as the state record holder, I know there were many athletes who made breaking my record their primary goal. To know I provided motivation for these swimmers means just as much as setting the record.

What was it like to be present at the State meet this year to watch your state record, the previous longest-held active record, be taken down?

I was excited to see it happen, and it was very meaningful to essentially pass the torch by congratulating Daniel Worth (Lee’s Summit North) in person. A day later, part of me was sad because this part of my identity that I had for almost 30 years – Missouri high school state record holder – was gone. But that feeling went away quickly. It was a great 28-year run!

What challenge in your swimming career has presented your biggest opportunity for growth?

Being a closeted gay person during my elite competitive swimming career caused me to focus less on my swimming performance and improving in the pool. My focus instead shifted to trying to live a life outside the pool that would not cause issues with my teammates. That changed in my 30s and I have found lots of success as a Masters swimmer.

U. HIGHLIGHTS

In your autobiography entitled Odd Man Out, what is the biggest takeaway that you hope readers captured and learned from?

Never be afraid to be yourself. Also, enjoy the journey!

What was your experience like as an African American man in an overwhelmingly white sport?

For a long time, it never occurred to me that I was in a minority group in swimming. I simply stood on the blocks and raced whoever was in the lane next to me, regardless of what they looked like. When I became part of the USA Swimming national team and saw how few athletes of color were at the elite level, it made me proud to be a positive representative.

What professional swimmer currently active today inspires you the most and why?

Cody Miller, because he always looks like he is enjoying the sport while training hard to be the best swimmer in the world.

Who is the best swim coach you’ve ever had and why?

Paul Murphy was my coach from age 13 to 17, and he always believed in me. He also had a positive attitude about the sport and never made the daily grind of training boring.

John Ebel ‘72 on Solving Puzzles and His Fascination with Earthquakes John Ebel, PhD ‘72 is a professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston College, a senior research scientist at BC’s Weston Observatory, and a fellow of the Geological Society of America. He has been in the field of Earthquake Seismology, Exploration Seismology and Theoretical Seismology for more than 30 years and is considered an expert in earthquakes and tsunamis. Dr. Ebel is widely published in his field, and widely quoted, both with the local and national media.

What can SLUH athletes who dream of success in their sport do to make it to the highest level?

The most important thing is setting goals. But, most people set very lofty goals, like making the Olympic team, without setting short-term goals that will make getting to the big goal easier.

Setting those short-term goals makes the longterm goal more attainable. Plus, having fun is a crucial component of being a great athlete.

How did you develop such a passion for the study of earthquakes?

I was a physics major in college at Harvard. I liked physics, but I was not in love with the high-energy particle physics that was in vogue at that particular time. The faculty in geophysics tried to get physics majors interested in geophysics, and I took the bait.

I loved it. When applying to graduate schools, I read a book called Physics of the Earth, and based on that I decided to make seismology the focus of my graduate studies.

How do you continue to live out SLUH’s values on and off the pool deck?

To this day, I have never forgotten the motto Men for Others, and I try to put that into practice with everything I do. From teaching children and adults how to swim to being the best person I can be, I hope I embody the life lessons I learned at SLUH.

What specific earthquake study has been the most interesting to you?

Just the process of learning more about earthquakes has been immensely interesting to me. I think perhaps the most fun that I had was researching and writing

Questions by Nicholas Dalaviras ‘20.

Nicholas is a varsity Swimming and Diving captain and an editor for Prep News and Sisyphus. He will manage Water Polo during the spring. He hopes to double major in Business and Film in college.

“When I advise my students, whether it is academic or life advising, I make use of the set of values that I learned from the Jesuits. ” — John Ebel '72

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ALUMNI PROFILES

What do you love most about your work?

I love solving puzzles, and scientific research is carried out by solving problems, which can be thought of as puzzles. Sometimes a problem is easy to solve, and sometimes it is difficult. Every time I figure out something new about earthquakes, I get a great sense of accomplishment. Of course, there are many problems that I never solve. Also, I truly love interacting with my students and my scientific colleagues. There is a great social component in doing scientific research, and collaborating with others on a scientific problem is a most satisfying and rewarding experience.

