The magazine for alumni, parents, and friends of Xavier High School
Fall 2015
XAVIER AND
THE CITY
Fall 2015
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 Eric Davidson Kaija DeWitt John Gillooly Harisch Studios Gianna Izzolo Lars Klove Mark Mongelluzzo Jack Raslowsky Joseph Sexton ’77 Cindy Tavlin Photography Michael Marmora Editorial & Design Services 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
Michael Gargiulo ‘77, co-anchor of NBC New York’s Today in New York, at Studio 3C in 30 Rockefeller Center. MIX Paper from responsible sources
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In This Issue Departments 2. 3. 24. 32. 40.
From the President News from 16th Street Maroon and Blue Class Notes Back Story Features 9. THEN AND NOW The journey makes the man: From the jolting subway ride to the stroll down 16th Street, some experiences transcend generations. 12. COVER STORY: XAVIER AND THE CITY Born of the city and shaped by Xavier, these eight men play vital roles in the life of a vibrant metropolis. 22. THE JESUIT HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM AT 50 Founded as a response to inequality in the 1960s, HAP has prepared thousands of students—including Al Roker ’72—to embrace the opportunities born of a Catholic, Jesuit education. 28. DELIVERING THE MISSION Part one of a two-part series explores the strategic plan to sustain affordability while delivering one of the nation’s top high school experiences.
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Celebrating Xavier in New York
Dear Sons and Friends of Xavier, When Pope Benedict XVI named Archbishop Timothy Dolan to New York, he noted that New York City was the capital of the world. On this issue, New Yorkers of all faith traditions agree on the Holy Father’s infallibility! And while not a native by birth, Cardinal Dolan, as we now know him, has proven himself to be a consummate New Yorker—big, bold, and larger than life. He is also a consummate witness to a life of faith joyfully lived. For 168 years, Xavier has tried to do the same: To give powerful witness to the wonders of faith and the love of God as we send forth young men to live boldly and transform their city for good. This issue of Xavier Magazine celebrates our deep connection to New York City. There are eight million stories here, and Xavier and her sons are part of a good number of them. From Michael Gargiulo ’77, whose face seems ubiquitous on New York billboards and taxicabs, to the alums we profile who each have a profound impact on the life of the city, to the neighborhoods Xavier’s athletes call home, we celebrate New York. May the talent and vitality of New York City and Xavier continue to enrich one another for years to come. I am also very pleased to share more information on Xavier’s finances in our two-part series, Delivering the Mission. For 168 years, the work of Xavier has been a wonderful partnership between students, parents,
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alumni, friends, the Society of Jesus, and the lay faculty, with all partners sharing talents and resources to bring Jesuit education to life. By almost any measure, the partnership has been a wonderful success. To keep our partnership strong and our mission vibrant, we all need to fully understand the financial reality of life at Xavier. Salaries, benefits, the plant, and programs make up most of our expenses. Tuition, gifts, and investment returns make up most of our income. The interplay between the various sources of income is crucial to keeping Xavier affordable and accessible. Throughout our history, we have served intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means, and everyone I meet wants us to continue to do so. My hope is that honest discussions of Xavier’s finances and the transparent sharing of information will strengthen Xavier, keep the school accessible, and invite all into deeper partnership to better support our mission. I am always available to discuss Xavier’s finances and can be reached directly at 212-337-7538. Our regular readers will notice a refreshed look to this magazine. I am grateful to our communications director, Shawna Gallagher Vega, for her leadership, creativity, and work with Erbach Communications Group to bring the new magazine to life. The 50th anniversary of HAP, the newest book from Al Roker ’72, news from 16th Street, alumni notes: Enjoy it all. Please reach out to Shawna at editor@xavierhs.org with feedback on the magazine or suggestions for future stories. As you read this, 1,093 intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means and nearly 100 men and women of the Xavier faculty and staff have started the school year—Xavier’s 169th. It is wonderfully exciting to begin anew, and we do so because of your partnership in this good work. Sons of Xavier, keep marching. Be assured of my prayers. God’s blessings, Jack Raslowsky President
Back to a New York Landmark After a two-year absence due to the restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Xavier’s 173rd Commencement returned to America’s parish church on June 11. Fifty years after his own high school graduation, Rev. Louis Garaventa, S.J., delivered a heartfelt address to the graduates.
Photo by Gianna Izzolo
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined the festivities and offered his own words of wisdom to the 228 departing seniors, who will attend some of the nation’s best colleges and universities. “My advice to the Class of 2015 is simple,” said New York’s senior senator. “Go for it.”
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Former students and colleagues of Rev. Dennis Baker, S.J., celebrate his ordination at a June 18 reception at Xavier.
First Mass and Final Vows Celebrating Vocations on 16th Street and Beyond
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of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He returned to New York in early September to begin a one-year master’s degree program in private school leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Overall, the Society of Jesus ordained 28 priests in the United States and Canada this summer—the largest group of new priests ordained in more than 15 years. Rev. Charles Frederico, S.J., vocation director for the USA Northeast Province, said these developments present great promise for the future of the Society. “These guys have diverse backgrounds and talents, and they are totally committed to working for the Church and the Society,” he said. “It is also a rallying cry for Jesuits to
Photos by Harisch Studios
Parishioners who attended Sunday Mass at the Church of St. Francis Xavier on June 14 experienced an added element of joy. Rev. Dennis Baker, S.J., a former teacher and coach at Xavier High School, celebrated his first Mass as a Jesuit priest that day. “Being here for my first Mass was truly extraordinary,” Fr. Baker said. “I was thinking about all the times I was in this Church, from high school, to a few times in college, to early in my Jesuit life, and then during Regency.” The Xavier community also celebrated Fr. Baker’s ordination with a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Xavier Student Chapel on June 18. “Xavier is a place that taught me how to be a priest,” Fr. Baker said. “I will be grateful to Xavier for the rest of my life because of the gift it has been to me and the way it has shaped me. I love Xavier very deeply and will for all time.” Fr. Baker was one of four Jesuits ordained on June 13 at Fordham University Church. He then spent the summer at the Parish
Left: Rev. Charles Frederico, S.J. Right: Rev. Ralph Rivera, S.J.
