Xavier Magazine: Spring 2016

The magazine for alumni, parents, and friends of Xavier High School

Spring 2016

SPRING 2016

Xavier High School Jack Raslowsky President Michael LiVigni Headmaster Rev. John Replogle, S.J. ’51 Assistant to the President Daniel Dougherty Executive Vice President Shawna Gallagher Vega, APR Director of Communications Editor, Xavier Magazine Contributors Nick Byrne ’11 James Cappabianca ’05 Margaret Gonzalez Harisch Studios Vienna Harvey William Martino Tom O’Hara ’69 P’04 ’06 Tracey Primrose Susan Romano Helene Strong Joseph Sweeney ’85 Mark Wyville Photography Michael Marmora Design Erbach Communications Group How to Reach Us Xavier Magazine Xavier High School 30 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011 Email: editor@xavierhs.org Class Notes: classnotes@xavierhs.org

Xavier’s Mission

Founded in 1847, Xavier High School is an academically rigorous, Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school in New York City that educates intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means.

Xavier teaches students to take responsibility for their lives, to lead with integrity, to act justly in service of others, to pursue excellence in every endeavor and to deepen their relationship with God. Ultimately, Xavier forms young men who will go forth to transform the world for God’s greater glory.

On the Cover

Hailing from diverse backgrounds and industries, the 15 young men who grace our cover embody Xavier’s mission.

MIX Paper from responsible sources

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From the President News from 16th Street Maroon and Blue Class Notes Back Story

Featured in This Issue 8. ALUMNI TO WATCH: 15 UNDER 40 Representing the diversity and vigor of today’s Xavier, 15 young alumni share the keys to their early success.

22. MIKE FERNANDEZ ’72: IN SEARCH OF A NEW CUBA Entrepreneur and philanthropist Mike Fernandez embraces his most challenging project yet— encouraging a rebirth of freedom and economic opportunity in his native Cuba.

24. “GOD IS AT WORK HERE” In their demanding roles leading Xavier High School, the Xavier Jesuit Community, and the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Jack Raslowsky, Rev. James Croghan, S.J., and Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J. put mission first.

26. TRANSFORMATION ON 15TH STREET A look at Fernandez-Duminuco Hall, Xavier’s six-story, 31,000-square-foot addition on 15th Street, as it nears completion.

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Refocusing on the Common Good Dear Sons, Parents, and Friends of Xavier, Greetings from 16th Street. Like many, I have spent a good bit of time during the past few months watching, reading about, and discussing the presidential primaries.

I must admit I am troubled.

My troubles lie with the substance and tone of the discourse; the ease with which others with differing perspectives and experiences are seen as enemies; the culture that takes advantage of every opportunity to divide or denigrate. I am troubled because the tenor of our political discourse on both sides of the aisle has led us to this point— because too few voices of reason are getting significant attention and because civic virtue and the common good are not the principles guiding debate and discussion.

Yet amid all these troubles, there is an invitation to each of us, regardless of political party, to work for change and to advocate for the common good. It is the Xavier education that we share which will allow us to do so. The dynamic interplay between faith and reason is at the heart of Jesuit education. The foundation of that education is academic rigor: the ability to think deeply, to analyze carefully, and to communicate clearly. Our nation needs graduates of Jesuit schools to lead as they have been trained to advance the common good.

It is the common good that is absent from discussion on the campaign trail and in Washington, and it is the common good that all those gifted with a Jesuit education must bring to the forefront of discourse and action.

In his September address to Congress, Pope Francis spoke powerfully of the common good. Speaking directly to our senators and representatives, he stated:

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“You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief name of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk.”

The work for the common good—what is shared and beneficial for all members of society—is something deeply rooted in the tradition of the Church. Augustine, Aquinas, Leo XIII, John Paul II, Benedict, and Francis have spoken forcefully about it. The Church expects us to be engaged in the world thoughtfully and prayerfully. She expects us to bring the truth of the gospel to the gritty reality of our time. It is a truth that brings light and peace.

In the February 15 issue of America, Bishop Robert McElroy argues powerfully for a spiritual conversion to solidarity and a moral conversion to the common good.

He argues for a commitment “to the good of one’s neighbor, with the readiness, in the gospel sense, to lose oneself for the sake of the other rather than exploiting him” and for “an unwavering commitment to the transcendent dignity of the human person, the protection of human life, an abiding care for the poor and the marginalized, the protection of authentic human freedom, and the promotion of peace.”

Xavier has sent forth generations of men “to transform the world for God’s greater glory.” The political discourse in our nation needs to be transformed, and those educated by the Society have a responsibility to lead this transformation. We must do our part.

While this is a political issue, it is not a partisan issue. It is a call to both parties, and all people of good will, to respect, to solidarity, and to the common good.

Countless alumni provide us with great examples of responding to this call.

John Connorton ’60 has been engaged with many Democratic campaigns through the years. I have met few better bridgebuilders in my life than John. His work with Senator George Mitchell in Northern Ireland demonstrates this well. Mike Fernandez ’72, profiled in this magazine, has been engaged with many Republican campaigns through the years. Mike’s work on immigration and transforming Cuba clearly shows his commitment to solidarity and justice. John and Mike are but two examples of the value and importance of a commitment to the common good. They give life to Xavier’s mission and to the best hopes of a Jesuit education well lived. We can all do the same.

As we journey through this Easter season, may we indeed be an Easter people: Men and women who proclaim Christ resurrected by the power of our lives and our commitment to the common good.

Be assured of my prayers.

Jack Raslowsky President

Celebrating a Legend Family, friends, and more than 100 former Knights flooded the Xavier gym on February 12 to celebrate Joe McGrane’s 25th anniversary as head basketball coach on 16th Street. A 2015 inductee into the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame, McGrane has coached the Knights for more than 600 games, leading teams to a divisional title in 1997 and city championships in 2000 and 2014.

“Xavier has no shortage of legendary coaches.

Leo Paquin, Jim Scott, and Frank McGuire quickly come to mind,” President Jack Raslowsky told the crowd that night. “When his days are done at Xavier— hopefully a long time from now—Joe McGrane is certain to join their ranks.”

Compiled by Shawna Gallagher Vega

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Senior Named to Bronx Community Board 9 Student Leadership Council President Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16 is a man in perpetual motion. During his junior year at Xavier, the Bronx native interned at the office of New York City Council member Ritchie Torres, a 28-year-old Democrat from his home borough.

Westbrook-Lowery learned about the role of New York City’s community boards there, and he thought to himself, “I can do this job.”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. agreed. In July 2015, he appointed WestbrookLowery to Bronx Community Board 9, an advisory body serving 172,000 residents from Parkchester to Clason Point and Harding Park. Westbrook-Lowery soon joined the board’s Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16 with former Youth and Education Committee, and he’s now planning a youth fair for his community New York City Mayor David Dinkins. this spring.

A passionate politico, Westbrook-Lowery has a particular interest in affordable housing in New York. In his spare time, he campaigns for Hillary Clinton and serves as the youngest board member of New York City’s Stonewall Democratic Club. “I have been so wellprepared here at Xavier, especially through speech and debate,” he said. “It’s an honor to serve.”

Young Alumni Return as Volunteers Each year, Xavier’s Alumni Volunteer Program helps young Sons of Xavier gain work experience and valuable connections as they provide service to their alma mater. From Campus Ministry to Communications, these recent college grads infuse their respective Sean Lee ’11 offices with a youthful energy and worldview.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, Bay Ridge native Sean Lee ’11 returned to Xavier to work in the Admissions Office. So far, he has visited local middle schools to recruit students, hosted tours of Xavier, and assisted Felix Espinosa Figueroa ’11 with the admissions process. “Xavier is a place that brings out the best in me, and I love being here,” said Lee, who plans to earn a master’s degree in education and teach high school history. “My colleagues have been incredibly supportive and welcoming, and I am very grateful for that.”

Greg Stelzer ’11, a Long Islander and Fordham University graduate, found a perfect fit in the Campus Ministry Office, where he organizes retreats, assists with service programs, and prepares music for school liturgies. His career goals include earning a master’s degree in theology and teaching high school religion. “After such positive and life-giving experiences at Xavier and Fordham, I feel 4 XAVIER MAGAZINE

called to work in education and spiritual formation,” he said. “I am incredibly grateful for being at Xavier this year as an alumni volunteer, as it has allowed me to gain valuable work experience and deepen my connection with the Xavier community.”

Felix Espinosa Figueroa ’11, a Greg Stelzer ’11 Villanova University criminology grad and aspiring lawyer, lends his talents to the Advancement Office.

He ensures that major events run smoothly and helps the office process gifts and data efficiently. “I love being able to help give students the same opportunities I had,” said the Carolina, Puerto Rico native. “The Nick Byrne ’11 Alumni Volunteer Program has fueled my love for Xavier and its mission.”

Manhattanite Nick Byrne ’11, a University of Alabama journalism graduate, found his niche in Communications and Alumni Relations. He contributes to Xavier’s publications, assists with alumni events and outreach, and coaches varsity football and rugby. “It’s been an honor to return to 16th Street as I continue to develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the workplace and in everyday life,” he said. “Working side-by-side with a group of people who helped me grow into the man I am today has been incredible.”

Robots Take Over In Michael Chiafulio’s classroom, the future is at hand. Earlier this year, 10 teams of students competed head-to-head in ”The Attack on the Death Star,“ Chiafulio’s latest autonomous robotics contest. Teams built and programmed two robots (like the Xavier student creation, pictured) that worked together to score points in the game— without a remote control. Students used cameras, infrared sensors, and touch sensors to add intelligence to their bots.

“One robot had to identify what color a pile of small poms was and then deposit the poms in a bin of the same color. If the robot delivered the poms to the correct bin, the team scored points and a door on the ‘Death Star’ opened,” Chiafulio explained. “The homemade Death Star sat 20 inches above the surface of the game space.

The second robot could then deliver ‘lasers’ (red-colored LEGO® pieces) into the Death Star for more points. The robot pictured is one designed to follow a black line to the Death Star, sense a wall at its base, and then deposit the lasers in the open door.”

It doesn’t hurt that Xavier is a robotics powerhouse.

Later this spring, students will compete in the New York/New Jersey Regional Botball Tournament, an event Xavier has won five times since 2005.

Now Trending

#SonsofXavier Social media at Xavier is integral to the way we communicate with our proud, closeknit network of alumni, students, family, and friends. Stay informed about 16th Street happenings and connect with #SonsofXavier around the world on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn.

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WESTCHESTER/UPSTATE

A Xavier Tradition: Senior Service For the past three decades, Xavier seniors have improved their communities by participating in the Senior Christian Service Program.

In its current iteration, the program sends 256 seniors to volunteer each Monday of their spring semester at 134 self-selected placements across New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey. Here’s a look at the impact of our youngest Sons of Xavier.

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THE BRONX

NEW JERSEY

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“I enjoy the opportunity to be there for someone in their time of need—to simply practice the ministry of presence.”

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Andrew Perez ’16, Volunteer at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey

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This map indicates numbers of student volunteers per region.

By the Numbers: The Winter Play

“It was the most complicated production to date, and the largest in terms of cast size,” said director Nicole DiMarco of Xavier’s December production of Brecht’s Baal.

27 actors

3

26

11

56

costume changes

props

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light cues

sound cues

30 costumes

50 rehearsals

1. Xavier’s hockey team won the CHSHL B division championship on February 20. 2. Rev. Andrew King ’86, Deacon Francis Orlando ’67, and Deacon John Maloney ’42 at rehearsal for the Evening Vespers service held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the apostolic visit of Pope Francis. 3. Marc Bisogno ’16 signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Fordham University alongside his parents, coaches, and teachers.

News & Notes Three Sons of Xavier joined Pope Francis on the altar at the Evening Vespers service held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on September 23, 2015: Rev. Andrew King ’86, Master of Ceremonies at St. Patrick’s, Deacon John Maloney ’42, and Deacon Francis Orlando ’67, Director of Diaconate Formation for the Archdiocese of New York. Deacons Maloney and Orlando, who met for the first time at the Vespers rehearsal, were the Holy Father’s attending deacons.

A 2006 letter written by Kurt Vonnegut in response to five Xavier students was recently published in a book, More Letters of Note, and read in public by actor Ian McKellen.

Surrounded by family, friends, and teachers, Marc Bisogno ’16 signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Fordham University on November 16. The Staten Island senior is sidelined for the 2016 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, but that didn’t stop the Rams from following through on their full scholarship offer.

Registrar Lindsay Willert earned a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from St. John’s University in December 2015.

Veteran science and technology teacher Michael Chiafulio was one of just 18 individuals selected to join The Academy for Teachers, an organization of New York City’s finest educators, last fall. As part of the program, he attended a master class for computer science teachers hosted by Princeton University in January.

Three of the nation’s top universities—the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University—honored two Xavier teachers for excellence in high school teaching last fall. Liam Coles ’15, a freshman at the University of Chicago, nominated English teacher William Martino for a teaching award there. Kevin Ko ’15, a freshman at Stanford University who also earned

admission to MIT, nominated math teacher Kristin Matroni for teaching awards at both institutions.

The American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) New York Metro Chapter named French and Spanish teacher Deena Sellers as its new contest administrator for Le Grand Concours—the National French Exam, the AATF’s longest-running academic program—for all participating schools in the five boroughs and Long Island. She will 3 over the role at the end of the academic take year. Ms. Sellers will also attend the Future Leadership Fellows Institute at the AATF International Convention in Austin, Texas, this July.

For the third year in a row, Xavier’s varsity hockey team won the Catholic High School Hockey League (CHSHL) B division championship on February 20. The Knights defeated Archbishop Stepinac High School, 2–1, in an overtime thriller at Ebersole Ice Rink in White Plains.

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15 Alumni TO WATCH

UNDER

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From academia to art, politics to the priesthood, Sons of Xavier distinguish themselves in every realm. The 15 men on the pages that follow are the standard-bearers for a new generation of alumni— accomplished, reflective ambassadors for Xavier and undeniable men for others.

Mike Petri ’02 and Seamus Kelly ’09

By Tom O’Hara ’69 P’04 ’06 Mike Petri ’02 is back on 16th Street now, teaching biology, physics, and algebra and coaching rugby. And Seamus Kelly ’09 has started a new career at Jefferies, the investment bank, where he works in the equities division.