Dr. John Ebel ‘72 wrote a book, New England Earthquakes: The Surprising History of Seismic Activity in the Northeast, published in 2019. Two graduate students at Boston College created this fun poster of him to commemorate his book.

my second book, on the historical earthquakes of New England and surrounding areas. The book led me to put many diverse pieces of my past research into one large written work, and this allowed me to explain to my readers how much has been learned about earthquakes in a part of our country far from the earthquake-prone areas of the west coast.

What was your biggest challenge during your profession and how did you overcome it?

Unquestionably, the biggest challenge that I faced when I was young was getting established as a research scientist. I had to learn how to write scientific papers, submit them to scientific journals and revise them until the journals would accept them. I had to learn to write effective research grant proposals to obtain funding for my work, and I had to learn to give interesting and informative scientific presentations. I come from a family of hard workers, and I overcame each of these challenges by persistence and hard work. I took every rejection as a learning opportunity.

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How did SLUH prepare you for your undergraduate studies, research and profession?

I had great teachers at SLUH, and they prepared me well for my academic life after high school. Mr. Schulte for calculus, Fr. Valiquette for physics, Mr. Conway for Chemistry, and Mr. Wang for Chinese come to mind as teachers who taught me things that I still use today in my work. I did four years of speech and debate in the Bellarmine Club at SLUH, and that was a tremendous preparation in public speaking for my professional life. I owe much to Fr. Jost, Fr. Wendel and Mr. (later Fr.) Shields who were my Bellarmine Club mentors.

What relationship originating from SLUH has made the greatest impact on your life?

At SLUH I admired the dedication and work of the many Jesuits with whom I interacted. I have spent all of my adult working life at another Jesuit school, Boston College, where I have interacted with many more Jesuits. In so many ways, they have inspired me in my professional work as well as in my personal relationships. I have learned from them that being a scientist and being a Catholic is not contradictory at all, but in fact these two facets of my life are quite complementary.

How do Jesuit values still affect your everyday life?

When I advise my students, whether it is academic or life advising, I make use of the set of values that I learned from the Jesuits. For students in college, one important thing that we emphasize at Boston College is the idea of discernment. I want my

U. HIGHLIGHTS

students to learn to be true to themselves rather than simply to do what everyone else wants them to do. If a student would rather do social work than become a doctor, I encourage him or her to follow their inner voice. At first, many find this hard to do.

What is your favorite memory from SLUH? I have so many favorite memories from SLUH. I remember meeting my first girlfriend at a SLUH mixer. I remember winning the Catholic Interscholastic Speech Tournament my senior year. I remember watching our football team win the state championship. I remember getting pulled over at midnight by a cop after dropping off a fellow student at his home. The cop wanted to know what we had been doing, and another student in my car showed him the debate trophy that we had won in Kansas City earlier that day.

Outside of your profession, what are some of your favorite hobbies and interests?

I love exercise, and I work out several days a week at the Boston College recreation complex.

I play golf, and I sing in our church choir. I now have seven grandchildren, five of whom live near me. My wife and I spend a great deal of time with them. I love to travel, and have been to many different countries around the world.

What advice do you have for students who are also interested in entering the field of Earth and Environmental Sciences?

Students in high school and even in college often think that the only important jobs are doctor, lawyer, business person or teacher. However, the world is a very complex place, and there are many other fields of work that students know little about.

Earth and environmental sciences are becoming ever more important to deal with climate change, air pollution, water shortages, rising sea level, etc. To prepare for work in these areas, a good background in biology, chemistry, physics and math is essential. Philosophy, theology, writing and public speaking can also be important topics.

Questions by Dominic Nguyen ‘20.

Dominic’s activities at SLUH include Fishing Club (President), Men4Life Club (Communications Director), rugby, National Honor Society, Association for Cultural Enrichment at SLUH, and Medical Careers Club. Last summer, he earned an Excellence in Research Award conducting public health research through the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) program. He plans to study biology in college and pursue a Pre-Dental track.