put ourselves out there for men to consider our religious life.” Inspired by Pope Francis’ declaration of “The Year of Consecrated Life,” six Jesuits from the Maryland and USA Northeast Provinces were called to Final Vows on June 12, the day before ordinations at Fordham University Church. Fr. Frederico, who was among the six, said, “A lot was packed into a few days. This was an intentional linking of celebrations to highlight and celebrate our religious life.” Rev. Ralph Rivera, S.J., Xavier chaplain and religion teacher, also professed Final Vows. “It makes sense to place ordinations and Final Vows in close proximity since they highlight who we are, the nature of our vows, and the continuity of our mission in the modern world," he said. "I am always deeply moved when we are gathered to support each other (and with our lay colleagues present!) and bear witness to a tradition that extends back to St. Ignatius. And I am also especially glad to do so as chaplain and teacher here at Xavier. That’s as good as it gets.”
Director of Campus Ministry Studies Ignatius in Spain In April, Director of Campus Ministry Kaija DeWitt traveled to Manresa, Spain, for intensive study of St. Ignatius Loyola and the Spiritual Exercises. She was the only American woman selected for “The Ignatian Charism in the Modern World: An International Immersion Course on Ignatian Spirituality.” The following is her reflection on her transformative six weeks immersed in the way of Ignatius.
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n many ways, my final day at the Cova Sant Ignasi in Manresa, Spain, was a snapshot of the entire six weeks leading up to it: shared meals, reading, prayer, study, a long walk, Mass, singing, silence, gratitude, and overwhelming joy. After breakfast, our director asked that we spend our day in silence to process the end of our time together. We tried! However, the morning included a walk into town, stopping for wine and ice cream. We talked about our plans. We’d spent so much time together. It seemed strange to think of going our different ways. The afternoon was spent in prayer, trying to commit the experience to memory. I walked through the back gardens, touching statues and trees, looking out toward Montserrat. I sat in the chapel, remembering the Masses and morning prayers. I sat with my feet in the Cardoner River. I was surprised by how deeply touching all of this memory was. When it was time for our final Mass, the
Kaija DeWitt at Castillo de Javier, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier.
homily, as it often did, consisted of sharing —this time, what each of us had discovered. Sr. Magdalena, a young nun from Germany, said that she had come to learn more about Ignatius’ conversion and had looked forward to reading the Lives of the Saints, like Ignatius did. Instead, she said, we had become the book. Our lives together had been her reading of the Lives of the Saints. Mass concluded in the cave where Ignatius began the Exercises. We celebrated the Eucharist together one final time. After dinner, over bottles of Cava, we took photos, laughed, sang, and said goodbye. Since coming home, I’ve been asked how I will bring my experience at the Cova back to my work at Xavier. My answer will unfold
over time. In the immediate future, I know I can make WEB EXTRA tweaks to retreats and bring To view Ms. insight that will influence DeWitt’s journey in how I teach. I also look pictures, visit forward to creating new http://bit.ly/ prayer opportunities for dewittspain. Xavier students. Certainly, my own prayer life has changed and deepened in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study with an international team of Jesuit scholars, to experience the Spiritual Exercises in the very place where they were created, and to pray and learn every day with people from around the world. It was a holy time set apart. Like Kairos, I suppose. God’s time. But that final day at the Cova was really not so different from daily life at Xavier: shared meals (in the Campus Ministry office, the faculty room, or in the cafeteria), reading (during the commute, on pews in the hallway, in class), prayer (during homeroom, on retreat, at the start of class), study (in the library, at my desk), a long walk (to the subway, from the ferry, to practice), Mass (the all-school sort and the more intimate liturgies shared during community period), singing (in choir, after assembly, off-key in hallways), silence (though never nearly enough), gratitude (every single day), and overwhelming joy.
Arts Department Marks 25th Annual Show As guests perused 400 pieces of student artwork on May 15, Xavier celebrated a historic milestone—the 25th annual arts show.
“As we’ve said many times before, this is the Turkey Bowl of the arts,” said Denise
Iacovone, who passes the fine arts department chair’s baton to her colleague and former student, Renzo Ventrella ’92, this fall. She created the art show with her husband, former department chair Rocco Iacovone ’62, in 1991. “As humans, it’s endemic to us to create,” Ms. Iacovone said. “This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate and support the arts.”
XAVIER MAGAZINE 5
Now Trending Social media at Xavier is integral to the way we communicate with our proud, close-knit 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.
#SonsofXavier
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Haskins, Seccia Conclude Trustee Terms After six years of dedicated service to the Board of Trustees, Robert Haskins ’77 and Peter Seccia ’85 concluded their terms on June 30. Mr. Haskins sat on the advancement committee, while Mr. Seccia devoted his time to the finance committee and compensation task force. Mr. Haskins, a graduate of Columbia University and the MBA program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, is a managing director and private client advisor at U.S. Trust. Mr. Seccia is a managing director and partner at Goldman Sachs. He serves on the boards of New York 6 XAVIER MAGAZINE
City’s Hudson River Park and Play Rugby USA, a national nonprofit that pioneers the development of youth through the sport. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Both Sons of Xavier will continue to contribute to their alma mater by serving on the Board of Regents, which provides counsel to Xavier President Jack Raslowsky on a host of matters. “I am deeply grateful to both Bob and Peter. Their commitment to our mission has moved Xavier forward in meaningful ways,” Mr. Raslowsky said. “Their loyalty,
Robert Haskins ’77
Peter Seccia ’85
advice, and generosity have also been great gifts to the Board and to our school. We are delighted that they will remain active and engaged in life on 16th Street.”
