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[legacy]
RELATIVELY AMAZING
Stehly family has a Torero tradition
by Ryan T. Blystone aige Stehly is busy. The University of San Diego sophomore is a finance major, supply chain management minor and a Kappa Alpha Theta sorority member. She’s in University Ministry’s Students for Life and is an ambassador for Love Your Melon, which raises awareness of childhood cancer. She visited Florence, Italy, in January and will study in Cork, Ireland, this fall. Stehly is busy, but she’s very happy with her college experience. “I love how welcoming USD is. I definitely feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.” Spoken like a true Stehly Torero. Paige is the newest in a long line of Stehly students at USD. Upon graduation, she will become the 13th Stehly to earn a degree from the university. Paige’s father, Neal, is one of seven USD alumni siblings of parents Jerome Sr., and Katherine. Al graduated in 1978, Claire in 1979, Matt in 1981, Virginia in 1983, Jerome Jr. in 1985, Neal in 1987 and Noel in 1992. Furthermore, Jerome Sr.’s brother, Art, and his wife, Georgianne, have five daughters who earned degrees from USD between 1987 and 1995. “With so many extended family members being alumni of USD, I’ve often been asked if I was pressured into going here. By no means was that the case,” Paige says. “Everyone was super excited to hear there would be another Stehly attending USD. I’m excited and proud to call myself a Stehly Torero.” The origin of Stehly Toreros is rooted in USD’s standing as a Catholic university and its location near the family farm, which started in 1963 in Valley Center. All of the siblings worked on
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1) Trustees James D. Power IV ’85 and Daniel C. Herbert ’82, ’86 were among attendees rooting for men’s basketball at the Feb. 25 home game against Gonzaga, which immediately followed the campaign kick-off; 2) Trustee Rev. Peter M. McGuine ‘84 and Parent Campaign Committee member Kim Busch; 3) Tom Gambon ‘93, Susan (Collins) Mosby ‘93, Peter Mosby and Dan Padrnos ‘93 at the Denver Torero Tour.
the farm, but equally important was obtaining a Catholic education. Al and Matt attended Servite High School in Orange County. They lived with relatives during the week and worked on the farm on the weekends. Claire graduated from San Luis Rey Academy in Oceanside, but when it closed after Virginia’s sophomore year, the Stehly siblings attended Catholic high schools in San Diego. That led to a unique family living arrangement. “My parents rented us an apartment with Claire, going into her junior year at USD, and Matt, a freshman, on Mildred Street,” says Virginia. “Jerome and I lived with Matt and Claire during the week, and drove home to the ranch on weekends.” The family then bought a house next to the USD campus where Matt, Virginia, Jerome, Neal and Noel lived. “Dad basically said, ‘If you have a good reason to go somewhere else, then let’s hear it,’” Neal recalls. “’If not, you will be at USD.’” Each Stehly has fond USD memories, including seven men’s and women’s rowing athletes. Virginia says her family’s relationship with the university has been a constant — in good times and bad. “When Mom passed away three years after I graduated, many USD alums shared in our lives at a difficult time. The same thing happened when Dad and Claire each died years later,” she recalls. “It really is in these times — at funerals, celebrating baptisms, weddings and milestone birthdays — that the full impact of the string of years my family extends into the alumni network is shown. It’s been a great group to have in our lives.” SUM M ER 2 0 1 6
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