Fr. James Swetnam, SJ ‘45 on Consolation and Trust in Providence Fr. James Swetnam, SJ ‘45 entered the Society of Jesus in 1945 and was ordained a priest in 1958.

He holds degrees in classical languages, philosophy, theology and Scripture. His doctoral degree is from the University of Oxford.

From 1960-2010, he was a resident at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Jerusalem, first as a student, then as a staff member, teacher, professor and professor emeritus. While on faculty, he was active in editing publications, teaching, administration, research and writing, in addition to representing the Biblical Institute in conferences in many parts of the world. He taught about 1,700 students from 85 countries at the Biblical Institute, including hundreds of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Rome and Calcutta whom he taught Church History.

He also taught at Saint Louis University and The Paul VI Institute in St. Louis and was engaged in pastoral ministry, especially in the preaching of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius throughout the world.

Fr. Swetnam’s ministry as a Jesuit brought him to 45 different countries on six continents, and allowed him to study Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Italian, German, French and Spanish. He is the author of Jesus and Isaac: A Study of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Light of the Aqedah (Rome: Analecta Biblica, 1981); An Introduction to the Study of New Testament Greek (Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1992); and Hebrews – An Interpretation (Subsidia Biblica 47; Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press, 2016).

Fr. Swetnam serves as an adjunct professor at KenrickGlennon Seminary and resides at Jesuit Hall in St. Louis.

Where do you find God in the study of language?

I am not a gifted linguist. I work in languages other than English (which I learned well thanks to grade school and high school teachers) because using them is part of what I consider the will of God for me, which is part of a vow I have of poverty, chastity

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ALUMNI PROFILES

What was the transition from studying to teaching like for you? What did you learn from that experience?

I learned by helping others learn, grateful that God's Providence was using me.

“... when faced with the possibility of an adventure one should have enough trust in oneself to accept it and enough mistrust of oneself to enjoy it. The mistrust, of course, implies trust in Divine Providence.”

- Fr. James Swetnam, SJ '45

and obedience. I consider obedience to be guided initiative, i.e., God guiding me through his Providence.

I follow as best I can, which is the initiative part.

In your mind, is there a link between faith and adventure?

The famous English convert, G.K. Chesterton, wrote that when faced with the possibility of an adventure one should have enough trust in oneself to accept it and enough mistrust of oneself to enjoy it. The mistrust, of course, implies trust in Divine Providence.

What do you think is the biggest benefit you have experienced from living in so many different places?

Working in so many different places served as a consolation for seeing that God's Providence could use me in those places.

How did SLUH assist in your formation?

SLUH was crucial in finding God's will for me in life. I still can't believe in my good fortune in going to high school there.

Was there a moment when you knew that you were called to be a Jesuit?

I began working out my response to God's call to me to be a Jesuit during my senior retreat at White House in January 1945. I reached the answer in April 1945.

How do you come to discern God’s will for you? How have you cooperated with God’s grace in your life?

The Mass is and has always been the center of my life, even before I became a Jesuit, even before I was at SLUH. That and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius were the way God spoke to me.

In your opinion, what are the benefits of studying different languages?

I studied different languages because I wanted to understand what authors were saying in them and the way they were saying it. I am not a brilliant linguist. I do not study languages for their own sake. Languages for me are a means to understanding above all Sacred Scripture and God's speaking to us in it.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how were you able to overcome it or learn from it?

The biggest challenge of my life was God's call to be a Jesuit. I have done my best to respond.

Who were your biggest mentors?

How did they impact you?

God in His Providence, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Joseph Fisher, SJ, G.K. Chesterton.

They are helping me learn to love.

Questions by Noah Scott ‘20. Noah is Vice President of the Men for Life club, and Prefect of the Sodality of Our Lady.

He is also in varsity chorus and a captain on the cross country team. He wants to pursue psychology and become a clinician.

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ADVANCING OUR MISSION

Join us Saturday, April 4!