But last fall, these two Sons of Xavier were in England, representing the United States at the Rugby World Cup. When it comes to sporting events, only the Olympics and soccer’s World Cup are bigger. Mike was the Eagles’ scrum half, a position similar to football’s quarterback—if the QB also had to be a hard tackler and a precise tactical kicker. Seamus was the outside center, which requires the combined skills of football’s running back, linebacker, and defensive back.

Even better, their head coach was Xavier rugby legend Iron Mike Tolkin ’85, the man who had introduced them to this mad and wonderful sport back when they were freshmen on 16th Street. After 40 years, four national championships, 21 regional titles, two state crowns, and scores of high school and collegiate All-Americans and national team players at the U17, U19, and U20 levels, this was the finest moment yet for The Team Formerly Known as the Outlaws.

The Eagles, comprised of amateurs and overseas professionals, did not make it past the all-professional teams who dominate the six-week tournament, but both former Xavier ruggers earned plaudits from the TV announcers and sportswriters for their tenacity on offense and ferocity on defense.

The 2015 Rugby World Cup—and the four-year international campaign preceding it—was an exciting experience, but also a demanding one. With this journey now at an end, both Mike and Seamus are contemplating the next stage of their rugby careers in a nation that lacks a professional league in which they can earn a living while honing their skills. To the

disappointment of many in the U.S. rugby community, neither plans to play for the Eagles again anytime soon.

If their international rugby careers are indeed over, both Xavier men have accomplished much of which we can all be proud. For Mike Petri, that record includes three Rugby World Cups: 2007 in France, 2011 in New Zealand—in which his try against Russia was voted the tournament’s best—and 2015 in England. He has played in 57 matches for the United States, the most of any back, and captained the Eagles on six occasions.

Mike also played professionally—for the Sale Sharks in the English Premiership and for the Newport Gwent Dragons (Wales) in the Magner’s Celtic League.

In 2009, he became only the fourth American in 119 years to play for the legendary Barbarians, an international touring side composed of the very best rugby players from around the world.

Seamus Kelly played his first match for the Eagles while still a student at the University of California, Berkeley, and went on to represent the United States in 25 international matches. At just 23, “Famous Seamus” captained the U.S. team on its 2015 tour of Argentina and Uruguay. He also had a brief stint at the professional level, playing for Gloucester in the English Premiership.

So what’s next? Says Mike: “I plan to stay involved in the game in some capacity. What role I will play is yet to be determined, but I will try to help however and wherever I can. I’m still learning all that I can, and I’m lucky to have a great network around me here at Xavier to help me continue to grow. As the sport continues to grow, many more opportunities will arise, and hopefully I will be considered for some of them.”

Seamus, meanwhile, continues to play for the New York Athletic Club in the elite American Rugby Premiership. “I hope to have an influence on the growth of the game down the road, coaching and contributing to its development,” he said recently.

“Especially at Xavier.”

Tom O’Hara ’69 P’04 ’06, who learned the sport of rugby at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, served as Xavier rugby’s first coach upon the team’s founding in 1976. He was inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Alumni TO WATCH

Sean Hagerty, S.J. ’02

By Tracey Primrose Sean Hagerty, S.J. ’02 was climbing the corporate ladder in the beer distribution business when he decided to become a Jesuit priest. Even by Jesuit standards, that’s a pretty uncommon path.

Hagerty first encountered the Society of Jesus at Xavier, where he and his twin brother, Edward Hagerty ’02, traveled from the Upper West Side. A vocation wasn’t yet on his mind, but the Jesuits made an impression. “They were smart and kind and loved what they were doing. They were very present in our lives—whether helping out with the yearbook, moderating the Chess Club, or attending games,” he recalled.

During his senior year, the country was attacked on 9/11.

The young JROTC cadet channeled his anger into a plan: He would continue his ROTC training at Fordham University. In 2006, he graduated from Fordham and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army. He spent several years in Alaska and was then deployed to Diyala Province, Iraq, where he commanded a forward observer team and was later made second in command of an infantry company.

Throughout it all, thoughts of a vocation were always in the back of his mind. He finished his Army service in 2009 and resigned his commission in 2010. He knew the military wasn’t for him, but he wasn’t quite ready to confront the thought that had lingered for years: Maybe God was calling him to the Jesuits?

Some young men considering a vocation to the Society of Jesus work at a Jesuit high school; not many go to work for Budweiser. Hagerty got a job as a night warehouse supervisor in the Bronx and quickly rose through the ranks. Within a few months, he was transferred to Oklahoma, then to Los Angeles, where he was responsible for all of Budweiser’s warehousing distribution. But something was missing.

Telling no one, he applied to the Jesuits and was accepted. He was offered another promotion, but he turned it down, telling his boss he was leaving to become a Catholic priest. “They were a little thrown by that,” Hagerty laughed.

In August 2012, he entered the Jesuits. Two summers ago, he made his First Vows, and he is now studying philosophy at Saint Louis University. In true Ignatian fashion, he listened to himself to find his vocation: “I had this sneaking suspicion that if I didn’t do this, I would never be happy.”

Tracey Primrose is Secretary for Communications at the Jesuit Conference.

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Chris Chavez ’11

By Nick Byrne ’11 Chris Chavez ’11 has been in constant motion over the last few years. He has been spotted sitting face-to-face with the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, and traveling the world covering every major footrace along the way.

Five years removed from Xavier, the 22-year-old sports reporter has worked for some of the biggest names in sports news, including ESPN and Sports Illustrated. While humble by nature, my classmate Chris has put the Class of 2011 on the map—and he credits his love of writing to his time on 16th Street.

“My passion for sportswriting started at Xavier,” Chris told me.

“It developed after I was cut from the freshman baseball team. I still wanted to be a part of the action, and writing got me closer to the field.”

As a Xavier student, Chris began writing for The Xavier Review, started his own Yankee blog, and contributed to Bleacher Report.

“Practice,” he said. “Practice. Practice. Practice. I started writing all of the time. That’s when I realized that I wanted to be a journalist.”

After graduating from Xavier, Chris attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“I knew that I wanted to go to [journalism] school,” he said. “I just needed to figure out where. I applied to Syracuse, Missouri, and UConn, but decided to go to Marquette. I liked the Jesuit connection, and the journalism program is strong.”

Chris’ freshman year as a Golden Eagle was run-of-the-mill.

He settled in, began writing for The Marquette Tribune, and started

running regularly to avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15.” But soon, his new hobby became something more.

In May 2012, he decided that he wanted to learn more about track and field before the Summer Olympics. The 2012 Adidas Grand Prix, held at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, was around the corner.

“Practice. Practice. Practice. I started writing all of the time. That’s when I realized that I wanted to be a journalist.”

Looking for a way to get into the meet without buying a ticket, Chris tweeted at FloTrack, a small track and field website that was covering the event, to see if they needed a hand. They obliged him.

“I was hooked,” Chris said. “I started working for FloTrack and gave up my college weekends to watch people run in a circle. “ Growing the sport of track and field became his passion—a passion that led him to Europe in the summer of 2013, ESPN in 2014, and to Sports Illustrated, where he is now a reporter.

This summer, Chris’ dream of going to the Olympics will come true as he reports for SI in Rio de Janeiro.

Without a doubt, the Class of 2011 will be following his work.

Nick Byrne ’11 studied journalism at the University of Alabama.

He supports Xavier’s communications and alumni relations efforts as an alumni volunteer.

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Alumni TO WATCH Dr. Brian Purnell ’96

By Joseph Sweeney ’85 When I met 16-year-old Brian Purnell ’96 in my AP U.S. History class 21 years ago, I could tell he was destined for success. Many of my students understood the history they studied, but no one cared so much about it. Brian was enthralled by the genius of the great men and women we discussed and visibly upset by the injustices that pepper our history. Judging by the passion he showed then, I’m not the least bit surprised that he has become a leading scholar and educator in the field of U.S. history.

A professor of African-American and urban history, Brian (who earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. at New York University) is one of the foremost scholars of the Civil Rights Movement in New York City. The author of the prize-winning Fighting Jim Crow in the County of Kings, he is working on two other books at present—a biography of Jitu Weusi and a narrative history of African-Americans in New York City. He previously taught history at Fordham University, his undergraduate alma mater, and is now professor of history and Africana Studies at Bowdoin College, one of the nation’s top liberal arts institutions. In 2015, Bowdoin’s graduating class elected him to give the Sydney B. Karofsky encore lecture, an annual honor bestowed on the most outstanding member of the faculty.

When I asked him why he pursued a career in history, Brian first credited his classes at Xavier. He said he was inspired by teachers who challenged him to analyze events and develop a deeper, more personal understanding of them. Second, researching, writing, and teaching history is his expression of his patriotism: “I love my country, and I feel that it’s a real responsibility to understand our country’s past—both the good and the bad.”

Michael Partis, a former student of Brian’s who is currently completing his Ph.D. in anthropology, once told me a story of the scholarship, courage, and teaching skill that Brian brings to his classes. To me, he demonstrates the great pillars of Jesuit education—magis and cura personalis. “One memorable class session was a few days after the death of Sean Bell. This became a heated discussion between defenders of law enforcement and those who criticized racial profiling and state violence towards blacks. It was a stinging, contentious conversation. But at the end, we visibly and vocally respected each other. Dr. Purnell successfully steered us through the conversation because he was not fearful; he wasn’t held back because controversy could hurt his standing in the institution. He prodded us appropriately, pushed back when necessary, and created an environment of equality among us—a democracy dedicated to rigor, with respect for others. Dr. Purnell cultivated the potential inside his students.

He taught me that being a professor can be so much more than producing work for other scholars. That you could still be a scholar and touch the heart of people. His example still guides me today.”

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Indiana University, Joseph Sweeney ’85 began teaching history at Xavier in 1993. He has served as Dean of Students and Dean of Faculty during his years on 16th Street.

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Rich Greco ’03

By Shawna Gallagher Vega In the East River-facing expanse of airy modernity that Droga5 calls home, Rich Greco ’03 guides designers with a steady hand. He is a creature of consistency, right down to the American Apparel cardigans and T-shirts he wears to work each day. But make no mistake—this son of Midwood, Brooklyn is one of advertising’s top creative forces.

As design director at Droga5, the independent advertising network that counts the White House, Google, Toyota, Under Armour, and Prudential among its clients, Greco distinguished himself quickly. In 2012, Business Insider named him to the No. 10 spot on its list of the 30 Most Creative People in Advertising Under 30. Two years later, Forbes selected him to its 30 Under 30 list for marketing and advertising professionals.

The self-effacing Greco first attributed his accolades to Droga5’s “very powerful PR department,” but when prodded, he reflected on the keys to his accomplishments. “I will say that I did my work, did it well, and enjoyed what I was doing,” Greco said. “I work on challenging projects with people who are more talented than I am.

I don’t sleep very much, either.”

He also attributed his achievements to Xavier, especially to Denise Iacovone, whom he meets for lunch at least once each year.

“At Xavier, and specifically in art class, I learned how to manage my time and adhere to deadlines. I didn’t always excel in those areas, but being made aware of the consequences was equally beneficial,” said Greco, who played baseball and belonged to the Cartooning and Illustration Club on 16th Street. “And I developed a respect for rules, in that I found it was good to be aware of them in order to break them in a meaningful way when necessary.”

“​Find the thing you are passionate about, and do it to the best of your ability​.”

The Pratt Institute grad often returns to Xavier to judge the annual Festival of the Arts, and he hopes today’s students develop the same qualities he did—creativity and determination. “Find the thing you are passionate about, and do it to the best of your ability,” Greco urged. “Really surround yourself with it. Then if that gets boring, start all over.”

Shawna Gallagher Vega is Xavier’s Director of Communications. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Boston College.

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Alumni TO WATCH

Steven Strait ’04

By Shawna Gallagher Vega In The Expanse, the acclaimed Syfy series in which he stars, Steven Strait ’04 plays Jim Holden, 2nd Officer of the ice hauler Canterbury. Strait fell in love with the storyline while reading the books that inspired it—a testament to the appreciation and critical analysis of literature he developed at Xavier.

“I had a multitude of amazing teachers,” the Greenwich Village native recalled of his high school years. “Ms. [Margaret] Gonzalez, in particular, was an incredible English teacher.

Learning how to take texts and interpret them myself allowed me to break down prose on stage and on film.”

During his time on 16th Street, Strait already envisioned an acting career. As a model and student at the famed Stella Adler Studio of Acting, his work often took him away from Xavier. He is still grateful for the flexibility his alma mater offered him.

“Fr. Ciancimino was incredible to me—very supportive of my career and ambitions,” Strait recalled of then-Headmaster Rev. David Ciancimino, S.J. ’77.

“Everyone knew how seriously I took my career.”

Even though he achieved a coup as a student by escaping the hair code (“I was allowed to have my hair longer, past my ears. I brought a letter from my agency to get permission,” he recalled with a laugh), Strait absorbed the rigor for which a Xavier education has long been known. “Xavier really taught me how to build my own self-discipline,” he said. “I took a lot of the lessons I learned at Xavier, and I still use them to make myself a little better every day.”

After graduating from high school, Strait headed for Los Angeles and quickly encountered success. “I got incredibly fortunate and booked a movie. There’s an element of fortune and luck to acting,” he said. In the years that followed, he snagged roles in 10,000 B.C. (opposite Camilla Belle), City Island (starring Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies), and the Starz series Magic City. Currently, he films The Expanse in Toronto, but he tries to get home to New York as often as he can.

“The lovely thing about a career in the arts is that you can still be a student,” Strait said. “I love my job. It’s a supremely interesting art form for me.”

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Jamel Robinson ’97

By Nick Byrne ’11 If you venture west on 16th Street, you may be drawn into Chelsea Market for a number of reasons.

The former Nabisco factory, where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced, is now a food hall, shopping mall, office building, and television production studio. It also houses the artwork of Jamel Robinson ’97.

The seasoned poet turned self-taught painter has created a number of “representational abstract” works that have sold to a variety of collectors, including actor Taye Diggs, and appear in several galleries across the city, including the 16 paintings that currently hang in Chelsea Market.