Summer Reading As part of an intentional commitment to Photos by Harisch Studios
faith formation and deeper understanding
Cindy Castro
Maureen Reinhart P’94 ‘99
Recognizing 20 Years of Service The Bene Merenti Medal is awarded to faculty and staff who have contributed 20+ years of service to Xavier. Two of 16th Street’s most talented, loyal employees— French and Spanish teacher Cindy Castro, who served as chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department from 2006-2014, and Assistant to the Dean of Students Maureen Reinhart P’94 ’99— were honored during Commencement at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A graduate of Brooklyn College and Rutgers University, Ms. Castro came to Xavier after 11 years of teaching at her alma mater, Saint Saviour High School. “Xavier was a language teacher’s dream come true with its four-year language program,” she said. Over the years, Ms. Castro has mod erated the French Club and the Latin American Club while earning the unwav ering respect of her colleagues. “I learned from her that every teacher must love the profession in order to succeed,” said current Modern and Classical Languages Department chair Israel Salvador. “Cindy demonstrates a true passion for teaching foreign languages because she teaches not only with wisdom, but with an energy and love for what she does.” As the wife of religion teacher Robert Reinhart ’69 P’94 ’99 and mother of Robert Reinhart ’94 and Kevin Reinhart ’99, Mrs. Reinhart was already well-acquainted with Xavier when she began working in the Dean of Students’ Office in 1995. She has since become a second
mother to a generation of Xavier graduates. “The New York Department of Records contends that Maureen Reinhart has two sons. Anyone who has worked in the Xavier High School Dean of Students’ Office knows that she has thousands of sons and has given each of the boys who has come to her office, whether it was with a bloody nose, an upset stomach, or a guilty conscience, the same care she would give her sons—both her love and her expectation that they will hold themselves to higher standards,” said former Dean of Students Joseph Sweeney ’85. Both Ms. Castro and Mrs. Reinhart said they in turn owe their gratitude to Xavier, a place they plan to remain for many more years. “I like to brag that we have some of the greatest boys in the New York area pass through our doors,” Mrs. Reinhart said. “I’ve also met some of the best faculty and staff that anyone could work with. Kairos retreats, CFX trips, interactions with students, and meeting so many great Jesuits over the years have helped me become the woman I am today—a woman for others.” “The students here are amazing,” Ms. Castro agreed. “My colleagues are talented and supportive individuals. Administrators, faculty, staff—we are all here for the same reason, and that is to serve our students. At Xavier we do this very well and are constantly seeking the magis in our instruction. Xavier truly lives the precept of men and women for others.”
of Ignatian spirituality, Xavier gifted each member of the faculty, staff, and administration with the book of their choice from the list below in early June. Selections were discussed in small groups at the beginning of the new academic year. “This is one part of our response to an expressed desire on the part of our adult community to do more intentional Ignatian formation,” said Dean of Faculty Brian McCabe, who spearheaded the initiative. “Everyone is not in the same place in terms of their spiritual journey. That’s what makes things interesting.”
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1 What is Ignatian Spirituality? By David Fleming, S.J.
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Just Call Me López: Getting to the Heart of Ignatius Loyola By Margaret Silf
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The Ignatian Workout: Daily Spiritual Exercises for a Healthy Faith By Tim Muldoon
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In Good Company: From the Corporate World to Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience By James Martin, S.J.
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Companions of Christ: Ignatian Spirituality for Everyday Living By Margaret Silf
6 The Jesuits: A History From Ignatius to the Present By John O’Malley, S.J.
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1. Friends and colleagues flank Joe McGrane (third from left) at his CHSAA Hall of Fame induction in May. 2. Brian McCabe and his family at April’s All Saints Gala. 3. French and Spanish teacher Deena Sellers. 1
News & Notes Head varsity basketball coach and longtime faculty member Joe McGrane was inducted into the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame on May 14 at the Brynwood Golf and Country Club in Armonk, N.Y. Coach McGrane has coached varsity basketball at Xavier for 27 years, including 24 years as head coach. He led Xavier to city championships in 2000 and 2014 in addition to several division and Archdiocesan championships. He has been named the CHSAA Coach of the Year three times—in 2007, 2014, and 2015—and boasts more than 300 wins as head coach. Math and science teacher Mike Petri ’02 recently published R is for Rugby: An Alphabet Book, now available at risforrugby.com. “When my wife was pregnant with our daughter, browsing children’s books became a regular occurrence. We were in search of books that were fun, would teach her valuable life lessons, and also ones that we could use to share aspects of our own life with her,” Mr. Petri said. “I wanted to share the game of rugby with her, and this idea is what sparked a fun project that slowly transformed into a hardcover, fully-illustrated, rhyming picture book!” Mr. Petri plays for the USA Eagles Rugby National Team and captains the New York Athletic Club rugby team. 8 XAVIER MAGAZINE
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Former Dean of Students Thomas Gibbons, who transitions back to the guidance department this fall, and guidance counselor Sara Robinson conducted a presentation titled “Cura Personalis and Student Discipline Programs: The Dean of Students and Guidance Department Working Together” at the Jesuit Schools Network’s Symposium, held at the University of Scranton in June. Dean of Faculty Brian McCabe and history department chair Ed Young also attended the event. Science teacher Michael Chiafulio created Mind Ball, a game now offered on Google Play. “The game was designed as a project to teach myself how to design and code in Unity, a 3D game engine that I am incorporating into the Advanced Applications class,” he said. “Students will be learning to create and code 3D games for the Android, iPhone, and Oculus Rift DK2.” In January, history teacher James Costa ’02 published an article in an e-book, Coexistence and Cooperation in the Middle Ages: Fourth European Congress of Medieval Studies. The article was based on a paper he presented in Palermo, Sicily, at the 2009 Fédération Internationale des Instituts d’Etudes Médiévales (FIDEM) Congress. Titled “Coexistence by Subterfuge: The Persecution of the Calabro-Valdesi, 1559–1561,” the paper examined letters, diaries, and ordinances from the 1550s
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and 1560s in order to study the mentalities of the inquisitors and lawmakers who investigated a group of suspected heretics living among Catholic communities in rural Calabria from 1300–1570. French and Spanish teacher Deena Sellers was appointed to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) New York Metro chapter. Ms. Sellers is a longtime member of the organization and presented a seminar at the AATF National Convention in New Orleans in 2014. Bayonne’s All Saints Catholic Academy honored Dean of Faculty Brian McCabe for his commitment to Catholic education and his work as the school’s founding board chair at a gala on April 25. Xavier President Jack Raslowsky, Executive Vice President Daniel Dougherty, Director of Development Mark Mongelluzzo, and Dean of Academics Luciano Lovallo joined the festivities to honor Mr. McCabe. The work of drama teacher Nicole DiMarco and the Xavier Dramatics Society resulted in several members being invited to participate in a coveted acting workshop. Eric Idelfonso ’16, Richard Liriano ’16, Isaiah Blake ’17, and their counterparts in the workshop (including actors from The Collective NY, the group that contributes to Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer) will shoot a film called The Rainbow Experiment in October.