Alumni, current and past parents, and friends are all invited to our dinner auction in support of our Jr. Bills. Make plans to attend – or show your support with a donation if you're unable to join us!

www.sluh.org/cashbah Now in its 51st consecutive year, Cashbah benefits SLUH’s generous financial aid program. It helps to ensure that the school admits all young men based on their ability to learn, and not their families' economic circumstances.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

Winter 2020 | 45

GIVING

Inspired Leadership Christian Values Drive David Steward’s Success and Philanthropy

BY BEN DUMONT '92

Growing up in the 1950s and ‘60s, David Steward was denied the opportunity to join the Boy Scouts, relegated to the balcony at the movies, and segregated at restaurants and schools, yet instead of letting exclusion, hatred and isolation define who he was, he was inspired by the Word of God to embrace hope and model Jesus Christ. Today, the world is grateful for his transformation.

Stewards’ parents put him on the right path. His father, an entrepreneur who worked as a mechanic, trash collector and janitor, and his mother, a housewife, gave him confidence to overcome any challenge, including poverty and discrimination.

“I saw my parents suffer, but they responded in a way that showed love and forgiveness,” says Steward, who was born in Chicago and raised in Clinton, Mo. “My parents showed me a great example of what Christ looked and acted like.”

Through their example, Steward was drawn to the word of God. He attended Church and learned about the importance of righteousness, devotion, love, faith, patience and gentleness – foundational Christian values that had a profound impact on the way he viewed the world and approached life.

Reflecting on the development of his faith growing up, he refers to Ephesians 3:20: Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us.

“Both World Wide Technology and SLUH share a set of Gospel values that is so desperately needed in our kids’ lives.

Providing a faith-based education not only allows them to thrive and help others, it offers eternal salvation.”

- DAVID STEWARD, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY WHO STARTED THE STEWARD SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT SLUH, WHICH WILL FUND FOUR FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR.

David Steward speaks to the entire student body at SLUH in 2014.

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ADVANCING OUR MISSION

“Scripture allowed me to look beyond my circumstances and believe in a higher purpose,“ he says. “The power of the Holy Spirit gives us total reassurance and changes our perception. I’ve never lost faith in all possibilities because faith surpasses all understanding.”

Little did Steward know, as a young boy who grew up with seven siblings in a small home without indoor plumbing and helped make ends meet by slopping hogs and milking cows, how magnanimous his possibilities were.

Giving God Glory After graduating from Central Missouri State University in 1973, Steward held several jobs before following in his father’s entrepreneurial footsteps of starting his own company. In 1990, he founded World Wide Technology (WWT), a technology service provider, on a shoestring budget with seven employees.

Today, WWT is a global leader and one of the largest private companies in the U.S., with $11.2 billion in annual revenue and more than 6,000 employees.

Based in St. Louis, WWT provides technology and supply chain services with a focus on the enterprise commercial, public and telecom service provider sectors. It is the top reseller of Cisco solutions in the world with 70 Fortune 100 companies as customers as well as several major federal purchasing contracts.

Throughout his career, Steward has actively embraced his values while treating others with dignity and respect, evidenced by WWT being named to the 100 Best Places to Work list by Fortune for five consecutive years.

According to Joe Koenig, President of WWT, “Core values of World Wide Technology such as trust, humility and honesty align with Dave’s Christian values and are foundational to the way we treat our people, our partners, our customers and our community.

I firmly believe that our focus on core values and culture are driving factors of the success we’ve achieved, and I am proud to be a part of this

organization under both Dave and our CEO Jim Kavanaugh’s leadership.”

Every WWT Board meeting begins with a devotional and a prayer. “We believe that prayer matters at the leadership level,” says Steward, WWT Chairman. “It has a ripple effect.”

He adds that while he does not push his faith on others, he does promote Christianity’s core values and principles. In 2012, he wrote and published a book, Doing Business by the Good Book: 52 Lessons on Success Straight from the Bible, which he gives to all WWT employees.

“We hold our employees to a set of values that allow them to collaborate more and make better decisions,” he says. “These sound values also extend to the community through partnerships and outreach with non-profit organizations.”