Last year, Robinson took part in a live painting residency at The Window at 125, a special project of the Roger Smith Hotel in Midtown. Over the course of three weeks, he provided a literal window into his creative process by reconstructing the atmosphere of his studio space within the parameters of a public window display.

Some artists spend most of their lives practicing their craft.

Robinson, however, began painting just four years ago after he was asked to illustrate one of his poems.

Within weeks, he covered the walls of his Harlem apartment with artwork. Soon after that, Robinson took the art world by storm.

“The irony of it all, when we talk about 16th Street, is that I currently have a gallery and an exhibition in Chelsea,” Robinson said. “These are not things that I could have thought for myself when I was at Xavier, because I wasn’t thinking about painting at that time, and I couldn’t see that far ahead.”

“It is my connection to God that drives me in all of the other areas. ... This is what takes me to the next level.​“ Robinson has accomplished much over a short period of time, but he says his work is merely the way he chooses to serve God. “This is God’s plan,” Robinson said. “It is my connection to God that drives me in all of the other areas.”

“I’m still learning to paint,” he added. “The most important thing right now is growing a relationship with God. That is what takes me to the next level. Art is something that’s kind of outside of that—but that’s what the world gets to see.”

XAVIER MAGAZINE 15

Alumni TO WATCH

Mark Morales ’01

By Shawna Gallagher Vega On an average day, it’s tough to predict where you’ll find Wall Street Journal metro reporter Mark Morales ’01. One Police Plaza, the New York Police Department’s headquarters, is a distinct possibility— but he’s equally likely to be racing to a crime scene or a press conference with Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“I like adventures, and the last thing I need is to be chained to a desk,” Morales said. “My office is New York City.”

While he had no ambitions to pursue journalism during his time at Xavier, the younger brother of Joseph Morales ’89 and Jack Morales ’99 said his teachers’ emphasis on critical thinking prepared him well for his future career. “I hold my time at Xavier to be very, very special,” the Midwood, Brooklyn native said. “I don’t think I would be where I am today without the place.”

After high school, Morales majored in communication studies at Pace University, but thoughts of journalism only entered his mind after college. “I always had this bug, to want to do news,” he recalled. So he found a job at WCBS Newsradio 880, the flagship station of CBS Radio News, as a desk assistant. He enjoyed it so much that he enrolled in the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. “It was the best decision I ever made,” he said. “I doubled down into debt, but I learned so much about the industry, what questions to ask, and what things to explore.”

He eventually secured a role at the New York Daily News, covering what he called “the death and mayhem” beat—“running to every corner of the city to meet interesting characters,” often at night and at the last minute.

His flexibility paid off, leading to his coverage of major stories like the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and a coveted role at the Journal in 2014.

“The hours are long, the money’s low, and the stress is off the charts.

All of that is true,” Morales said of journalism.

“But it’s a lot of fun, and so interesting. I just want to continue to improve and do bigger and better things.”

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Kevin Ko ’15

By William Martino When college acceptance letters started arriving last winter, Kevin Ko ’15 could finally take a breath. It had all led up to this: the culmination of four years of papers, projects, all-nighters, Model UN trips, and forensics tournaments. On top of all that, Kevin was spending nearly all of his free time programming and creating new apps. In his college application essay, he wrote about his technological talent and the rewards that followed: “Every hour, every all-nighter, and every failure translated into a considerable amount of revenue. Every sale from my applications and programs paid the bills, the rent, and part of my Xavier tuition.” He had unwittingly become the breadwinner for his family.

I first met Kevin at the start of his junior year. He was a student in my AP Language and Composition class, and I remember being struck by his gentle, competitive nature. He was not one to accept easy answers to difficult questions. He was courteous, articulate, opinionated, and inquisitive. In many ways, Kevin embodied all the values we stress here at Xavier. He is a rare breed who exhibits an incredible magnetism and a great potential for leadership.

It’s no wonder that he was accepted to all three of his top-choice schools—Harvard, MIT, and Stanford—and that he is now thriving on the West Coast. “Stanford,” he said, “has possibly the highest

concentration of interesting people I have ever met.” And because so much of the college experience includes self-exploration, Kevin relishes the chance to have his personal interests align with academia. His most fascinating class, he said, is a computer course on programming abstractions.

“Xavier helped me realize that I was at the service of others.”

Kevin credits Xavier for his ability to adapt to such an academically rigorous environment so quickly, and he is grateful for the opportunities he had to step out of his comfort zone on 16th Street. “I became a more well-rounded person because of the risk-free opportunities [Xavier] offered,” he said. “Xavier helped me realize that I was at the service of others.” When I asked Kevin about his plans for the future, he said they consist of either coding or working with start-up ventures in Silicon Valley. Currently, he is in the process of creating a new app. “Nevertheless,” he confessed, “any plan is subject to change, so ask me again in four years.”

William Martino, a graduate of Fordham University and the University of Notre Dame, began teaching at Xavier in 2008.

XAVIER MAGAZINE 17

Alumni TO WATCH

Jason Adolfo Otaño ’97

By Shawna Gallagher Vega Since his days studying politics and military science at Xavier, public service has made Jason Adolfo Otaño ’97 come alive—but it was an encounter with Ignatian spirituality that finally motivated him to make it his career.

After his 2004 graduation from Fordham Law School, Otaño began working as an entertainment lawyer, eventually running his own record label.

“But at a certain point, I wasn’t happy with what I was doing and who my clients were,” he recalled.

“So how’s this for a Jesuit experience? I started doing the Spiritual Exercises with one of my professors from Fordham. I discovered that I was at my happiest when I was participating in some form of advocacy.”

In a stroke of good timing, the position of general counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz soon became available.

“I threw out a Hail Mary,” the Sheepshead Bay native said. “I had only been an attorney for three years, but due to the political training I got at Xavier and Fordham, I was able to convince them I was the right person for the job.”

After four years at Borough Hall followed by two hard-fought losses in races for the New York State Senate and Assembly, Otaño is enjoying his role as deputy general counsel for the New York City Council, where he represents the interests of the body of 51 elected officials. Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito named him to the post in 2015.

Last fall, he fulfilled another longtime dream when he began the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course, receiving weapons and land navigation training and learning about leadership, military law, and the structure of the U.S. Army JAG Corps, where he is now a Reserve Judge Advocate.

“The leadership I was taught through JROTC and military science are still influential to me,” he said. “Twenty years later, as a First Lieutenant in the JAG Corps, Xavier still has a lot to do with my perspective and worldview.”

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Paul Dimoh ’01

By Nick Byrne ’11

As he looks back on his time on 16th Street, Paul Dimoh ’01 is filled with gratitude.

“I was fortunate because my mother made sacrifices to send me and my twin brother to parochial schools,” he said. “Growing up in a single-parent household, she wanted our education to be structured and instill certain values.”

In the summer of 1996, Paul and his brother, Patrick Dimoh ’01, enrolled in the Higher Achievement Program—and fell in love.

“We loved it so much that we decided that we wanted to go here,” he said. “It was the right fit.”

But life wasn’t always easy on 16th Street.

“The commute from Ozone Park was long, and we spent a lot of time in JUG,” he said. “But we benefited from it. My mother insisted that we join the Regiment and get involved. We didn’t like it at all at first, but it was formative. I value my Jesuit education.”

After graduating from Xavier, Dimoh attended Syracuse University, where he earned bachelor’s and law degrees. While in law school, he also earned a certificate in national security and counterterrorism law.

Stefan Fagan-Kelly ’05

By Shawna Gallagher Vega For Capt. Stefan Fagan-Kelly, USAF ’05, Xavier always felt like family. His grandfather, Louis Kelly, attended Xavier a century ago, and though he died before his grandson was born, Louis passed his high school stories down through the generations. Fagan-Kelly’s father, maternal grandfather, and various uncles served in the military, imbuing him with a proud patriotism. So when it came time for him to choose a high school, Fagan-Kelly had his sights set on 16th Street—and the Regiment in particular.

September 11, 2001, was his fourth day at Xavier and his first day of JROTC training. “Having just started to travel into Manhattan daily on the subway and having Xavier lose 10 alumni that fateful morning really hit home for me,” he said. “I truly think my eventual path to serve in the military was created that day.”

Before heading off to the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2005, Fagan-Kelly savored his time on 16th Street, wrestling, excelling in Latin and STEM, and participating in clubs and volunteer service. But the Regiment remained his anchor.

Currently, he’s an attorney at the global law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he supports the general counsel’s office in advising on a wide range of legal ethics and compliance issues—specifically issues concerning risk management, business development, and the resolution of conflicts.

In his spare time, Dimoh volunteers at Kidogo, a social enterprise that improves access to high-quality, affordable early childhood care and education in informal settlements in Kenya. His official title at Kidogo is Director of Grown-Up Stuff, meaning he oversees Kidogo’s legal affairs.

Dimoh has come a long way, and believes that Xavier played a big role in his development.

“Xavier was such an invaluable part of some of the most formative years of my life, helping to build my faith, character, and intellect.

There’s not a day that goes by when I’m not filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride for my Xavier experience—from the people to the classes to the activities,” he said. “I’ve heard it said that if you treat people as if they were what they ought to be, you help them become what they are capable of being. I would say Xavier succeeded in that, in terms of growing our capacity to be men for others.”

“The Regiment was a large part of my high school experience and led to many of the friends and experiences I had at Xavier,” said Fagan-Kelly, who has fond memories of sunrise Raider Unit practices, Pennsylvania summer camps, St. Patrick’s and Columbus Day Parades, formal inspections, and his time managing the supply room.

He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2009 with a degree in physics, a concentration in space physics and astronomy, and a minor in German. He spent two years at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts as a cold atom physicist, then earned a master’s degree in nuclear physics at the Air Force Institute of Technology, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. In April 2013, the Air Force sent him to serve as a nuclear engineer at Patrick Air Force Base near Cocoa Beach, Florida. His unit, the Air Force Technical Applications Center, monitors nuclear treaties. Last year, he became a resource advisor for the Materials Technology Directorate there.

“It is men like Stefan Fagan-Kelly who make the United States Air Force the terrific institution that our nation requires,” said Lt. Col. Roy Campbell, USA (Ret.), Xavier’s Senior Army Instructor, who has sent 43 Sons of Xavier to service academies during his tenure. “It is a comfort to know that Xavier sends men like Stefan out from 16th Street into the world to serve as leaders in the Church, in business, in industry, in academia, and in the service professions of law, medicine, and the military as well.”

XAVIER MAGAZINE 19

Alumni TO WATCH

Dr. Kwame Ohemeng ’96

By Shawna Gallagher Vega Dr. Kwame Ohemeng ’96 always knew he wanted to be a doctor. His Xavier education cemented that dream.

“My senior Christian service project was done at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, in the emergency room,” he recalled. “Prior to that, I had not had any hands-on medical experience. My time spent at Columbia helped confirm that medicine was the right choice for me.”

After an admirable career on 16th Street, where he developed a love of literature, participated in student government, served as a rector on a Kairos retreat, and co-edited the yearbook with fellow 15 Under 40 selection Dr. Brian Purnell ’96, Ohemeng (who counted Brian Moroney and Mike Tolkin ’85 among his favorite teachers) attended Wesleyan University. Medicine was still in his sights, but he chose to study the liberal arts. “I majored in English at Wesleyan largely because of the foundation that I received at Xavier,” he said. “I am proud to say that I can quote Shakespeare just as easily as I can discuss the pathophysiology of any disease process.”

Today, as chairman of the anesthesiology department at Brooklyn’s Interfaith Medical Center, his ability to communicate effectively and analyze situations with a critical eye serves him well. So too does Xavier’s mission to form men for others.

“Surgery can be terrifying, no matter how simple or complex the procedure may be,” said the SUNY Downstate College of Medicine graduate. “My job is to quickly develop a rapport with patients, allay their fears, and then essentially keep them alive while they undergo surgeries that might otherwise kill them. It is a great privilege and responsibility, and I do not take it lightly.”

Ohemeng’s calling often carries him beyond Interfaith’s walls to communities in need around the world. In 2011, he traveled to Haiti to treat patients in the wake of the devastating earthquake there. Two years later, he volunteered at a hospital for severe scoliosis and other spinal deformity patients in Ghana. “This was a lifechanging experience for many reasons. Not only did I have the opportunity to serve people in my homeland, but I also worked directly with Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, who successfully performed my own scoliosis surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery just one year prior.”

“I would advise Xavier students to never forget that as Sons of Xavier, we have a responsibility and are uniquely gifted to serve,” he added. “No matter what career path you choose, you can give of your time and talents to help others. I believe this is how we live the 4th, for my Kairos brothers, and how we live out the Jesuit motto Ad majorem Dei gloriam.”

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Sean McDonough ’03

The “extrovert” paintings, made with acrylic paint and rubbing alcohol, feature linear geometric patterns that resemble a maze at

By Nick Byrne ’11 first glance.

To the untrained eye, the Nancy Margolis Gallery’s glass façade is a “These process-driven paintings come about by hammering window to a sea of geometric paintings in several different shapes, thumbtacks into the wood, painting over it, and removing the sizes, and styles.

If you stand outside of the gallery long enough, you will notice a tacks,” McDonough said. “They are about the repetition and steady stream of passers-by who stop and stare at the luxuriant color necessity of labor.” and textural patterning that are abundantly present in the work of Sean McDonough ’03.

“Painting is a visual language, with The Brooklyn-based artist has been featured in several galleries discussion of painting akin to a translation.” and publications, including New American Paintings, an “exhibitionin-print” that results from a highly selective juried competition.

The “introvert” paintings are smaller and more intense McDonough’s trials and tribulations as a young artist are now McDonough uses oil paint and a plastic stick to create a thick behind him as he masters his craft—delving into new techniques textured surface of multiple layers of marks and fine-lined colors and ascending within the art community. reminiscent of intricately woven fabric.

His current partnership with the Nancy Margolis Gallery led to “Their scale is small because an intimate engagement is his first solo exhibition located in very west Chelsea on 25th Street necessary,” McDonough said. between Ninth and Tenth Avenue.