Xavier Then
Acquiring the New Yorker’s trademark street smarts plays a central role in Xavier life. In 1960, shortly before the election of the nation’s only Catholic president, Xavier cadets shared a subway ride.
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Xavier Now
The young men who inhabit 16th Street may look different than those of decades past, but the legendary sense of discipline instilled in them remains. It all begins with the morning commute.
Daniel Raleigh ’16 Bay Ridge, Brooklyn “I take the N train to Union Square. My commute is about 45 minutes, which allows me to catch up on some reading.”
s Stanford-bound valedictorian Kevin Ko ’15 noted in his farewell address to his peers at Commencement in June, “For nearly all of us, just getting to school on time was a struggle in itself. Anyone who had to take any form of MTA transportation knows what I’m talking about.” It’s a sentiment familiar to generations of Sons of Xavier. Educating intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means has long been a key part of Xavier’s mission, with “motivated” being the operative word when it comes to commuting. With 78 percent of today’s student
WESTCHESTER
3%
body hailing from outside Manhattan, Xavier continues to form independent, responsible young men by sheer virtue of the daily travel its location necessitates.
Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16 Parkchester/Soundview, The Bronx “Every day, I leave home at 6:15 a.m. and get to Xavier at 7:15 on the 6 train, but it's a wonderful journey.”
In their own words, current students describe their route to 16th Street.
A long but worthwhile commute has always been part of the Xavier experience. Dr. Thomas Draper ’44 said, “I came from Jamaica Estates, at the end of Queens. We took the E train from 169th Street, which ended up at 8th Avenue and 14th Street. In late 1940, the 6th Avenue subway opened, creating a subway stop right at the corner of 16th Street. The subway station was so clean and beautiful, and it cut the trip down to an hour!”
5%
5%
NEW JERSEY
22%
22%
LONG ISLAND
3%
30% 10% Connor Buckley ‘17 Belle Harbor, Queens “My commute takes about an hour every morning. I get a ride with my carpool at 6:45 a.m. to Sheepshead Bay train station. I then take the B train to West 4th Street, where I transfer to an F or M to West 14th.”
Themis Pappas ’18 Port Washington, Long Island “I mostly take the LIRR and the subway to and from Xavier—about an hour’s commute each way. Occasionally I get driven by my parents, which also takes around an hour, but can take more depending on the amount of traffic.”
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XAVIER AND
THE CITY
The uptown panoramas visible from the top of FernandezDuminuco Hall, seen here, are imposing—suitable for inspiring young men to dream about their future roles in the global capital of culture, finance, and innovation. On the following pages, eight Sons of Xavier who play vital roles in the life of New York City share their stories.
Stephen Winter ’04
Vice President, Related Companies “This is absolutely monumental to the City of New York,” Stephen Winter ’04 declares over a scale model of Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in American history. “This is what Rockefeller Center was to New York almost 100 years ago—only much bigger.” When completed, the 28-acre Hudson Yards site will include 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space, more than 100 shops and restaurants, 14 acres of open space, a public school, and a luxury hotel. As vice president of Related Companies, Mr. Winter is responsible for filling all of Hudson Yards’ office space—at just 28 years of age. Growing up in blue-collar Marine Park, Brooklyn, he never envisioned becoming a real estate power player. Although he claims he “was not a focused student,” he was heavily involved in student life, playing football and baseball and serving as Student Council vice president. The discipline of his high school schedule made him the disciplined executive he is today. “We had zero down time. Xavier builds character,” he said. “When you build that into your DNA, it makes a difference.” It certainly did for Mr. Winter, whose work ethic is best encapsulated by Related Companies chairman Stephen Ross’s description of him: “He is tenacious as hell.” After graduating first in his class from Sacred Heart University and surviving a 10-round interview process, he became one of just six 2008 college graduates selected for real estate giant CBRE’s rotational mentoring program. Soon after, he earned the company’s Rookie of the Year title, the Real Estate Board of New York’s “Most Promising Commercial Salesperson of the Year” award, and a spot on the Commercial Observer’s 30 Under 30 list. When Related came calling in late 2013, it was a match made in heaven. “Having this opportunity to shape and influence the city is something I never dreamed of,” Mr. Winter said. “It’s fascinating and so much fun.”
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Michael Gargiulo ’77
Co-Anchor, Today in New York On weekday mornings, New Yorkers get their news from a proud Son of Xavier— Emmy-winning broadcast journalist Michael Gargiulo ’77. When the Manhattan native ascended to the Today in New York anchor chair in 2008, it felt fated. He “practically grew
Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement earlier this year with his son by his side. “I thought Rockefeller Center was so cool—16 buildings and an underground concourse!” But it was important for the younger Gargiulo to make his own way. After graduating from New York University, he set off for his first reporting job at WSAZ-TV in Huntington, West Virginia. Twenty-two
“The city has completely changed. It’s great for me to see it come back the way it has.” up” at Rockefeller Center, where he now reports from Studio 3C. “My dad directed and produced game shows here during the ’60s and ’70s,” Mr. Gargiulo said of his father, Mike Gargiulo, who won an
years (and stints in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C.) passed before he returned to New York in 2006. He and his wife, Shannon, now live in Larchmont with their children, Andrew and Olivia.