Steward feels so strongly about his beliefs, he emblazoned them on WWT’s new headquarters facility in Maryland Heights, built in 2017 to accommodate the company’s incredible growth. One of the metal girders, perched atop the building, bears Ephesians 2:20-22: Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ripple Effect On September 17, 2014, SLUH’s entire student body gathered in the Si Commons for a special presentation

by Steward, who shared his childhood story and how he started his company.

He punctuated the importance of faith and character, including references from his book applying Christian principles to the business world.

“I thought that he had some pretty profound things to say,” Michael Brennan ‘16 told the Prep News after the presentation. “It was good to

hear someone saying that honesty and hard work have their reward.”

Steward donated a copy of his book to every student, yet his generosity did not end there. In 2017, he started the Steward Scholars Program at SLUH, which will fund four full scholarships for students of color.

“Both World Wide Technology and SLUH share a set of Gospel values that is so desperately needed in our kids’ lives,” says Steward. “Providing a faith-based education not only allows them to thrive and help others, it offers eternal salvation.”

Steward and his wife Thelma, who reside in St. Louis, have been generous to many other local organizations, such as Variety St. Louis, the Boy Scouts of America, the United Way of Greater St. Louis, University of Missouri-St. Louis and Jazz St. Louis.

He remains optimistic about the future of St. Louis and how SLUH can contribute to the city’s growth and success. “SLUH has a great opportunity to build and strengthen partnerships with other Catholic and Christian schools in the metro area,” he says, citing Cardinal Ritter as an example.

“These collaborative relationships are mutually beneficial and enrich our community. Scripture says that a counsel of many is a wise counsel.”

The impact of Steward’s philanthropic generosity will continue to be felt in the community, and at SLUH, for generations to come.

“We are grateful to David and Thelma Steward, their family foundation and World Wide Technology Foundation for their tremendous generosity on behalf of our young men,” says SLUH President Alan Carruthers. “The Steward Scholars program will go a long way in supporting our Jesuit mission of providing needblind admission to qualified students.”

Steward says, “It’s important for me to pass on to the next generation the blessing of the Scripture and how it comes alive in their lives and in my life as well.”

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This record-breaking effort kicked off November 14 with a grand phonathon – and more than 150 alumni and parent volunteers – in the Si Commons. It culminated on SLUH’s founding day, November 16, as a celebration of more than 200 years of educational excellence in the City of St. Louis.

St. Louis U. High Day was supported by very generous challenge gifts:

#SLUHMeetsTheNeed

ON ST. LOUIS U. HIGH DAY More than 900 generous alumni, parents and friends helped make St. Louis U. High Day a huge success by raising $348,755 for financial aid.

• John ‘77 and Michele Stephens donated $1,000 for every gift of $1,000 or more from alumni, resulting in their $77,000 gift.

• Current parents Steve and Stacy Gund donated $10,000 after 100 of their fellow current parents made a pledge or gift of any amount.

• An anonymous donor gave $5,000 after 75 faculty/staff members made a pledge or gift of any amount.

SLUH believes all Jr. Bills should be admitted based on their ability to learn, not their families’ economic circumstances. A strong financial aid program supports the socioeconomic diversity of our students, who come from 184 grade schools and 92 zip codes. Today, SLUH offers $4.1 million in aid to 42 percent of our students, with an average grant of more than half of tuition.

All gifts to SLUH benefit our young men and their impact on our city, our nation and our world.

The family of Lee Berra '02 presented a check at St. Louis U. High Day to fully fund The Maj. Lee M. Berra '02 Memorial Scholarship.

SLUH President Alan Carruthers (far left) is pictured with the family.

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SEIZE THE SUMMER! SLUH’s Summer Program offers grade school students abundant opportunities to sharpen their skills in the classroom and build their confidence on the field. Our teachers and coaches are experienced, passionate and committed to the development and success of your child.