“Painting is a visual language, with discussion of painting akin “In this show I’m presenting two bodies of work,” the New York to a translation,” he added. “Ideally, paintings are a haptic field University and Maryland Institute College of Art graduate said. of visual engagement—a place for viewers to lose themselves in “I’m referring to them as introvert and extrovert paintings, named abstract thought. Paintings provide a visual scaffold to support the after the broad personality types. It’s my intention to highlight the mind as it wanders.” intersection between the inner and outer worlds of the viewer’s mind. I’m after what’s inside.”

XAVIER MAGAZINE 21

CUBA In Search of a New

By Shawna Gallagher Vega On Christmas Eve 1964, Mike Fernandez ’72, his parents, Mario and Leiba, and his sister, Pilar, arrived in Mexico City—exiles from Cuba, where Fidel Castro had ousted Fulgencio Batista and ushered in a Marxist regime nearly six years earlier.

Once in power, Castro and his barbudos, or “bearded ones,” as Cubans called the rebel forces, confiscated businesses (including Mario’s), repressed religion, limited freedom of speech, and imprisoned and murdered those who dared to disagree.

An impressionable 12 when he was forced to flee his native island, Fernandez forever remembered the man who waited for his family and offered help when they landed in Mexico: Eugenio,

22 XAVIER MAGAZINE

a fellow Cuban exile. Later, before he and the Fernandez family made their way to the United States, the man would tell young Mike: “Son, your job is to take care of those who come after you.”

Fernandez has often drawn on the lesson of Eugenio, and never more so than in the past year, when he stepped into the debate surrounding the opening of U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time since 1961. In his adopted home of Miami, Fernandez’s public support for engagement—not to mention the end of the Cuban embargo—is a powder keg if ever there was one. But he stands firm in his beliefs, devoting his time and energy to a new Cuba where capitalism, free speech, and human dignity all have a chance to flourish.

In 2015, Fernandez, a well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist, became a founding member of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Cuba Business Council.

He has taken several delegations to Cuba to promote business and showcase positive changes on the island. He has also lobbied legislators, supported the New Cuba PAC (a political action committee that supports federal candidates who favor ending the embargo), and written several high-profile op-eds in The Miami Herald. “It’s time to

accept change. Let us not heed those relatively few voices who would go on continuing to trap our minds in hatred,” he wrote in a July 2, 2015 column.

“Let’s not allow our minds to imprison ourselves. Let us move forward. Biology will take care of those who enslaved our families. Let us focus on helping the Cuban people.”

Reaction among the Cuban diaspora in South Florida has been mixed; after all, exiles tend to have long memories. To his credit, Fernandez personally fields calls from detractors. “They have their reasons why they’re angry,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for them, because they are good reasons. But in Cuba, it’s time for us to change the strategy. You cannot live focused on the past. The question is, how do we make the future better?”

Fernandez is heartened by the changes he has witnessed in Cuba since 2000, the first time he traveled back to the island. An oppressive regime demoralized him then, but in recent years, increased freedom of expression and the growth of business have signaled a move in the right direction.

“For the first 50 years [after the Cuban Revolution], the private economy did not exist,” he said. “Six years ago, we began to see the government allow small businesses.

“Mike is re-shaping and re-writing the script of U.S.-Cuba relations, boldly and humbly, against many forces and former ways of thinking in a selfless manner that will be applauded for years to come.”

Now, there are 600,000 private businesses in Cuba.”

“That is where I choose to put my time and effort,” he added. “It is very frustrating, because we’re fighting a system that’s been entrenched for 56 years to create an environment of opportunity. But what greater gift can I provide to others who have not known liberty and freedom—who have never been able to live out their dreams like I have?”

Jodi Bond, who works closely with Fernandez through her role as vice president of the Americas for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s International Division, saluted his efforts to encourage capitalism in Cuba.

“Mike has vigorously embraced and advanced a platform in favor of lifting the U.S. embargo that isolated the Cuban people from America—and devoted himself fully to the policy shift that would re-establish relations that can unleash the power of economic freedoms for the Cuban people,” Bond said. “He seeks no commercial interests himself in this process, PTEMBER SUNDAY SE .COM LD MIAMIHERA

but rather the opportunity for the Cuban people to one day experience, through continued, new, respectful exchanges and exposures, some of the fundamental economic freedoms he was afforded as a U.S. citizen.”

“Mike is re-shaping and re-writing the script of U.S.-Cuba relations, boldly and humbly,” she continued, ”against many forces and former ways of thinking in a selfless manner that will be applauded for years to come.”

“We have no agenda aside from the reunification of our larger Cuban family,” Fernandez said. “The greatest foe that socialism and communism have is capitalism. I hope we can deliver a sense of economic freedom.”

As he wrote in another Miami Herald column, “Cuba’s truth today is not the truth of a decade or five decades ago. If you doubt what I say, go and see for yourself.”

27 2015

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24 XAVIER MAGAZINE

is at Work Here

By Shawna Gallagher Vega When Rev. James Croghan, S.J., rector of the Xavier Jesuit Community, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., pastor of the Church of St. Francis Xavier, and Xavier High School President Jack Raslowsky meet, it feels like a reunion of old friends. And so it is.

Raslowsky and Croghan’s friendship dates back nearly three decades to their time as young educators at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, from which they graduated in 1979 and 1973, respectively.

Today, they are trusted companions and colleagues—not just on 16th Street, but in their roles as school presidents. (Croghan serves as interim president of Regis High School.) And prior to arriving at the Church of St. Francis Xavier and residing in the Xavier Jesuit Community, Marina was well-acquainted with both men through his work on Xavier High School’s Board of Trustees.

The easy camaraderie and close working relationship between the three men has ushered in a new era of collaboration between the school, the church, and the Jesuit community. “The community would not be complete without the school and the parish,” Croghan said. “Together, we are able to manifest the Jesuit mission of service to the Church and to the world.”

“For me, there’s great witness in the work of the parish. We see it in the work of the Xavier Mission, in the church’s work with the LGBT community, and in the place of women in the parish. The Church models our great hopes for the liturgy,” Raslowsky added.

“The community models the best of religious life. And we try to do things right as a high school.”

“People definitely see it,” Marina said of the relationship between the three institutions. He recalled the parish’s most recent

Mission Mass, at which Croghan presided, he concelebrated, and Raslowsky spoke. “Many people commented on it.”

A question often occupies the minds of the three men: What do we do with this good will? To them, the answer lies in making real their commitment to a faith that does justice.

Examples of that faith abound on 16th Street. The church opens its doors to the school on a daily basis, allowing students to experience both personal reflection and the sacraments. Xavier students contribute thousands of pounds of food to the Xavier Mission’s annual Thanksgiving food drive. The school offers the church space to run the Fr. Ned Coughlin, S.J. Men’s Shelter, which offers 18 homeless men a place to rest seven nights a week.

On Sundays, the school again opens its doors to the church’s Family Faith Program, which provides religious education to 100 children. During biannual Archdiocesan Days of Reconciliation, the Xavier Jesuit Community turns out in force to support the parish and its faithful.

“Whenever I’m between penitents, I look around, and I see the men I live with,” Marina said. “I’m incredibly grateful.”

That support is a hallmark of life on 16th Street. Croghan emphasized the fact that the school footed half the cost of the Jesuit community’s recent renovation, ensuring its continued home at Xavier.

“There will always be Jesuits available to Xavier students,” he said. “There is a synergy that comes out of that.”

“I think this is the way it should be,” Raslowsky said. “There is a magis desire to enter into relationship. We sometimes fall short of our goals, but God is at work here.”

XAVIER MAGAZINE 25

TRANSFORMATION ON

By James Cappabianca ’05 Xavier’s footprint within New York City has not only been characterized by the square footage our campus occupies, but more accurately by the quality of students we have educated— and will continue to send forth to set the world on fire. Xavier empowers students and teachers alike to be lifelong learners, entrenched in community, working for and with others in the pursuit of justice; to be engaged in their passions, whether those center around music, robotics, English literature, history, or sports journalism. Our mission is not bound to one classroom, one hallway, or even one building. The vision and charism of Xavier and Jesuit education transcends all that. It lies in the work of our teachers and coaches. It’s found in the commitment of our students and the continued generosity of our benefactors and friends. It’s alive in the communities that are touched by the great work of Xavier High School.

The development and construction of Fernandez-Duminuco Hall is a testament to that generosity and commitment to education that defines us as a community. Xavier’s lead donor on the project is Mike Fernandez ’72, who made a transformational gift in honor of his mentor, former Xavier Headmaster Rev. Vincent Duminuco, S.J.† The school’s expansion into a new 31,000-square-foot, six-story space will in no small way support and

complement the work done in our existing 16th Street facility every day. Fernandez-Duminuco Hall will enable students to more deeply explore their natural gifts, learn how to collaborate with their teachers and peers to creatively address challenges, and apply their gifts and knowledge in significant ways that enhance their own lives and the lives of those around them.

“...the building will transform the kind of education we can provide to our students.”

Now, as you walk east on 15th Street, you’ll notice the new façade of Xavier’s expansion, unimpeded by scaffolding. Over the past several weeks, construction has been moving forward, and tour groups consisting of board members, faculty, and students have taken place. On the second floor, a state-of-the-art music facility is taking shape, providing Xavier with a large ensemble room, a smaller performance space, and four smaller recording studios. On the third and fourth floors, the grand proscenium for Xavier’s theatre and drama program is in full view, providing appropriate staging for the performing arts, including theatre productions and concerts. A walk along the balcony allows for a panoramic view of Xavier’s new 200-person theatre and multiuse space. A STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and

15TH STREET mathematics) room on the fifth floor is prime for curriculum advancement through the use of advanced robotic tools and cutting-edge equipment for computer coding and filmmaking classes. Adjacent to that STEAM room is a student project and open learning space that will encourage collaboration among students and faculty and, undoubtedly, inspire creativity.

“The expansion of Xavier’s campus with the addition of Fernandez-Duminuco Hall will allow us to expand existing programming while adding others. The performing arts will now have a permanent home, and we have already expanded the offerings in that department. Computer science will now have state-of-the-art facilities that will allow us to launch several curricular programs we have been dreaming about for years. Xavier students will soon be on the forefront in coding and robotics,” said Headmaster Michael LiVigni. “It is an exciting time to be an educator at Xavier, and I know the building will transform the kind of education we can provide to our students.”

A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Fordham University, James Cappabianca ’05 serves as Special Assistant to the President and Executive Vice President at Xavier. He works closely with President Jack Raslowsky on planning and implementing initiatives for FernandezDuminuco Hall.

XAVIER MAGAZINE 27

Maroon and BLUE

A SEASON FOR

By Nick Byrne ’11 If the 2015 Xavier High School varsity football season was spun into a movie script, critics would undoubtedly say it was “too Hollywood.”

Sunday, August 30, 2015: As the sun set over the Pocono Mountains, 95 varsity and junior varsity players and their coaches gathered to celebrate Mass at football camp.

Rev. James Hederman, S.J., traveled 121 miles from West 16th Street to Tyler Hill, Pennsylvania, to preside over the outdoor service while head coach Chris Stevens ’83 dressed a 10-gallon Gatorade cooler in a white jersey to serve as the lakeside altar.

The scene was set for what was expected to be a peaceful time of reflection amidst a hectic week—until the skies opened up.

Storm clouds rolled in and heavy rain began to fall as Hederman delivered his greeting. The group found shelter under a small pavilion, and the Mass continued. As the storm passed overhead, the Knights stood shoulder-to-shoulder, trying to keep dry through the Eucharistic celebration. When the team joined hands and recited the Lord’s Prayer during the Liturgy of the 28 XAVIER MAGAZINE

Eucharist, the weather went from bad to worse. Lightning flashed across the sky, thunder rolled over the foothills, and black sheets of rain formed walls around the pavilion. But as the Knights offered each other the sign of peace, the rain stopped.

“It was eerie,” said religion teacher and assistant coach Jose Aquino ’07. “The term ‘divine intervention’ definitely comes to mind.”

Some people say that high school football is a religion, but it’s not. As American journalist Rick Bragg once said on the matter, “Only religion is religion.”

But if there was ever a moment in my life where the two crossed paths, it was that evening—which stood true until November 21, 2015.

Saturday, November 21, 2015: In my experience, miracles always seem to transpire as the sun sets.

At twilight on this particular night, the Xavier Knights (9-1) trailed the undefeated Christ the King Royals, 25-20, with 1:14 remaining in the 2015 CHSFL AA championship. The Royals, who handed the Knights their only loss of the season on a controversial

“We played a very mature brand of football this year. Bone-crushing defense and a great kicking game allowed us to play field position football while waiting for the breaks of the game to present themselves. I am tremendously proud of our staff and our players.

Through adjustment, execution, and perseverance, we won the second half in every game we won this year, outscoring our opponents 167–59.”

— Head Coach Chris Stevens ’83

THE AGES no-call in the final seconds of their first meeting, opted to punt on 4th and 7 from Xavier’s 47-yard line.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Kelly trotted down the sideline to Stevens. “Are you going to try to block this?” he asked.

Xavier’s famed single-wing offense is ground and pound. The Knights’ game plan is to control the tempo by orchestrating long drives—but time was of the essence. Maestro Chris Stevens needed good field position for the odds to fall in his favor.

The coaching tandem positioned everyone on the line. The unpracticed punt block was on.

After the snap, linebacker Rory Kinsella ’17 raced through the Royals’ powerful offensive front to block the punt, which was then returned 44 yards by teammate Jack Abbruzzese ’16.

The scoop and score, followed by a successful two-point conversion, pulled Xavier ahead of King, 28–25.

Senior cornerback Guiseppe Orlando ’16 sealed the victory with an interception in the Xavier end zone on the Royals’ lastditch effort to regain the lead.

The Knights were crowned, and the 2015 championship game was dubbed “The Mitchel Field Miracle.”

Thursday, November 26, 2015: On Thanksgiving morning, Stevens’ Amazing, Fantastic Gridiron Way Back Machine was one win away from immortality.

The 2015 Knights stood on the brink of becoming Xavier’s only 11-win team, which would make them the winningest team in Xavier football’s 133-year history. A history that encompasses the late Leo Paquin, one of the Seven Blocks of Granite, who made Fordham University’s front line a formidable football force in 1936 and 1937.