Throughout his three decades in broadcast news, the NBC New York stalwart has visited 19 countries to cover every imaginable story. He traveled to Iwo Jima for the 50th anniversary of the iconic raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi. He was one of the last reporters embedded with a U.S. military unit in Afghanistan before the end of combat operations there. But his heart remains in Manhattan, a city revitalized since his high school days during the turbulent 1970s. Mr. Gargiulo returns to 16th Street whenever possible, often speaking to students on Career Day. And each time he does, he sees the neighborhood as a symbol of a metropolis renewed. “The city has completely changed,” he said. “It’s great for me to see it come back the way it has.” XAVIER MAGAZINE
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Rev. Robert Grimes, S.J. ’70
Dean, Fordham College at Lincoln Center From his office on the corner of 60th Street and Columbus Avenue, Rev. Robert Grimes, S.J. ’70 is at the very epicenter of New York City every day. A successor of the College of St. Francis Xavier, Fordham College at Lincoln Center boasts more than a quarter of the Jesuit university’s undergraduates. Fr. Grimes oversees a program that has grown tremendously since he took the helm as Dean in 1997. “The incoming Class of 2019 is the largest in the College at Lincoln Center’s history,” he said. “It is also the most competitive.” When the Lincoln Center campus opened in 1968, it was entirely a commuter school. The addition of McMahon Hall in 1993 (named for Rev. George McMahon, S.J. ’40) allowed for some undergraduate and graduate housing, but it was the September 2014 addition of a new law school building at 150 West 62nd Street—above which sits housing for 430 freshmen—that transformed the campus and helped increase applications. The liberal arts program Fr. Grimes leads is impressive. Compared to the national average of 50 percent, 80 percent of Lincoln Center undergrads who applied to medical school last year were accepted. With Time Warner, CBS, and ABC world headquarters located nearby, communications remains a popular major. But it is the number of highquality performing arts programs that sets Fordham Lincoln Center apart. An affiliation with the Alvin Ailey School and cooperation between Fordham, Juilliard, and Jazz at Lincoln Center offer undergrads unparalleled opportunities for training by experts in the arts. Currently, one-third of the first company of Ailey dancers are Fordham alumni, and four Fordham jazz ensembles are not only coached by professionals at Lincoln Center, but get to perform there, too. An occasional faculty exchange program between Juilliard and Fordham strengthens the liberal arts at both schools. With a doctorate in music and expertise in musical life in 19th century New York City, it is fitting that Fr. Grimes directs the work of Fordham Lincoln Center. As he noted with pride, ”A special evening every year is the Tony Awards. Fordham Lincoln Center had four nominations among its alumni this year, Patricia Clarkson among them.” Indeed, for 18 years strong, this loyal Son of Xavier has kept the great tradition of Jesuit collegiate education in Manhattan—begun by Rev. John Larkin, S.J., himself in 1847—alive and well. The Xavier legacy is in good hands.
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Photo courtesy of Wilbur Ross
Wilbur Ross ’55
Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, WL Ross & Co. It’s an understatement to say that the influence of Wilbur Ross ’55 reaches far beyond New York. A towering figure in global finance, Mr. Ross, a specialist in distressed businesses and leveraged buyouts, has invested billions at home and abroad. His deep knowledge of international finance and affairs makes him the go-to interview for financial news organizations, as was the case during the recent Greek debt crisis. But the famed investor always makes time to contribute to his favorite New York causes, despite his demanding schedule. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, the former Xavier rifle team captain regularly shares his business acumen with civic organizations. He is a longtime board member at the
Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit group of select CEOs whose mission is to advance the city’s economy and maintain its position as the center of world commerce and innovation. For many years, he also served as the privatization adviser to Mayor Rudy Giuliani, his longtime friend and seasonal neighbor on Palm Beach. His work with Ireland and IrishAmerican causes, beginning with his company’s 2011 investment in the struggling Bank of Ireland, earned him the 2014 American Irish Historical Society Gold Medal. That accolade was soon followed by another very close to his heart—the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, the government of Japan’s highest civilian honor. The longtime chairman of the Japan Society, Mr. Ross was honored for his contributions to U.S.-Japanese relations, which he has deepened during his 84 trips to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Closer to home, he often loans some of his most prized possessions—his rare, priceless artwork—to museums to enhance arts education. His enviable collection includes 25 paintings by Belgian surrealist René Magritte (two of which he recently loaned to the Museum of Modern Art), the works of Jesuit-educated French sculptor François-Xavier Lalanne, and Chinese contemporary art. During his rare free time, he and his wife, New York New York author Hilary Geary Ross, can often be found wandering the city’s museums. At age 77, his life is full, and his travels are many. It’s no wonder that he continues to bet on the city that never sleeps. “New York is going to be a real high-tech economy,” Mr. Ross predicted. “Downtown has become very high-tech. Projects like the Technion-Cornell Institute will make this another Silicon Valley. That’s going to be the focus.”