We welcome students from all backgrounds in an inclusive environment that features exceptional campus facilities, including a new Innovation Lab and state-of-the-art athletic fields, all in a central location.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF OUR SUMMER PROGRAM OFFERINGS. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION. BASEBALL | BASKETBALL | CHESS | DRIVER’S EDUCATION | FOOTBALL | GOLF ICE HOCKEY | LACROSSE | ROBOTICS | SOCCER | SWIMMING AND DIVING UPWARD BOUND | VOLLEYBALL | WATER POLO | WRESTLING

www.sluh.org/summer Winter 2020 | 49

ALUMNI

NOTEWORTHY Following is a sample of recent alumni activity and achievement. For an extensive list of class notes, visit alumconnect.sluh.org.

John Karel '66 was inducted into the Missouri Recreation and Parks Hall of Fame. The former director of Missouri's parks and of Tower Grove Park in St. Louis has made extraordinary contributions to the parks and recreation movement in the state.

been recognized for his work recovering the history of medieval Irish castles, becoming the first American to join the Comité Permanent of the Chateau Gaillard European Castle Studies Colloque, a leading international group dedicated to the study of castles.

Dr. Joseph Sokolowski '73 received the Missouri Dental Association (MDA) Distinguished Service Award for exemplary service and dedication to the dental profession and organized dentistry.

Jim Lally '86, President and CEO of Enterprise Financial Services, was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as a C-Suite Awardee in the banking and financial services sector.

Tom O'Toole, Jr. '75 earned distinction as a Best Lawyer in Real Estate in St. Louis for 2020 by Best Lawyers, which recognizes outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement in their fields.

Kevin McLaughlin ‘88 was named President and CEO of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, a law firm offering comprehensive legal services for business operations, with offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Belleville, Illinois.

St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael Noble '84 was honored with the 2019 Judicial Excellence Award — Circuit for his dedication to the effective administration of justice in Missouri.

Saint Louis University archaeologist Tom Finan, Ph.D. '85 has

50 | SLUH Magazine

Mark Grider '90 joined the White House as special assistant to the President and Senior Associate Counsel. Grider left Husch Blackwell, where he had

been a partner since 2016. Grider's practice focused on white-collar matters, government investigations and regulator enforcement.

Grider's public service career includes stints as a special trial attorney in the Justice Department's criminal fraud section, and as deputy general counsel for the House Select Committee on Benghazi.

and science teachers nationwide to receive the Knowles Teaching Fellowship, valued at $150,000.

Zak Robben '11 was named to the New Jersey Institute of Technology's All-Decade Volleyball team by Off the Block, a national leader in college men's volleyball coverage.

Tim Curdt ’90, a passionate educator who serves as Director of SLUH’s Learning Center, Freshman Class Moderator and English teacher, was recognized with the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dave Matter ’96, sportswriter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was honored by the National Sports Media Association as the Missouri Sportswriter of the Year.

Denis Agniel ‘03 and Andy Nielsen ‘02, who coach the Chicago Machine, narrowly lost to the Seattle Sockeye 13-12 in the 2019 USA Ultimate Frisbee Men’s Division Championship.

Justin Ragland ‘11 was chosen as one of 37 high school mathematics

PAPAL ENCOUNTER Fr. Jerry Cusumano, SJ ‘63 (pictured) greeted Pope Francis on his recent visit to the Jesuit community in Tokyo, Japan. Classmates Fr. Cusumano and Fr. Dave Wessels, SJ '63 both taught at Sophia University in Tokyo and have lived in Japan for more than 50 years. Fr. Cusumano is now rector of the local Jesuit community, and Fr. Wessels has recently been appointed as the Jesuit archivist for the Japanese Province.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE Since June 2019, SLUH has learned of the deaths of the following alumni. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

List compiled 6/5/19 — 1/17/20

James L. Nouss '39 William B. Guyol '41 Maurice J. Lonsway '41 Robert C. Canepa '43 George I. Kennedy '43 Leo Kohl '44 Francis C. Brennan '45 J. W. Driscoll '46 John G. Engler '46 John M. Massey '46 James T. Spencer '46 David G. Dempsey '47 John T. Dolan '47 Joseph F. Mueller '48 Vincent J. Bommarito '49 Thomas C. Cerutti '49 Bart P. Collida '49