(Paquin later worked at Xavier as a football coach, athletic director, and teacher.) A program that has always lacked proper facilities, but has survived and advanced since the late 19th century. A team that has amassed a 68.5 winning percentage with Stevens running the single-wing—a testament to an institution and its constituents, who are expected to pursue excellence in every endeavor.

It was fitting that Xavier’s 11th win would come against “The Ancient Foe Who Dwells Atop Rose Hill,” Fordham Prep, in their 91st meeting at the annual Turkey Bowl, New York City’s oldest sports rivalry.

Alumni volunteer Nick Byrne ’11 is an assistant football and rugby coach at Xavier.

XAVIER MAGAZINE 29

ofXavier

Sons

Compiled by Shawna Gallagher Vega 30 XAVIER MAGAZINE

1944 Dr. Don Connolly retired from his role as a construction manager for Habitat for Humanity. He now leads an Atlantic City-area program that provides tax guidance for seniors and low-income individuals.

Dr. Tom Draper recently resumed responsibilities as acting medical director of the Community Health Center of Greater Danbury, Connecticut. He works with another Son of Xavier, Dr. Gerard Foye ’56, who heads up gynecological services at the center. Draper offers his thanks to the many alumni who remembered his granddaughter, Rebecca Draper Townsend, who died last July.

Frank Dwyer retired from his position as an estate tax attorney with the federal government. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

Jack McCrane lives in Colts Neck, New Jersey.

Aloysius Tattam retired from NatWest Bank. He lives in Lake Como, New Jersey.

Dr. Charles Westoff, emeritus professor of demographic studies and sociology at Princeton University, continues his active research in demographic trends throughout the world.

1945 William Boyan, now a resident of Naples, Florida, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his marriage to Tia (née Hagers) Boyan and

the 60th anniversary of his graduation from Harvard Law School.

George Camisa had a great time attending the World War II graduating classes’ reunion at Xavier last May. “I went to the all-class (aptly named) reunion the next night but was astounded to find I was the oldest class member attending,” he said. “Same thing happened in Los Angeles at the Xavier reception there. Obviously an error committed by some young whippersnapper!

But, considering the alternative...”

1947 Joe Murgalo and his wife, Mary, are on the waiting list for a senior living community in Naples, Florida. “Time marches on,” Murgalo said.

1948 Dr. Anton Stifter is “still enjoying being on the blades of grass” and looking forward to his 70th Xavier reunion in 2018.

Vincent Vella writes, “My beloved wife of 57 years, Barbara, passed away last May, but I am still active at 85. I still hunt, fish, split wood, and occasionally work out in the gym.

Please say hi to my classmates, and God bless Xavier.”

1949 In November 2015, Dr. Tom O’Brien and his wife, Nancy, enjoyed a two-week cruise on the 300-foot, 150-passenger barkentine Star Flyer, sailing from Barbados through the

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Rev. Bill McGarry, S.J.—wearing a shirt from Xavier High School in Chuuk, Micronesia—in Manila in 1975.

Alumni Profile REV. BILL McGARRY, S.J. ’45 As a boy in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Rev. Bill McGarry, S.J. ’45 had no intention of attending Xavier. “I disliked the idea of wearing a uniform, for one thing,” he recalled. “Moreover, none of my friends were going there.“ He’s grateful his parents insisted he be educated on 16th Street.

“Every so often, my mother would say that if it were not for their insisting, I would not be a Jesuit,” he said.

Now 88, McGarry remembers feeling called to the priesthood even in elementary school, but he was determined not to join the Society of Jesus. “I admired the Jesuits at Xavier, but I rejected the idea of being sent overseas. I did not want long studies. And I wanted to be near New York and my family and friends,” he recalled.

But eventually, the thought of becoming a Jesuit filled him with “an extraordinary joy.”

He entered the novitiate in Poughkeepsie, New York, on September 2, 1945, the day World War II ended. (Five of his classmates—Joe Roche, Bob McGuire, Nat Giacobbi, Jack Boland†, and Tom Connolly†—joined him that year.) Fifteen years of study and formation in Poughkeepsie, St. Louis, Loyola School (where he did his Regency), Woodstock, Maryland, and Auriesville, New York, followed.

He would be sent overseas after all. After his formation, he traveled to Micronesia. He remained there for 20 years. He was then sent to Manila in the Philippines, where he coordinated the cooperation of Jesuits throughout the region. That work took him to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia.

Since then, he has moved between Micronesia and Manila, where he now resides in the Philippine Province Infirmary. The “wizened old man,” as he calls himself, often urges the students with whom he comes in contact “to never stop learning, to learn to have a strong desire to be a servant—one who sees all human beings as dignified children of God with a determination to work for the underdog.”

Throughout the years, Xavier and New York have never been far from McGarry’s mind. He twice stayed in the Xavier Jesuit Community during his travels. He remains in contact with fellow Sons of Xavier, including Rev. Joe Roche, S.J., who lives nearby in Manila, and Jim Cooke ’45, “who tracked me down after a long absence and has me reading with some nostalgia the Xavier Magazine.”

“When I entered the novitiate, I thought I would see more of New York for the rest of my life. It didn’t turn out that way,” McGarry said.

“But the city still holds a piece of my heart.”

XAVIER MAGAZINE 31

Panama Canal to Panama City on the Pacific side. Among the interesting ports of call were the ABC islands and Cartagena, Colombia.

While in Cartagena, O’Brien and his wife visited the Church of St. Peter Claver, who—inspired by the missionary work of St. Francis Xavier— dedicated his life to ministering to thousands of West African slaves who were brought to Colombia.

When the O’Briens returned home, they were delighted to receive a message from 16th Street. “During the holidays, we received a delightful Christmas card and personal note from Timothy Burkhart ’18, who is the current holder of our Class of ’49 scholarship in memory of Paul Curran,” O’Brien said. “We met Tim and his father last April, and he is a wonderful young man who embodies the criteria of academic achievement, member of the Regiment, and financial need.”

The Class of 1956's 11th Annual Grain House Gang Christmas Party

Phil Wallace writes to tell us that Frank Reilly came in first in the annual Chesapeake Senior Soft Dance competition.

1950 George Gerardi continues his work on the boards of Butterflies USA and Hermandad, NGOs that work with street children in India and families in the rural Dominican Republic, respectively.

Chris Arvani ’55 and family

Rev. Robert Lauder, S.J., professor of philosophy at St. John’s University and frequent contributor to The Tablet and America, recently presented his thoughts on “The Mystery of Love” at the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, New York. His lecture is now available on YouTube.

Louis Parker is retired and living in Naples, Florida.

1951 Bernard Harrington moved to Jupiter, Florida, in November 2015.

Dr. Charlie Crawford ’58

32 XAVIER MAGAZINE

Dr. John Maher has fully retired since his 80th birthday in 2013. He is enjoying time with his four children and five grandchildren, and he stays active as president of the Major Louis F. Guillermin Memorial Chapter 436 of the Vietnam

Veterans of America and as part of three other boards.

Dr. James Walsh, a retired chemistry professor, completed his fifth novel, Resurrection. His previous works were titled Clerical Errors, Occasion of Syn, NEX Pro Bono, and Death for the Provost.

1952 Dr. Chester Schmidt is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

He earned his M.D. from Johns Hopkins and completed a residency and fellowship in psychiatry there.

He also completed a residency in medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has been on faculty at Johns Hopkins for decades and served as the longtime director of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

He was awarded the 2012 Lifetime of Service Award from the Maryland Psychiatric Society for his contributions to the field of psychiatry.

1953 John Larkin writes to tell us that four of his five grandchildren now have driver’s licenses.

John Spizziri has retired after a long career in law. He now lives in Ryegate, Montana.

1954 Edward McCarthy is enjoying life in Naples, Florida.

Thomas Donohue recently underwent a serious surgical procedure, and he asks for prayers.

1955 Chris Arvani and his wife, Roberta, have split their time between Michigan and North Carolina since Arvani’s retirement in 2001. They enjoy spending time with family, including their grandson, Chris, a Peace Corps volunteer in Wulong, China.

1956 Members of the Class of 1956 enjoyed their 11th Annual Grain House Gang Christmas Party at Vine Restaurant in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, on December 17, 2015.

In addition to celebrating the Christmas season, they marked the birthdays of Des Flanigan and Nick D’Agostino.

Kevin Donohue and his wife of 53 years, Mary Anne, still live in Fairfield, Connecticut, near their 15 grandchildren. Kevin continues to work full-time at his own home care business, while Mary Anne recently retired.

James Galvin is retired and living in the mountains of north Georgia.

1957 United States of Emergency: American Capitalism and its Crises, a new book from Alan Nasser, will be published

by Pluto Press and distributed by University of Chicago Press in late 2015 or early 2016.

1958 Dr. Charlie Crawford and his wife of 53 years, Eileen, live in West Falmouth, Massachusetts. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Crawford, who played varsity football and basketball and captained the varsity baseball team at Xavier, remains active in Cape Cod sports. He was a member of the team that won the Senior SoftballUSA National Championship in Fort Myers, Florida, in November 2015, and he was also selected for the National All-Tournament Team in the age 75 AAA division. This was his third national championship ring and second National All-Star selection in his 18 seasons of senior softball. Crawford now looks forward to his 60th Xavier reunion in 2018.

Tom Hoar was elected president of Mended Hearts Chapter 38, Houston. Mended Hearts lends support to cardiology patients, heart attack survivors, and their families.

John Javora now has four grandchildren aged 1 to 3 years.

1959 Drew Bauman writes that his daughter, Moriah, is a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Oakland, California.

Lt. Col. Thomas Fitzpatrick, USAF (Ret.) serves on the President’s

Class NOTES

Advisory Council for Wyoming Catholic College in Lander, Wyoming.

other books about the Jersey Shore, with publication expected in 2017.

Lawrence Gubas recently published his third book since his retirement.

“It is an 890-page book with 2,000plus illustrations on the subject of photographic history, Zeiss, and photography,” he said. “It’s truly my magnum opus and an exercise in fighting Alzheimer’s. It can be found in the Xavier library.”

John Hackett and his wife, Carol, spent time with Dan Cronin while traveling in San Diego.

Dr. Albert Rosa has published the eighth edition of his textbook, The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits.

He continues to give lectures on professional ethics and lifelong learning.

Victor Vilece qualified for the USTA National Tennis Championships for 65-plus (8.0) men’s doubles with a team from Baltimore County. The tournament was held in Surprise, Arizona, on April 1.

1960 Dr. Robert Weierman retired in September 2012 and is now volunteering one day a week at the Bethel Free Clinic in Biloxi, Mississippi. He and his wife, Teresa, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with a trip to Maui in October.

1962 Fabio Fernandez moved to Castle Rock, Colorado, near the United States Air Force Academy, in March 2015.

Rocco Iacovone just released his latest CD of original compositions, Embrace the Change, on the Unseen Rain Records label. The CD features the Rocco John Quartet.

1963

Rick Geffken published his first book, The Story of Shrewsbury, Revisited 1965-2015, in November 2015. He and his co-author (Shrewsbury, New Jersey Mayor Don Burden) updated the history of one of the original Monmouth County townships, founded in 1663.

Geffken is currently researching two

1964 Gene Capello is president of the Fair Housing Justice Center in New York.

B. Michael Kulikowski and his wife have retired. They are moving to San Antonio, Texas, this spring.

1965 Michael Abbene has joined Schnucks Markets, a major Midwest grocery chain based in St. Louis, as a wine consultant. He continues to teach in the MBA program at Saint Louis University and volunteer at the Saint Louis Zoo. 1966 Ray Dittrich, who recently welcomed his 10th grandchild, is retired and living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Gary S. Horan, president and CEO of Trinitas Health and Regional Medical Center, was awarded the New Jersey Hospital Association’s 2016 Distinguished Service Award during the NJHA’s 97th Annual Meeting on January 29. “When you do something you love, you never just ‘go to work.’ You go to your passion. Healthcare management has been my passion for 44 years,” Horan said.

Jim Wickersty and his wife, Renee, are enjoying retirement in Elk Township, New Jersey. “My wife and I live in a lake community and are able to canoe, swim, and sometimes ice skate right in our own backyard,” he said. “We enjoy spending time with our four grandchildren and are in good health.”

1968 In 2015, James Mantle retired after 42 years as a respiratory therapist.

His son, Patrick, is a photojournalist and video editor for News 12 Long Island.

Noel Shu ’10

Alumni Profile NOEL SHU ’10 When Noel Shu ’10 arrived at West Point in 2010, he envisioned a life in the military—but then life intervened.

When his father’s health declined, Shu was called upon to take over the family import-export business in China. He withdrew from West Point, ultimately completing his undergraduate degree at Columbia University. He soon discovered a thirst for entrepreneurship, attending the Gemological Institute of America and starting his own jewelry company, NJS Jewels. “The main focus of the company is on designing and creating expensive pieces, sometimes in the multimillion dollar range, that act as both an investment and a personal statement,” he said.

The company focuses on Chinese clientele, necessitating frequent travels to China. “I saw that my weakness was my inexperience and lack of education in wine,” Shu recalled of his early business trips.

He decided to attend an intensive sommelier course—the birth of another business venture. “As time went on, I noticed that there was a massive untapped market in China,” he said. “I delved back into the world of wine and was offered the managing partner position at Prodiguer Brands, one of the premier luxury spirits companies.”

Prodiguer is known for creating the world’s most expensive champagne, priced at $1.8 million per bottle.

During his short career, Shu has already been featured in Forbes.

Last year, he hobnobbed with Jack Ma of Alibaba at a dinner hosted

by Chinese President Xi Jinping. This year, Shu will release a book, China Through a Glass of Wine, and a new line of wine, “Regale Ruby.”

He’s even shopping for his own vineyard. So what’s next?

“I still have much to accomplish before I can be deemed as having achieved success,” he said. “The goal right now is to just focus on my career while slowly building up my name and reputation, both in the U.S. and in China.“

Mathew J. Mari will celebrate his 40th anniversary as an attorney this year as well as his third anniversary as host of The Mathew Mari Show on WVOX Radio. Jerry Capeci ’61 and John Iannuzzi ’52 were the first two guests on the show.