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Al Durrell ’80
Assistant Chief, Collection and Recycling Operations, New York City Department of Sanitation During his 26 years as a public servant in the City of New York, Al Durrell ’80 has seen his fair share of media attention. All eyes were on him during the years he oversaw the Department of Sanitation’s special events efforts, including the 2008 New York Giants ticker-tape parade. CNN’s Susan Candiotti interviewed him live during the 2010 snowstorm that preceded the city’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations. The press conferences he led when Naomi Campbell and Boy George performed court-ordered community service through his department earned him press hits worldwide. But he has never allowed himself to be distracted from the goal that’s driven him since he was a young sanitation worker—keeping the city safe for all eight million of its residents. He lived that goal just weeks after Mayor Rudy Giuliani swore him in as Deputy Chief of the department in August 2001. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks—which took the lives of 10 Sons of Xavier—he helped lead the Sanitation Department’s charge to clean up Ground Zero. Today, he wears a 9/11 patch on his dress uniform, a quiet reminder of his brave service to a shaken city. He is justifiably proud of the many Department of Sanitation services that are vital throughout the five boroughs, including sanitation workers’ tireless labor during winter weather. “Snowstorms are like a battle. We become an emergency service,” Mr. Durrell said. “Everyone works split shifts to keep the streets salted and plowed. We’re out there saving people’s lives, clearing the streets so ambulances and fire trucks can get through.” His career has been marked by the hectic, momentous pace New York City demands of its public servants. And while he looks forward to retiring at the end of this year, he has no plans to slow down. He rededicated himself to Xavier when he became a class chair a year and a half ago, spearheading the Class of 1980’s 35th reunion efforts and rallying support from his classmates with the same relentless determination that drove him up the Department of Sanitation’s ranks. “I made a lot of great friends at Xavier,” he said. “There’s something about this school that makes you want to give back.”
Photo by John Gillooly, courtesy of the USA Northeast Province
Rev. Gregory Chisholm, S.J.
Pastor, St. Charles Borromeo Church and Church of the Resurrection; Administrator, All Saints Church Rev. Gregory Chisholm, S.J., is a busy man. From East 129th Street to West 151st Street, he serves as administrator of All Saints Church and pastor of St. Charles Borromeo and the Church of the Resurrection. He also chairs the board of Manhattan Regional Catholic Schools, which manages 15 Catholic elementary schools from Washington Heights to the Lower East Side. The bulk of his responsibility centers around St. Charles Borromeo, the “cathedral of Harlem,” where he celebrates two Masses on Sundays and administers to the needs of parishioners during the week. Sunday liturgies at St. Charles are among the most exultant in New York City. Worshippers
come from as far away as New Jersey, Westchester, and Long Island to attend Mass, and the primarily African-American congregation demands a Eucharistic celebration with a certain degree of exuberance. Fr. Chisholm is happy to comply. “The history of the Catholic Church in the United States is of the acculturation of the liturgy to the lives of the ethnic people,” he said. “There have been efforts since Vatican II to make the Eucharist draw from the strength of different cultures.” A Xavier trustee for the past two years, Fr. Chisholm celebrated Mass with great fanfare at the Church of St. Francis Xavier on Ascension Thursday 2013—receiving a standing ovation from the Xavier student body, faculty, and administration following his sensational homily. His time in the Society of Jesus has taken Fr. Chisholm far and wide: from Cambridge,
Massachusetts, where he earned a doctorate in engineering at MIT (in addition to his bachelor’s degree from the venerable institution), to Los Angeles, California, where he was a pastor, and Detroit, Michigan, where he taught engineering. But as a native New Yorker who grew up in St. Mark the Evangelist parish, an African-American church not far from St. Charles, he was thrilled when asked to return to New York. “One difficulty with living in Los Angeles or Detroit was being away from my roots. New York is a unique place, and I’m happy to be here,” Fr. Chisholm said. Yet he is willing to answer whatever call to which he is next assigned. “I will go wherever I am needed. It is a Jesuit trait. My strength is the ability to make connections with African-American Catholics, so I suspect that I will continue to serve somewhere in that capacity.”
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Loual Puliafito ’00
Director of Development, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Fifteen years after graduating from Xavier in a ceremony held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Loual Puliafito ’00 leads advancement efforts at the nation’s most iconic house of worship during a pivotal time in its history. As one of the coordinators of the $175 million Campaign to Restore St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Upper East Side native often draws on lessons he learned as a Xavier student and administrator. During his sophomore year, he served on the team that raised funds to create the Companions of St. Francis Xavier (CFX) service trip program. A year later, he gained a creative outlet and an influential mentor—adviser George Geer ’55 —when he joined the yearbook staff. Shortly after his graduation from Fordham University in 2004, Mr. Puliafito received a call and a job offer from then-Vice President for Advancement Joseph Gorski. He jumped at the chance to return to 16th Street, where he served as an advancement officer before being named Director of Web Information, Emerging Constituencies, and Special Events. “My love for Xavier helped me understand my job,” he said. “It is a great feeling to have your heart and mind working together in support of an institution.” That is certainly the case in his wide-ranging role at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he applied at the urging of Bill Reidy ’94, a former consultant there. Since arriving at the Midtown Manhattan landmark in January 2012, Mr. Puliafito has revitalized print and digital communications and worked closely with Msgr. Robert Ritchie, Rector of St. Patrick’s, to build important relationships and increase strategic fundraising efforts. His goal is to safeguard the Cathedral’s legacy not only for the 5 million people who visit it each year, but for all New Yorkers—including his 5-year-old daughter, Lyla, with whom he enjoys exploring the city’s sights. As Pope Benedict XVI once said of St. Patrick’s, “Perhaps more than any other church in the United States, this place is known and loved as a house of prayer for all peoples.” Mr. Puliafito hopes to keep it that way for generations to come. “I still see New York City not as a big city,” he said, “but as my hometown.”
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Bob Robotti ’71
President, Robotti & Company Bob Robotti ’71 is the epitome of a man who knows his roots. He and his wife, Suzanne, now make their home on the Upper West Side, but his heart remains in his native Queens—particularly at Long Island City’s Variety Boys and Girls Club, where he learned to swim as a child. Raised in nearby Astoria in an apartment that housed his parents, three siblings, two grandparents, and his great-grandmother, Mr. Robotti slept on the family’s pull-out couch as a child. (The Robottis lived above a dry goods store run by his grandmother, Aurora.) After a long day of classes at St. Rita’s Catholic School, he would often venture to Variety, which functioned as a home away from home. Now a renowned portfolio manager, the Bucknell grad and Pace MBA serves on the club’s board and helped lead the effort to build its beautiful new pool.