John J. Funsch '49 John P. Gratz '49 Edward A. Higgins '49 William G. Hooper '49 Harry A. Keitz '49 John H. Stewart '49 Thomas J. Creley '50 Richard C. Medalie '50 Paul N. Meiners '50 Thomas J. Ruoff '50 John R. Hogan '51 Peter A. Hummel '51 Winston M. Miller '51 William H. Moore '51 King G. McElroy '52 George L. Hickenlooper '53 Henry F. Luepke '53

Edward A. O'Donnell '53 Walter E. Helgoth '55 Robert T. Allen '56 Kevin P. McGinnis '56 William J. Murphy '56 Richard G. Bergmann '57 William Heinbecker '57 Daniel A. Klinglesmith '57 Ned S. Taddeucci '57 Patrick J. Murphy '58 Edward O. Gotway '59 James F. Gunn '59 William L. Luecking '61 Kenneth M. Schmidt '62 Robert G. Everding '63 Jerome D. Lee '66

John G. Van Deven '67 Paul G. Krause '70 Thomas M. Spack '70 Michael L. Hemler '71 Harry M. Noll '72 James B. Gieszelmann '74 Matthew P. Drumm '75 Kenneth S. Hirlinger '79 McKinley R. Stephens '79 John P. Strickler '85 Eric M. Fix '87 Michael C. Wilhelm '87 James E. Rathmann '06 Elliot J. Brusca '07 John F. Taaffe '07 Collin M. Taaffe '17

Winter 2020 | 51

IGNATIAN REFLECTION

APOSTOLIC PREFERENCES Provide Direction and Hope

BY LINDSAY KELLEHER, THEOLOGY TEACHER

I have served as a theology teacher at SLUH for about six months. My family and I relocated to St. Louis at the end of July, and I began New Ignatian Educator meetings shortly after the moving truck pulled away from our new house in South City. During the quiet days of Christmas break, I felt as though I finally had a moment to take a deep breath.

In February 2019, as I sat in our Washington, D.C. townhouse with my newborn son snuggled close and questions of professional and personal discernment on my mind, Superior General Arturo Sosa, SJ presented the Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus to his Jesuit brother, Pope Francis.

After 16 months of deliberation and articulation, Father General presented four areas of intentional focus “to concentrate and concretize [the] vital apostolic energies during the next 10 years.” 1 Jesuits worldwide commit:

1. To show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; 2. To walk with the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice; 3. To accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future; and 4. To collaborate in the care of our Common Home.

52 | SLUH Magazine

1

2

3

4

Reflecting on my first semester at SLUH, I can say with a grateful heart what an honor it is to number among those called into the “deepening of collaboration among Jesuits and companions in mission.” 2 SLUH is making great strides to promote and carry out each of the four preferences. And indeed, during the roughly 80 teaching days I have journeyed with my freshman students, I have seen a beautiful intersection of the first and third preferences.

After introducing freshmen to the life of St. Ignatius Loyola, the history of the Jesuit Order and the tenets of Ignatian spirituality, my colleagues and I take special care to invite the newest Jr. Bills into the imaginative

prayer experiences unique to the Spiritual Exercises. My journey of faith was transformed by the daily practice of these scriptural meditations when I had the joy of praying the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises at Georgetown University, where I served as a residential minister for seven years. When I guided students through a meditation of Jesus calming the stormy sea as recounted in the Gospel of Mark, I resisted the temptation to fill the air with questions and gave the Holy Spirit the space and silence to lead. In our post-prayer discussion, I was delighted to hear students, still in so many ways strangers to one another, share with vulnerability about the profound work of their inspired imaginations.

As the semester progressed, I continued to observe the gift of this style of prayer to whet the learner’s appetite for the work of our Theology I curriculum — the story of salvation history in Sacred Scripture. My journey of accompaniment at SLUH has only just begun and yet I already see students meeting the gaze of Christ, our Hope and inviting him into their futures.