Jim Wickersty ’66

Gary Horan ’66

XAVIER MAGAZINE 33

XAVIER

1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 Upcoming Events Graduation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral June 9, 2016 32nd Annual Golf Outing June 21, 2016 Rockaway Reception July 12, 2016 College BBQ at Xavier July 20, 2016 Jersey Shore Reception July 21, 2016 Quogue Reception August 25, 2016 Cape Cod Reception August 27, 2016 Summer Sunset at Xavier August 31, 2016 For the latest event updates, visit xavierhs.org/events.

34 XAVIER MAGAZINE

H I G H

S C H O O L

Reunion Weekend April 29-30, 2016 Learn more at xavierhs.org/reunion2016

1969 George Hillman is happy to report that “the company, Paratek Pharmaceuticals, where I was the initial employee currently has two distinct drug candidates in Phase III trials, especially one that would be utilized for broad spectrum infections.”

Dr. Thomas Kosten enjoyed dinner with fellow Sons of Xavier in Houston in November 2015. He later joined Donald Sweeney ’59 for the Opera Gala.

Tom O’Hara P’04 ’06 is a marine insurance broker specializing in legal defense and liability insurance for pilots and all other licensed mariners working aboard every type of commercial vessel. He also produces a free e-newsletter covering Xavier football and rugby. To get on his email list, contact him at kiddsback@aol.com.

On November 7, 2015, Mike Tierney was inducted into The Epiphany School Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Yale Club. An alum-

nus of Epiphany whose siblings and children also attended the school, Tierney was honored for his work founding The Epiphany School Foundation. Mary Jane Maher Higgins, sister of Tom Maher ’80, was a fellow Hall of Fame inductee.

1970 Stephen Carney earned a master’s degree in theology with a concentration in sacred Scripture, summa cum laude, from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut, in June 2015.

Tom Cody completed a master’s degree in acupuncture at Tri-State College for Acupuncture, located “in the shadow of Xavier High School on 14th Street,” in June 2015. He is now a licensed acupuncturist in Westchester County, New York.

Scott O’Connell, writing under the name S.W. O’Connell, published his second Revolutionary War espionage novel, The Cavalier Spy, with Twilight Times Books in December 2015. The action takes place during

Golden Knights

1991 1996 2001 2006 the British invasion of New York and New Jersey in 1776.

1971 John N. Frank and his wife, Carolyn Calzavara, successfully concluded the first season of their new not-forprofit theater company, the 2nd Act Players, after staging Frank’s third play, Boys in the Basement. Frank and his wife are already planning their 2016-17 season, which will include his next play, The Institute, about cadets in a military school on the edge of Greenwich Village during the height of the Vietnam War. The play will be part of a multimedia look back at the Vietnam era, 50 years after the U.S. began its major troop escalation and involvement in the war. Follow plans for the show at http://evanston2ndactplayers.com.

Dr. Gregory LaMorte currently serves as president of the New Jersey Dental Association. In addition, he is a member of the Council on Annual Sessions of the American Dental Association (ADA), where he is in his third year of a four-year

Class NOTES

term. At the ADA, he represents New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, which together comprise the organization’s Fourth District.

The Robotti family, including Bob Robotti, his wife, Su, and his mom, Mary, were the honorees at the Dominican Academy Spring Benefit on March 18, 2016. The Robotti family has generously supported Dominican for years at the request of Bob’s sister, the late Barbara Robotti Murray, a member of the school’s Class of 1964. Bob currently serves on Dominican Academy’s Board of Trustees.

1972 Upon returning to New York City for the last stop on his Rokerthon 2 tour, Today Show weatherman Al Roker was welcomed by members of the Xavier Regiment and the Xavier Jazz Ensemble. He posed with students in Rockefeller Plaza after joining them in a spirited rendition of “Sons of Xavier” on live television.

1973 Scott Cameron was recently elected to public office in Northern Virginia. “In my first try at elected office since 1972, when I ran unsuccessfully for vice chairman of Xavier’s student council, last November I was elected a director of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District,” he said. “Getting nearly 91,000 votes in Fairfax County, Virginia, almost makes up for my loss on 16th Street.

I was sworn in late in December and got off to a running start in January with a trip to Richmond to lobby the Virginia legislature on conservation issues.”

On January 1, Bob Citelli began his 19th year as principal founder of @Sales & Marketing.

Vincent Ryan enjoyed dinner with Dr. Lex Eodice and Shaun Carroll after the Xavier Golf Outing in June 2015. “It was determined that none of us would be joining the senior tour soon,” Ryan joked.

Marc Sarrazin was recently joined by his son, Eric, in the family business.

Marc’s daughter, Kristin, and son, Peter, are doing well.

Dr. William Scorza writes that his daughter, Stephanie, was married to Joseph Novack at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Parish in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on July 25, 2015.

1974 Phil Whalen writes that his youngest daughter, Jenna, is a high school junior. She recently began the quest to find the right college.

Dr. Edward Zampella is a neurosurgeon in New Jersey. He and his wife, Debbie (a Xavier cheerleader from 1971-72), have two children, Bailey and Evan. Bailey is a PGY-3 neurosurgery resident in Southern California. Evan lives in New York City, where he is president of No Your City, a documentary production company.

1975 Peter Hyzak writes, “God bless the Xavier family.”

Lt. Col. Mark Mooney, USA recently completed coursework for a Master of Science degree in national security affairs at Nova Southeastern University. He continues leading interagency efforts with partners in Latin America and the Caribbean as a Joint Staff Officer at U.S. Southern Command.

1976 Mike Butler is head of human capital for Point72 Asset Management in Stamford, Connecticut. He and his wife, Ginny, have lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut, for almost 30 years. They have three adult children. Brendan is a Petty Officer in the Navy, currently serving with the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Kelly will graduate from Smith College in May, and Casey is a junior at Wellesley College.

David M. Harrison, CFP® serves as First Vice President, Investments for Wells Fargo Advisors in San Diego, where he has worked since 1994.

John Noonan was recently presented with the John E. Burton Service Award by the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) at its annual meeting in Vermont.

This award recognized Noonan’s

Al Roker ’72 with members of the Xavier Regiment and Jazz Ensemble

outstanding lifetime achievement in budget and policy analysis, leadership to improve the analytic capacity of the state budget office, and dedicated service to NASBO. Noonan lives in Connecticut.

1977 Glen Corsello has retired after 30 years with Verizon Capital Corporation. He is taking a much-needed sabbatical before possibly rejoining the workforce.

Mike Tierney ’69 with his daughter, Maggie, and Jack Raslowsky

1978 Dr. Thomas McGinn is the David J. Greene Professor of Medicine at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the North Shore-LIJ Health System, and senior vice president and executive director of the North ShoreLIJ Health System Medicine Service Line. Previously, he served as chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Mike Butler ’76

Kevin McNamara has been promoted to senior vice president and general manager for LG Electronics, USA. Rev. Michael Suarez, S.J. has served as director of Rare Book School, professor of English, University Professor, and Honorary Curator of Special Collections at the University of Virginia since 2009. In August 2015, President Obama nominated him to serve on the National Council on the Humanities, the advisory board of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Rev. Michael Suarez, S.J. ’78

XAVIER MAGAZINE 35

1979

Pete Hopper ’85

The Class of 1987 reuniting at the annual Beefsteak Dinner

Dr. Cornelio Porras was elected president of the medical and dental staff at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey, in January 2015. A former U.S. Army Major, Porras earned his medical degree at Columbia University.

1980 Along with two partners, Thomas Lane started a consulting firm called OneTeam Leadership in March 2015. The firm helps leaders live satisfying lives and lead extraordinary teams using the principles Lane learned at Xavier as a foundation.

1981 Cmdr. William McNerney, USN volunteered for a one-year activation with the Navy in Japan.

1982

The Class of 1996 celebrating the Christmas season together

Tell Us what’s new...

published a book went back to school found my calling saw the world started a business got married had a baby started my first job finished my last job

Whatever you’ve been up to, we’d like to hear about it.

Email classnotes@xavierhs.org or mail updates to Editor, Xavier Magazine Xavier High School 30 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011-6302 Our space is limited, so class notes are edited to include as many as possible.

Steve Marrero and his wife, Ursula, recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary. They have a 12-year-old daughter, Olivia, and reside in northeast Ohio. Marrero recently became Chief Commercial Officer for Channel Products, Inc. 1983 Jim McEleney recently relocated back to the U.S. after spending nine years in the United Kingdom and India. He now resides in St Petersburg, Florida.

Vicente Murrell is a lawyer with the federal government.

1984 Michael Maher is currently participating in the Senior Course at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He will complete a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies in June.

John Mastandrea has proudly enrolled both of his sons in Cleveland’s Jesuit high school, St. Ignatius.

Greg McCartney is now the CEO of Stars Above Hawaii and Our Place of Joy, both located in the Ko Olina Resort in Kapolei, Hawaii.

On January 1, Alberto Roldan began service as an administrative

36 XAVIER MAGAZINE

law judge for the State of California, hearing appeals from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Frank Luongo, a Navy SEAL, remains in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

He is now employed at FMC Technologies in Angola.

Dennis Vargas, a veteran actor and graduate of the theatre program at Fordham University, was asked to join the Magis Theatre Company last year. The artistic director, Rev. George Drance, S.J., is Fordham’s artist-in-residence.

Dan Sheehan will be inducted into Pfizer’s prestigious U.S. Sales Hall of Fame in 2016. He is a regional account director for the company’s payer and channel access group with nearly 20 years of service, having won multiple awards throughout his career.

1985 Pete Hopper produced his successful second show, Sixty Days, at the Cherry Lane Theatre in late January. All four shows sold out, with many members of the Xavier community in attendance.

Nicholas Sisto recently retired as a police sergeant after 25 years of service to the New York Police Department. He is currently beginning his second career as a funeral director.

1986 Kaz Wrzeszczynski is currently a staff scientist working on cancer genomics at the newly-opened New York Genome Center, a DNA sequencing research center located in downtown New York City.

1987 Members of the Class of 1987 enjoyed reuniting at the annual Beefsteak Dinner in January.

Robert Gibson is a busy dad of three. His 8-year-old twin sons enjoy hockey, so he is glad to see that Xavier has a successful hockey team. His daughter enjoys soccer.

James McHugh served as grand marshal of the 2016 Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He is the president of the St. Patrick Society of Brooklyn and recently stepped down as the first board chair of St. Anselm Catholic Academy.

1988 Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Finneran, USN graduated from the FBI National Academy in December 2015.

He is currently serving as Force Antiterrorism Officer for Naval Air Force Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia.

Patrick Steffens P’11 ’12 ’16 had a great time seeing everyone at the 2016 Beefsteak Dinner. He recently learned that his son, Gregory, was admitted to the Xavier Class of 2020. Gregory will join his brothers Pat ’11, Tim ’12, and Marty ’16 as a Son of Xavier.

1990 Patrick Coniconde is a senior production designer for Apple, Inc. in Cupertino, California.

In November 2015, Christopher Spencer, MHA, EMT-B, was hired as the new practice manager for Behavioral Health Specialists in Highland, Pennsylvania. The group provides inpatient, outpatient, and emergency psychiatric and consultation services at HackensackUMC Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey.

1991 Peter Garcia is traveling the world.

1992 Kevin Vulin began a new job as director of finance and accounting at Intrexon Corporation in Blacksburg, Virginia, in August 2015. He and his wife, Heather, and their children, Jack and Ava, relocated to Blacksburg from Philadelphia.

1994 Gus Baeyens and his wife, Jodie, now own a ranch in Arizona.

1995 In September 2015, Edelmiro Rivera began flying as a first officer for Alaska Airlines.

1996 Members of the Class of 1996 reunited for a Christmas celebration

Class NOTES

Beefsteak 2016

Xavier High School • January 15

An all-time record number of alumni—915—returned to 16th Street for unlimited beef and spirits at this year’s Beefsteak Dinner. Sons of Xavier in attendance represented nearly every Xavier class from 1951 through 2012.

at Two Toms Restaurant in Brooklyn on December 12, 2015.

J.P. Stathis completed the 2015 New York City Marathon.

1997 Adam Lynch was promoted to Lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York, where he is currently assigned to Manhattan.

1998 Matt Baldassano and his creation, the Village Winery Club, were featured in a November 2015 profile in The New York Times.

“The Winemaker of Avenue C,” as the Times dubbed Baldassano, makes a variety of wines in his 550-square-foot Alphabet City apartment. To learn more, visit villagewineryclub.nyc.

2000 John Khinda has enjoyed a busy, successful year. He became a member of SAG-AFTRA in March

2015 and released his latest acting reel, which can be viewed at www.johnkhinda.com/reel.php, in December. John celebrated his three-year wedding anniversary with his wife, Somsinee Rianwiriyakit, on January 7, then enjoyed the 2016 Beefsteak Dinner with more than 20 of his classmates on January 15.

2001 Philip Engel recently began working as a sales/operational manager for VANMOOF, an Amsterdam-based bicycle company. He is also still playing trombone with the Grand Street Community Band and the Funkrust Brass Band.

Dr. Dominic Fareri began a tenuretrack position as an assistant professor in the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University in September 2015.

2004 Xavier faculty member Michael Mulé and his wife, Angie, visited Hong Kong and Cambodia in February 2016. Among the trip’s highlights were a few days in Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh, where Angie’s brother works with the U.S. Embassy.

Liam O’Hara is a detective with the New York Police Department and captain of the NYPD Rugby Football Club. All Xavier alumni who are or were law enforcement officers, prosecutors, or judges and are interested in joining the Sons of Xavier in Law Enforcement (SOXLE) should contact him at loharanyc1@aol.com.

Tom Palmieri graduated from Shippensburg University with a master’s degree in college counseling in May 2015. He is currently a mobile therapist with Pennsylvania Counseling Services, working with children who have intellectual disabilities and mental health diag

John Khinda ’00

Michael Mulé ’04 and family

XAVIER MAGAZINE 37

noses in their families. He is a nationally certified counselor and is pursuing licensure in Pennsylvania.

2005 Jacob Fountain recently relocated to Greenville, South Carolina, where he is a registered orthopedic nurse at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

2006 John DeMarinis has been a financial advisor at MetLife since 2010. He has already achieved Million Dollar Round Table membership, the highest membership honor in the investment and insurance industry.

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Ciaran O’Hara is teaching history and economics and coaching rugby at Jersey City’s Hudson Catholic High School. He also plays rugby for Rockaway RFC alongside many of his former Xavier teammates.