In February, Variety honored Mr. Robotti at its “Night of Heroes,” the club’s hall of fame induction ceremony. Xavier President Jack Raslowsky introduced him to the crowd as the grateful organization celebrated his loyalty and service to a hallmark of his childhood. “He’s amazing
country team members to the New York Athletic Club’s All Sports Dinner, where the young runners had the opportunity to meet Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi. Mr. Robotti is also a trustee of Dominican Academy, the Upper East Side all-girls Catholic high school that educated his
When it comes to the organizations that have impacted his life, Mr. Robotti pays it forward, and the effects have been transformational. to our club,” said Ariel Gagliardo, Variety’s Resource Development Director. When it comes to the organizations that have impacted his life, Mr. Robotti pays it forward, and the effects have been transformational. He is a longtime, loyal supporter of Xavier—a former trustee who remains very much involved in all aspects of school life. Last November, he took cross
beloved late sister, Barbara Robotti Murray. Today, the school’s Mandarin program and the Barbara Robotti Murray Science Center are thriving in large part due to his contributions. Ever true to his working-class Queens roots, Mr. Robotti downplayed his generosity. “I’m just repeating the benefit we had,” he said.
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The Jesuit Higher Achievement Program at An Enduring Call for Justice Above: The annual HAP photo, a much-loved tradition. Right: HAP alumnus Dr. Franklin Caesar ‘72, right, later affected a generation of Xavier students in his roles as teacher, department chair, and Assistant Headmaster.
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As America’s social consciousness awakened in the mid-1960s, so too did that of the Society of Jesus. Along with their counterparts at Brooklyn Prep and St. Peter’s Prep across the Hudson River, the Jesuits at Xavier saw little diversity reflected in their student population. How could racial and socioeconomic justice be achieved on 16th Street? The answer endures in the Jesuit Higher Achievement Program. HAP, as it’s known to all who are a part of it, is a summer program that aims to strengthen the academic skills of rising eighth graders and prepare them for the rigorous exams required for admission to New York City’s top Catholic high schools. During its early days, Jesuits visited elementary schools across the city to promote the program, encouraging young students of color to apply for HAP and, hopefully, someday to Xavier itself. The result was an exponentially more diverse Xavier, both racially and socioeconomically. Today, hundreds of students from across New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey apply each year for the tuition-free program’s coveted 240 spaces. They leave HAP better prepared for the academic challenges that await them. “One of the strengths of the program has always been the invisible curriculum of building confidence and getting students to take risks and go outside their comfort zones,” said Dean of Faculty Brian McCabe, who directed HAP from 2007 through 2013. “Wherever students are on the achievement ladder, we’re trying to get them to the next rung.” Now directed by history teacher Patrick Mahon ’04, a Brooklynite and former HAP student himself, the program remains firm in its commitment to bringing intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means to Xavier. “At its roots, HAP is still a mission-based program, giving students from diverse backgrounds and means the opportunity to experience Jesuit education,“ said Mr. Mahon, whose brother John Mahon III ’99 also attended HAP. “We have brothers of alums, sons of alums, grandsons of alums, but we also want to widen the net. Even if it’s just for these five weeks, we want to give young men the opportunity to benefit from a Jesuit education.”
“HAP Expanded My Horizons“ During the summer of 1967, glimmers of hope illuminated the struggle for racial equality. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned laws forbidding interracial marriage; the Senate confirmed President Lyndon Johnson’s appointment of Thurgood Marshall as the nation’s first black Supreme Court Justice; In the Heat of the Night, the landmark film starring Sidney Poitier, earned critical acclaim on its way to winning Best Picture at the 40th Annual Academy Awards. In Queens, young Al Roker ’72 had just finished seventh grade at St. Catherine of Sienna School. A promising student, his teacher recommended he participate in the Jesuit Higher Achievement Program at Brooklyn Prep. It widened his worldview. “I loved it. There was a lot of freedom. There was a lot of creativity. That got me started,” the Today Show host, weatherman, and 13-time Emmy winner recalled. “I always liked television and cartooning and comic books, and HAP expanded my horizons.” After HAP, Mr. Roker won a scholarship to Xavier, where he continued fueling his creative and personal passions—including the yearbook and newspaper staffs, the school’s closed circuit TV program, and the Black Student Association. When he delivered the Commencement Address to Xavier’s Class of 2013, he noted with pleasure the student body’s increased diversity. Xavier has transformed in the 43 years since Mr. Roker’s graduation, but “the overall sense of belonging to a community” remains his favorite memory of 16th Street. It’s a sentiment suited to a HAP alumnus and a member of Xavier’s 125th graduating class. “You always had a sense of the history of the place,” he said. Mr. Roker’s new book, The Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism, Survival, and the Epic True Story of America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster: The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900, was published by William Morrow in August.
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Photo by Eric Davidson
A student participates in a forensic science elective during the 2015 edition of HAP.
Maroon and BLUE
On any given school day, up to six Xavier buses are parked on 16th Street, waiting to transport student-athletes to points across New York City, Westchester, and even New Jersey. Since the days of the Kaydets to the modern Knights, Xavier sports have always involved the added challenge of daily travel. Here’s a look at where Xavier teams practice and compete today.
Red Hook Park, Brooklyn
New York City: Xavier’s Playground
East River Park, Lower East Side Many Xavier alumni recall their playing days in East River Park. “It was rocks and dirt,” recalled head football coach Chris Stevens ’83, who played freshman football games on the field near East Houston Street. “After any play, you would literally walk away in a cloud of dust.” The 57-acre park, conceived by Robert Moses in the 1930s, underwent extensive renovations over the years and now boasts a revitalized waterfront promenade and synthetic turf playing fields. Demand for the space has grown, but the Lower East Side park is still used by Xavier soccer, rugby, and track teams.
football teams in the same place,” he said. The arrangement lasted until 2006. Today, freshman football players still travel to Red Hook for every practice. During the pre-season, all three teams use the field. “We still consider Red Hook our home base,” Coach Stevens said, noting that varsity practice rotates between three to four different locations each week. The situation is far from ideal; time spent traveling could add one full team practice a week. “But it’s also an extra hour the kids spend with each other,” Coach Stevens acknowledged. “It builds camaraderie. It’s a lesson in adapting and surviving.”