1

Sosa, SJ Arturo. Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus, 2019-2029. Letter.

Rome: Curia Generalizia Della Compagnia de Gesu. 19 February 2019.

2

Ibid.

UPCOMING EVENTS | 2020

Visit www.sluh.org/calendar for a comprehensive list of upcoming events and activities.

Mother/Son Trivia Night Saturday, March 7 7:00 p.m. in the Si Commons Cashbah Saturday, April 4 Doors open at 5:00 p.m. in the Si Commons; for details and registration information, visit www.sluh.org/cashbah AMDG: Ignatian Spirituality for SLUH Adults Thursday, April 16 5:30 p.m. Mass in SLUH Chapel, followed by discussion and refreshments (parents, alumni and friends welcome) Spring Studio Production Friday, April 17-Saturday, April 18 (7:30 p.m.), Sunday, April 19 (2:00 p.m.)

Joseph Schulte Theater Grandparents Mass Sunday, April 26 9:30 a.m. in the Si Commons 10th Annual Michael Palumbo Memorial Golf Tournament Saturday, May 16 Noon (lunch) with 1:00 p.m. shotgun start at Norman K. Probstein Golf Course (Forest Park) Graduation Mass and Dinner Saturday, May 23 5:00 p.m. in the Danis Field House and Si Commons (Graduation is Sunday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m. at Stifel Theatre)

Father/Son Golf Tournament Saturday, June 20 7:30 a.m. shotgun start at Norman K. Probstein Golf Course (Forest Park) Fr. Hagan Alumni Cup Golf Tournament Friday, June 26 Noon shotgun start at Norman K. Probstein Golf Course (Forest Park)

ALUMNI REUNIONS: Save the Date!

Classes of '10 and ‘15 Saturday, June 27 Classes of '60, '65, '75, '80, '85, '90, '95, '00 and '05 Friday-Saturday, September 25-26 Classes of '45, '50 and '55 Friday, October 16 Class of '70 Golden Reunion Friday-Saturday, October 16-17 For reunion details and registration information, visit www.alumconnect.sluh.org.

First Friday Mass March 6 and May 1 SLUH invites parents and alumni to morning Mass in the main Chapel at 7:00 a.m., followed by coffee and donuts in the Currigan Room. All are welcome.

VISIT SLUH ONLINE

When You Give to SLUH, You Give to the World

www.sluh.org

A SLUH education is a tremendous gift, made possible by the generosity of our benefactors. Charitable gifts to SLUH go directly to support the 40 percent of students who receive need-based aid. Ultimately, they are gifts that keep giving as our seniors are sent out at graduation to “Go Forth and set the world on fire.”

sluhigh sluh @sluhjrbills

If you have not done so already, please consider an annual gift to SLUH:

www.sluh.org/giving.

53

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 3117

COMING SOON — FALL 2020 THE NEXT RESOURCE FOR SLUH STUDENTS PROVIDED BY THE GO FORTH BICENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN WILL BE

The J. Anthony '57 and Donna M. Dill Center for Academic Success During the spring of 2020 the old cafeteria will be transformed into state-of-the-art departments for College Counseling, Student Guidance Counseling and school administration.

Early accomplishments of the first $57 million committed include: • Strong support for financial aid • Establishing the College Counseling Department • Expanding service and retreat programming for students • Creating the Madonna della Strada Retreat Center, SLUH’s own retreat and leadership center on 88 acres near Troy, Mo. • Opening the James Guth Costigan ‘62 Innovation Lab • Launching Arabic language and culture studies within the curriculum • Comprehensive curriculum evaluation and interdepartmental planning and collaboration Moving forward, SLUH seeks funding for several important projects to realize its strategic vision. Specifically: • Renovation of the main chapel and creation of the David J. and Kelly E. Laughlin Campus Ministry Center • Re-opening and transforming the old auditorium into a 21st century library and world learning center • Making the commitment to financial aid permanent by adding $10 million to the endowment

www.sluh.org/goforth