2007 Capt. Michael Chiaia, USA graduated from the Aviation Captain’s Career Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in February. He is currently assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

In January 2015, Nick Hendra joined Medialink, a technology advisory firm, as a senior associate. He provides consulting services related to media, content, and ad technology for both established and start-up firms.

2008 Anthony Gochal recently relocated to California. He works as a sommelier and tasting room manager at Gracci Vineyards and Firms in Silverado.

John F. Whelan earned a Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in June 2015. He passed the New York State Bar Examination and was admitted to practice in New York State on February 3, 2016. He is an associate at Schlam, Stone & Dolan LLP. 2009 Francis Dominic Brockway is teaching English at Buranaramluk School

38 XAVIER MAGAZINE

in Trang, Thailand. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2013.

Raymond Brown is now a New York State EMT. Dylan Kitts is a field organizer for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

2010 Matthew Hickey, a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been working and studying for the Architect Registration Examination as a New York Citybased code and regulatory consultant. “I am reminded of my Jesuit upbringing, and I try to live those ideals,” he said. “Leave a comment at matthewhickey.nyc.”

Matthew O’Connor earned a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College in May 2014 and a master’s degree from Sacred Heart University in August 2015.

2012 Andrew Abbensett participated in Global Outreach, a service immersion project similar to Xavier’s Companions of St. Francis Xavier (CFX) trips, over winter break.

“Thanks to a generous donation from Mr. Raslowsky, my eight teammates and I volunteered in the small community of Immokalee, Florida, for a week and a half,” he said.

“After two months of preliminary meetings, we further learned about the rights of migrant workers, the strong community of the residents, and the dedicated work of the community organizers who seek to make Immokalee a better place for all. It was an absolute honor to be a part of this project, especially remembering my experience with CFX and creating a new experience with Global Outreach.”

Last year, Jerry D’Onofrio created and launched a mobile application called BIZIT. BIZIT is a solutions-based mobile application that assists college students and young business professionals in seeking suitable career opportunities. “It brings the business card to the 21st century by giving its users the ability to have their business

card available to share via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SMS, and email,” he said.

Vincent Martello participated in a medical mission trip to Corquín de Copan, Honduras, with fellow students from the College of the Holy Cross in August 2015.

Gabe Spooner was selected to go to Charlotte, North Carolina, in October to try out for the United States rugby team. He led Georgia Tech’s Division I rugby team in tries.

2013 Braham Berg, now in his third year of a five-year program at Tulane University in New Orleans, is pursuing dual master’s degrees in architecture and real estate development.

Aside from designing, he has been an active member of the American Institute for Architecture Students, leading various local, regional, and national architecture design conferences and recently serving as volunteer coordinator for the National Organization of Minority Architects National Conference in New Orleans. He and his brother, Xander Berg ’16, traveled to Japan with family last summer.

2014 Andy Raiola, a sophomore at Le Moyne College, was selected as the Northeast-10 Conference Men’s Swimmer of the Week in October 2015.

2015 Anthony Chillo recently made the Dean’s List at SUNY Cortland.

Daniel McLaren, who earned a 4.0 GPA during his first semester in college, writes that his early days at the University of South Carolina have been “amazing.” He is studying business and deciding between finance or accounting as a major, while also considering a career in law. He also plays rugby at USC. “I am currently an A-side reserve along with my fellow classmates Jack Corr and Robert Spiker,” he said. “I am also the recruitment officer for the rugby team. I have been working closely with recruits both from Xavier and around the country to convince them to join me at USC.”

Class NOTES

Milestones Engagements James Costa ’02, a history teacher at Xavier, is engaged to Xavier Spanish teacher Colleen Rober. They met on 16th Street in September 2011. They will be married on May 6, 2016, at the Astor Room in Astoria, Queens. A honeymoon to Portugal will follow in June.

Michael Long ’06 became engaged to Alexandra Bushery, Xavier’s Associate Director of Admissions, on Thanksgiving Day 2015. They will be married on November 5, 2016, on Long Island.

Weddings

Michael Long ’06 and Alexandra Bushery

Richard Caldarola ’68 married Duy Kim Ha on December 16, 2015.

Births

Walter Cross III ’93 married Lauren Brennan at Holy Cross Church in Santa Cruz, California, on October 23, 2015.

John Fernandez ’95 married Lacey Blue at City Winery on March 28, 2015.

Chris Ahern ’96 married Hally Tishler at The Carltun in East Meadow, New York, on August 29, 2015. Robert Ahern ’92 served as best man, while Richard Fitzpatrick ’95 and Joseph Tully ’96 made up the wedding party. The blessing was performed by Rev. Jared Brogan ’97. Also in attendance were John Brogan ’93, John Gunther ’94, Michael Cooney ’95, Greg Sieghardt ’95, Tom Kelly ’96, John Harte ’96, Joseph Monohan ’96, Dennis McArdle ’97, Andrew Dory ’97, Eric Voehl ’97, and Michael Burns ’98.

Christian Scalercio ’96 married Nina Corvino on October 24, 2015. The ceremony was held at St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church in Harrison, New York.

John Shea ’97 married Bridget Cronin, sister of James Cronin ’08 and Michael Cronin ’11, at the Bridgeview Yacht Club in Island Park, New York, on October 11, 2015.

Greg McGovern ’04 married Stephanie Lebron at Deity in Brooklyn on November 6, 2015. Michael Leopoldi ’04 served as best man.

Tom Kash ’06 married Kristina Smith at Sacred Heart Church in Monroe, New York, on October 10, 2015.

Julian Robert Scott ’06 married his fellow U.S. Naval Academy grad, Kaylee Grove, in December 2013. They are stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

Colleen Rober and James Costa ’02

Richard Conta ’64 welcomed his first grandchild, a baby girl named Aubrey, on April 1, 2015.

Joe DePaola ’68 and his wife, Donna, welcomed their first grandchild, Emma Danielle Crucet, on June 16, 2015. Emma’s parents are Margarite, Joe’s daughter, and her husband, Pablo Crucet.

Bill Johnson ’68 and his wife, Dinah, welcomed their first grandchild, Colin Johnson, on November 23, 2015. Colin is the son of Russell and Rebecca Johnson.

Julian Robert Scott ’06 and Kaylee Grove Brett Thomas Bernstein, son of Evan Bernstein ’04

David M. Harrison ’76 and his wife, Jacqueline, welcomed their son, David Joseph Harrison, on July 9, 2014.

John Sottnik ’84, his wife, Tara, and their twin daughters, Carolyn and Lillian, welcomed a new son and brother, John Philip Sottnik, on March 5, 2015.

Gus Baeyens ’94 and his wife, Jodie, welcomed a son on December 3, 2013.

Christopher Tazzi ’94 and his wife, Maria, welcomed their first child, Dominic Anthony Tazzi, on May 8, 2015.

Colin Johnson, grandson of Bill Johnson ’68

Thomas Mulvey ’97 and his wife, Ingrid, welcomed their fifth child, Andrew Thomas Mulvey, in December 2015.

Thomas Smith ’01 and his wife, Catherine, welcomed a son, Declan Thomas Smith, on July 7, 2015.

Xavier math teacher Evan Bernstein ’04 and his wife, Kaitlyn, welcomed a son, Brett Thomas Bernstein, on October 9, 2015.

Thomas Smith ’01 with his wife, Catherine, and son, Declan Thomas Smith

XAVIER MAGAZINE 39

REMEMBRANCES Dr. Thomas Doyle, Jr. ’43 P’73 ’79 Dr. Thomas Doyle, Jr. ’43 P’73 ’79, known to generations as Xavier football’s team doctor, died on February 10. He was 90 years old.

The son of the late Thomas and Alma Doyle, his mother passed away when he was 11, and during high school, his father lost his job. ThenHeadmaster Rev. Thomas Doyle, S.J.† ensured that the young man remained at Xavier, engendering his lifelong loyalty to 16th Street. He became the cadet colonel of the Class of 1943.

Doyle graduated from Fordham University and Cornell Medical School. A noted psychiatrist, he bled maroon and blue, attending Xavier athletic events religiously as an alumnus. He served as Xavier football’s team physician for decades. Doyle fell in love with Betty Ann Mulvihill (who he first met through her brother, Joseph Mulvihill ’44†, when she was 10) after being called to attend to a sick man sitting in front of her at a Xavier football game.

Hon. Antonin Scalia ’53

welcomed visitors from Xavier. In February 2011,

Antonin Scalia ’53, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, died while visiting a ranch in West Texas on February 16. He was 79.

The only child of the late Salvatore and Catherine Scalia, he was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and raised in Elmhurst, Queens. He was valedictorian of the Class of 1953, graduated first in his class at Georgetown University, and attended Harvard Law School.

Scalia practiced law for six years in Cleveland before accepting a position teaching law at the University of Virginia in 1967. In 1971, he entered government service, where he remained until 1977.

That year, Scalia returned to academia when he took a position teaching law at the University of Chicago. In 1982, he was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit—widely seen as a steppingstone to the Supreme Court. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan nominated him to the nation’s highest court, where he served for nearly 30 years.

He was inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame in 1991.

Throughout his decades in Washington, Scalia

40 XAVIER MAGAZINE

In his eulogy for his father, Christopher Doyle ’79 fondly remembered his dad taking him to a Xavier-Cardinal Hayes football game when he was just 3 months old. “My father loved the excitement, the competition, the camaraderie of sports,” said Christopher, who worked alongside his dad as the football team’s manager in the late 1970s. Dr. Thomas Doyle was inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame in 1972—recognition for his loyal service to Xavier, to the Jesuits, and to the Catholic Church.

“That is what he wanted to do in life: serve and help others. He succeeded in all ways. He will live in all of us here today. We are his legacy,” Christopher said in his eulogy. “I will miss him always, but I know that he is in heaven with all his friends and family, singing Sons of Xavier.”

Doyle is survived by Betty Ann, his wife of 62 years; his sons, Thomas Doyle ’73 and Christopher Doyle ’79; his daughter, Kathryn Chapar; and nine grandchildren.

he received 10 members of the Xavier Regiment at the Supreme Court; he returned to 16th Street that May to speak at the Regimental Awards Ceremony.

(Cadet Colonel Michael Connors ’11 and Cadet Major Frank Ragusa ’11 issued the invitation.)

Scalia was presented with a ceremonial saber at the awards ceremony, which he later hung in his Supreme Court Chambers.

Ragusa, who was later mentored by Scalia, remembered the Justice days after his passing.

“Justice Scalia was a selfless individual who espoused the ideals of what it means to be a man for others,” he said. “He was a fair man, always told me when he thought I was doing something wrong and reminded me that my reputation was the only thing I owned. … He had strong morals, was steadfast in his Catholic roots, and used Catholic values to guide his personal decision-making.”

Scalia is survived by his wife, Maureen; his sons, Eugene, John, Fr. Paul (who presided over his funeral Mass), Matthew, and Christopher; his daughters, Ann Banazewski, Catherine Courtney, Mary Clare Scalia Murray, and Meg Scalia Bryce; and 36 grandchildren.

Class NOTES

William Forbes Uber, Jr. ’53

Dr. Joseph Leddy ’57

Col. Peter K. Foley, USAF (Ret.) ’58

William Forbes Uber, Jr. ’53, age 80, passed away on January 29.

A native of Paterson, New Jersey, he was the son of the late William and Helen Uber. After graduating from Xavier, he attended The Catholic University of America. He was a four-year starting point guard and two-time team captain for the CUA Cardinals, scoring more than 700 points and leading the team in assists all four years.

Uber was inducted into the CUA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. After college, he attended the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and served four years in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps. He served in Spain and was stationed at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Following his time in the Navy, Uber earned an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a law degree from Seton Hall University Law School. He practiced law for 40 years, specializing in estate and elder law. His care of his elderly clients often included bringing them Communion, taking them to a ball game, or helping them move into a nursing home.

Uber is survived by his daughters, Jennifer Uber Kincaid, Elizabeth Uber, and Catherine Uber Racek; sister, Jacqueline McKavitt; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 49 years, Ginny, and his sons, Peter Joseph and William Francis Xavier.

Dr. Joseph Leddy ’57 passed away at his home in Mantoloking, New Jersey, on August 15, 2015.

He was 75.

Born in Bayonne, he was the firstborn son of the late Joseph and Helen Leddy. He attended the College of the Holy Cross and earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in 1965. His acclaimed career spanned more than 40 years. A fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the American Orthopaedic Association, and the American Society of Surgery of the Hand, Leddy retired as Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in 2005.

Throughout his career, he shared his surgical and educational expertise with the top surgeons and hospitals in the nation. He authored several original publications and contributed to various surgical texts. Leddy proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force. After his long, illustrious career, he split his time between Mantoloking and Hobe Sound, Florida.

Leddy is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mary Jo; his sons, Timothy, Terence, Christopher, and Robert; his brothers, Mark and Brian; and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Joseph, Jr.

Col. Peter K. Foley, USAF (Ret.) ’58, died on January 20. He was 74.

The son of the late John and Mary Foley, Col. Foley was born in New York City. An All-American springboard diver for Xavier, he went on to become one of the most decorated fighter pilots of the Vietnam War—and one of just a handful to survive more than 200 missions over North Vietnam. His F-105 Thunderchief, “Foley’s Folly,” is now displayed at the Air Force Armament Museum near Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Col. Foley’s many medals include two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merits, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, 30 Air Medals, and a Bronze Star.

His various assignments included an exchange with the German Air Force at Neuburg, Germany; SHAPE in Belgium; NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy; and a U.S. Military Training Mission in Saudi Arabia. He also commanded the Flying Tigers’ Wing at England AFB, Louisiana, during the Falkland conflict in addition to other domestic assignments. Following his retirement from the military, he was active in business in Durban, South Africa, before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia.

Col. Foley is survived by his wife, Caryl; daughter, Kimberly Baker; brothers, John Foley and Thom Foley ’62, and sister, Mimi Downey.

XAVIER MAGAZINE 41

Arthur E. Nieding ’52, 8/9/14 Francis X. Watson ’52, 1/20/13 ALUMNI Edward S. Owens ’52, 10/23/15 Frederick A. Stickel ’39, 9/27/15 Thomas I. Murphy, Jr. ’52, 12/31/15 Dr. J. Richard Mazzara ’41, 10/15/15 Henry F. Miller ’53, 10/15/15 Thomas W. Drennen ’42, 8/10/15 Hon. Antonin Scalia ’53, 2/13/16 William D. Fugazy ’42, 12/31/15 William F. Uber, Jr. ’53, 1/29/16 Dr. Thomas Doyle ’43 P’73 ’79, Albert R. DeAndrea ’54, 2/7/11 father of Thomas Doyle, Esq.’73 Joseph C. Hilly ’54, brother of and Christopher Doyle ’79, Sean Hilly ’58, 10/23/15 2/10/16 William F. Murphy ’54, 9/10/13 Rev. Robert J. Dullahan, S.J. ’44, Frederick V. Mink ’55, 8/4/15 8/11/15 Michael E. Abernethy ’55, 10/2/14 Glenn S. Gately ’44, 4/2/15 Hon. Francis S. Ruddy ’55, 5/7/14 J. Kenneth O’Connor ’44 P’74 ’78’80, Rev. Paul L. Horgan, S.J. ’55, father of Patrick O’Connor ’74, 11/9/15 Andrew O’Connor ’78, and Robert F. Sisto ’56, 7/29/15 Michael O’Connor ’80, 2/16/16 Anthony J. Baragona ’56, 3/12/13 Emmett J. Donnelly ’45, 9/23/11 Dr. Robert M. Biondi ’56, 10/7/15 Joseph F. Finch ’45, 8/6/15 Thomas E. Healey ’56, 10/23/15 William D. Lauerman ’45, 2/3/16 Dr. Joseph P. Leddy ’57, 8/15/15 Paul A. Scanlon ’45, 5/21/15 George C. Gallo ’57, 9/14/15 Edward T. Brazill ’45, 2/16/09 Peter L. Cannizzaro ’58, 7/2/13 Eugene L. Cooke ’45, 10/3/15 Raphael S. Cubisino ’58, 9/5/14 Alfred P. Corhan ’45, 12/10/14 Anthony F. Taddeo ’58, 7/27/15 Eugene T. McDermott ’46, 6/17/15 Col. Peter K. Foley, USAF (Ret.) ’58, Frank J. LaSala ’46, 12/17/15 brother of Thomas F.X. Foley ’62, Col. Mason W. Gant, USA (Ret.) ’47, 1/20/16 9/8/15 Michael V. Byrne ’60, 12/5/15 William C. Gerrity ’47, 11/15/15 Dr. Michael W. Cairns ’60, 6/6/15 Caesar A. Giolito ’47, 10/29/08 George J. Triano, Jr. ’61, 7/13/15 David A. Lavan ’47, 6/19/15 Dr. Vincent J. Stephens ’61, 2/18/13 Dr. William C. Rainer ’48, 7/9/15 Lt. Col. John H. Rinaldi, USAR (Ret.) ’61, Alan E. Maher ’48, 9/12/15 1/25/16 Michael E. O’Keefe ’48 P’76, father Anthony Liberta ’62, 1/16/16 of Kevin O’Keefe ’76, 4/2/15 Michael P. Persico ’62, 9/30/15 Henry J. Kast ’49, 6/12/15 Dr. Edward J. Barrett ’49, 12/27/15 Richard Small ’65, 10/14/15 Frank J. Mancini ’65, 1/20/16 Rev. Thomas C. Blessin, S.J. ’50, Thomas A. Catanzano ’67, 9/26/00 10/31/12 Peter J. Fazio ’67, 2/6/15 Robert M. Hanlon ’50, 10/7/15 Dr. Patrick J. DiFonzo ’68, 4/19/10 Harry G. Hill, Jr. ’50, 2/8/16 Thomas J. Goldrick, Jr. ’69, 8/15/04 William H. Sammis ’50, 6/3/14 Richard D. Campbell ’70, 10/29/15 Martin A. Crowe ’50, brother of John Crowe ’42† and uncle of Dr. Owen Fox ’72, 1/23/16 John Crowe, Jr. ’68, Tim Crowe ’74, Jeffrey M. Sciscilo ’73, 12/8/15 and Brenden Crowe ’78, 11/19/15 Peter J. Beattie ’79, brother of J. John V. Girvin ’51, 7/20/15 Gordon Beattie ’76, 10/7/15 Bruno G. Caputo ’51, 1/21/03 Christopher Andrews, Esq. ’82, John K. Casey ’51, 3/14/13 brother of Edward Andrews ’78, Michael Andrews ’85†, and Paul Stephen R. Ferrie ’51, 3/31/15 Andrews ’86, 2/16/16 Dr. Kevin D. Mehling ’51, 9/21/15 Cosmo D. Mastropaolo, Jr. ’89, John J. Flynn ’51, 7/29/07 11/19/15 Walter J. Sexton ’51, 12/14/10 Christian S. Buffa ’91, 8/7/15 George V. Charbonneau ’51, Michael D. Diacomanolis ’92, 11/14/14 brother of Jon-Richard Dr. John D. Quinn ’51, 9/25/15 Diacomanolis ’89, 12/29/15 Daniel J. Stapleton ’51, 11/30/11 Michael J. Anastasiades ’94, John J. McCarthy ’52, 7/13/15 brother of Alexander Anastasiades ’97, 12/15/15

IN MEMORIAM

42 XAVIER MAGAZINE

SPOUSES Jane Diane Dooley, wife of Joseph Dooley ’59, 11/30/15 Joyce Lannig, wife of John Lannig ’51, 11/14/14 Jeannette Piccirelli, wife of Robert Piccirelli ’48, 2/27/15 Barbara Vella, wife of Vincent Vella ’48, 5/6/15 PARENTS John E. Kiely P’63 ’65, father of Joseph Kiely ’63 and Brian Kiely ’65, 8/24/15 James P. McDonough, Sr. P’66, father of James P. McDonough, Jr. ’66, 3/23/15 Charles A. Graziano P’66, father of Ronald Graziano ’66, 7/19/15 Anthony Scala P’70 ’71 ’74, father of Anthony Scala ’70, James Scala ’71, and Peter Scala ’74, 4/22/09 Edward J. Nolan, Jr. P’72, father of Edward Nolan III ’72, 9/16/15 Carmine Maniscalco P’72, father of Peter Maniscalco ’72 and grandfather of Peter Maniscalco ’00, 12/22/15 Jeanne M. Bliss P’73, mother of William Bliss ’73, 1/24/16 John A. Caulfield P’73, father of Bruce Caulfield ’73, 12/15/15 Virginia A. Bannon P’74, mother of Michael C. Bannon ’71, 11/26/14 Carole Finamore P’75 ’79, mother of Robert Cramer ’75 and Kenneth Cramer ’79†, 6/27/15 Archibald E. King, Jr. P’75 ’77 ’80 ’86, father of Archibald King ’75, George King ’77, Charles King ’80, and Rev. Andrew King ’86, 8/19/15 John T. Brennan P’75 ’79, father of Patrick Brennan ’75 and Sean Brennan ’79, 9/1/15 Josephine Marotta P’76, mother of Albert Marotta ’76 and aunt of Joseph Capezza ’73 and Carl Capezza ’74, 2/16/15 Philip DiGiacomo P’77, father of John DiGiacomo ’77, 1/4/16 Elizabeth Andrews P’78 ’82 ’85 ’86, mother of Edward Andrews ’78, Christopher Andrews, Esq. ’82†, Michael Andrews ’85†, and Paul Andrews ’86, 2/3/16 James B. Meehan P’79 ’84, father of James Meehan ’79 and David Meehan ’84, 2/1/15 Angel Rivera, Sr. P’79, father of Angel Rivera ’79 P’14 and grandfather of Sean Edward Rivera ’14, 11/22/15 Stephen Luppino P’81, father of Stephen Luppino ’81, 12/10/15

Jacqueline Cohen P’82 ’90, mother of Donald Cohen ’82 and Chris Cohen ’90, 12/12/15 Mary Twomey Greason P’83, mother of Michael Greason ’83, 1/9/16 Laura J. Cavazzini P’84, mother of John Cavazzini ’84, 1/23/16 Joseph Hanley P’84, father of Joseph Hanley ’84†, 10/20/13 Marie Hanley P’84, mother of Joseph Hanley ’84†, 11/14/14 Joseph Harte P’87, father of Joseph Harte ’87, 2/11/16 Carol Finnerty P’90, mother of Sean Finnerty ’90, 1/22/15 Douglas A. LeVien, Jr. P’90, father of Col. Douglas A. LeVien III, USA ’90, 7/30/15 Arlene Otton P’00, mother of Raymond Otton ’00, 1/27/16 Carol Ann Fagan P’01 ’06, mother of David Fagan ’01 and John Fagan ’06, 2/3/16 Mitzi G. Imbo P’04, mother of Mark Imbo ’04, 10/1/15 Peter A. Lederer P’08, father of Ryan Lederer ’08, 10/28/15 Jesse Friedman P’15, father of Max Friedman ’15, 1/31/16 Elisabetta Malchiodi-Smith P’19, mother of Charles Ghossein ’19, 1/5/16 SIBLINGS Elena Zenorini McEntee, sister of Rev. Henry Zenorini, S.J.†, 10/18/15 GRANDPARENTS Vincent C. Bonica, grandfather of Maximilian Matassov ’19 and cousin of Louis Bonica ’76 and former registrar Janet Bonica, 11/10/15 Rt. Rev. Orris G. Walker P’11, grandfather of Luna Mishoe ’11, 2/28/15 FACULTY AND EXTENDED FAMILY Rev. W. Alan Briceland, S.J., Xavier faculty member from 1972–1992, 9/14/15 Barbara Ciulla, Advancement Office staff member from 1993– 2015, 2/17/16 Anne Duffell, mother of Rich Duffell, Xavier faculty member, and grandmother of Brian Duffell ’93, Justin Duffell ’99, John Lugano ’87, Sean Lugano ’91†, Michael Lugano ’96, and Matthew Safko ’09, 12/22/15

S AV E T H E D AT E

Hall of Fame Dinner 2016 HONORING

Rev. John Replogle, S.J. ’51

LTC Desmond Flanigan, USA (Ret.) ’56

Augustus Vincent Tack Class of 1890†

Michael LaQuaglia, M.D. ’68

Rev. George McMahon, S.J. ’40†

Robert Robotti ’71

Hon. Francis Ruddy ’55†

October 28

Mike Fernandez ’72

Gerald FitzGerald ’58†

Francis X. Comerford ’73

MSG James Jones, USA (Ret.)†

Pier Sixty

Fall Alumni Receptions

1

2

1. President Jack Raslowsky and James Cappabianca ’05 with Sons of Xavier in Newport Beach, California. 2. Director of Alumni Relations Zane Massey ’96 with college-aged alumni in Washington, D.C. 3. Massey with college-aged alumni in Chicago.

4. Sons of Xavier in San Diego.

5. Alumni in Santa Monica.

3

4

5

XAVIER MAGAZINE 43

The Pursuit of Happiness

By Margaret Gonzalez am a little ashamed when I see guys I taught 23 years ago, my first year at Xavier—which also happened to be my first year of teaching, my first year of living alone, my first year of working full-time. I tell them, “I’m sorry you were the guinea pigs; I was terrified and terrible.” Most often they laugh, and while they don’t deny it, they also say, “Maybe, but what I remember is that you always seemed happy.” And there it is, really. We can take it apart, we can use clever Jesuit jargon, we can supply statistics, but in the last 169 years Xavier has made many people happy, and that, unequivocally, I’m happy to say, includes me.

As I look at the list of graduates who are included in this magazine, memories surge: Brian Purnell ’96, always kind, always helpful; Seamus Kelly ’09, quietly intense, consistently intelligent; Chris Chavez ’11, sports-crazy, all-around friendly; Jason Otaño ’97, permanent smile, no excuses. I could go on about all of them and the ways in which they stood out, but they all share something that so many of our boys carry with them long after they graduate: a true joy borne of being a Xavier man and all that that title entails. If you ask most graduates now how they felt during their years at

I

Margaret Gonzalez began teaching at Xavier in 1993. She is a graduate of Loyola School, Georgetown University, and Teachers College Columbia University.

44 XAVIER MAGAZINE

Xavier, these are the words that pour out: safe, loved, challenged, valued. Hand in hand, if you asked Xavier faculty how they felt while working here, the adjectives might be the same; I know they are for me.

And all of those things add up to a simple, overarching theme: happiness. While Xavier, like most institutions, has its dysfunctional days, it also has, like many families, the promise of love and compassion. When those things, coupled with the mission of finding God in all things, are the driving forces behind all Xavier does, how can it not be a happy place?

As I have traveled through the last 23 years and as I look at the biographies of the 15 young Xavier graduates who grace this issue, I am always pulled towards one of my favorite Shakespeare quotes: To thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day / Thou canst not then be false to any man. One must have an inner contentment in order to be able to be true to who you really are, and I believe that Xavier gives young men the tools to find this contentment. In turn we hope that these young men will go out into the world intending only good will toward their fellow

human beings and armed with a desire to make the world a little bit happier with the decisions they make. I think we have been largely successful in that; the 15 graduates here cross spans of profession, race, and experience, yet all of them speak of how much they owe to their Xavier experience.

When you go to the annual Beefsteak Dinner and more than 900 voices are raised high and proud singing “Sons of Xavier,” one realizes that something very special happens here. When countless graduates come back to visit during college breaks or work lunch hours, they are coming back to remember and to be thankful. I am also thankful for them. Our graduates are the constant reminders of how fortunate we are to have been there for them during those critical and formative years. I am thankful for how much they made me think and made me laugh. As inexperienced a teacher as I was in the early days, I cannot deny how happy I was and how happy I continue to be.

St. Ignatius tells us to find God in all things, but Xavier shows us how to do it.

s e v i h c r A e h t From

Reunions are revered on 16th Street. Each year, Sons of Xavier eagerly flock home to their alma mater—a testament to their brotherhood and transformational Jesuit education.

For generations, Xavier’s 50th reunion class has occupied a place of prominence—and so it was on June 21, 1965, when the Class of 1915 congregated for a fête at the Manhattan Club, 50 years to the day after their graduation.

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