“After any play, you would literally walk away in a cloud of dust.”
Jack Coffey Field, Fordham University, The Bronx Before Knights fans enter Jack Coffey Field at Fordham University for the annual Turkey Bowl against Fordham Prep, they pass a monument that contains a piece of Xavier history: the Seven Blocks of Granite. Leo Paquin, Xavier’s legendary football coach, athletic director, and teacher, was a lineman on the famed 1936–37 Rams team alongside his roommate, Vince Lombardi. “I always tell our players, ‘You have as much a
Red Hook Park, Brooklyn By the time Coach Stevens became a position coach for the varsity football team in 1989, team practices had moved to Red Hook Park, Brooklyn. “It was a nice set-up, because we could have all three 24 XAVIER MAGAZINE
Icahn Stadium, Manhattan
Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn The Seven Blocks of Granite, The Bronx
Xavier sports photos by Harisch Studios
Randall's Island, Manhattan
Aviator Sports Complex, Brooklyn
reason to be proud playing at Jack Coffey Field as Fordham Prep,’” Coach Stevens said. The oldest high school football rivalry in New York City, Xavier first played Fordham Prep in 1905. Their Thanksgiving matchup, a tradition since 1927, routinely draws more than 5,000 fans on both sides. Xavier has won the last three Turkey Bowls, including a stunning 35–34 overtime win at Jack Coffey Field in 2014. The 92nd Annual Turkey Bowl will be played on November 26 at Aviator Sports Complex at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn. The site of New York City’s first municipal airport, Floyd Bennett Field is now part of the Gateway National Recreation Area with spaces devoted to aviation history, nature, recreation, and organized sports. “Aviator has become something of a home field for us,” said Assistant Athletic Director Justin Hundley. “Given the fact that so many students come from the Rockaways, when the Turkey Bowl is not at Jack Coffey Field, we draw a standing room crowd to Aviator.” The Knights played their first 2015 home game at Aviator against St. John the Baptist on September 19.
Randall’s Island, Manhattan Following extensive renovations over the last decade, more than half of Manhattan’s athletic fields are now located on Randall’s Island, the 432-acre park situated in the East River between East Harlem, Astoria, and the South Bronx. Along with nearly every private and public high school in Manhattan, Xavier teams make as much use of the oasis as permits allow. Most rugby home games are played on Randall’s Island, and the soccer and baseball teams use the park’s athletic fields as well. On spring Tuesdays and Thursdays, Xavier practices field events at Icahn Stadium, the only International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) certified track on the East Coast. Built on the site of the former Downing Stadium (where Jesse Owens won the 100yard dash at the Olympic Trials in 1936), the venue hosts the CHSAA intersectional and championship meets during the outdoor season. “It’s a gorgeous place to run,” said head track and cross country coach Patrick Dormer P’17, who credits Xavier’s 11-year tenure at the $42 million facility to Randall’s Island Park Alliance Sports Director Lou Vazquez P’15. “He has worked really hard to make sure the price is reasonable and that the kids have a great experience.”
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168th Street Armory, Washington Heights
Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx
Maroon and BLUE
168th Street Armory, Washington Heights At the 168th Street Armory in Washington Heights, Xavier’s track and field alumni ran on wood floors and prepared for meets amid space that was actively used by the National Guard and the city’s homeless. “We needed a place to run, and the students made it work,” recalled Coach Dormer.
“Getting on the track—it’s like merging on to the highway.” Following an intensive rehabilitation in 1993, the Armory is now a premier track and field venue that hosts more than 100 events each year. “It’s a world-class facility,” said Coach Dormer. “People can’t believe the transformation from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, and we get to practice at this tremendous facility two days a week,” said Coach Dormer. With up to 70 teams practicing at the Armory on a given day, some things haven’t changed. “It’s crowded,” Coach Dormer laughed. “Getting on the track—it’s like merging on to the highway.” During 26 XAVIER MAGAZINE
the winter season, sprinters also practice two days a week at the 15th Street Y in Brooklyn; distance runners practice in Central Park or run down the West Side Highway. Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx While running facilities throughout the city have changed considerably, one experience remains constant: the 2.5-mile course in Van Cortlandt Park that CHSAA cross country runners have raced since 1968. “You are not considered a true cross country runner on the East Coast if you don’t run at Van Cortlandt Park,” said Coach Dormer. Completing the grueling test of endurance is an accomplishment. Finishing it in under 15 minutes is a major accomplishment, according to Coach Dormer. His online archive contains the names of 149 Xavier students and alumni who finished the 2.5-mile course in 14:59 or better; 14 Sons are listed in the pre-1940 record when the race was 2.25 miles. “That course is our tradition,” Coach Dormer added. “Everyone knows Highway Hell. Everyone knows where the fence is. No one wants it to change because it brings everyone together.”
Xavier sports photos by Harisch Studios
Homefield Bowl, Westchester County 30 West 16th Street
Randall's Island, Manhattan MCU Park, Coney Island
MCU Park, Coney Island MCU Park in Coney Island may be home to the Brooklyn Cyclones, but the minor league baseball stadium is also where Xavier’s varsity baseball team played eight of its nine CHSAA home games in 2015. “The Xavier administration said, ‘Let’s do it,’” said baseball coach Richard Duffell, who would love to see the Knights play every league home game at MCU Park next season. For many years, varsity baseball didn’t have a regular home field and opted for more away games to play on top-notch fields. MCU Park has a stellar field, plus access to Cyclones’ batting cages, locker room facilities, and plenty of space for family, friends, and alumni to cheer on the Knights. “It’s exciting,” Coach Duffell said. “It’s a stadium. The players have a really nice experience.”
Chris McCabe. With the help of a Xavier connection, the team holds regular practices at Shell Lanes (F train to Avenue X) in Brooklyn. 30 West 16th Street Not every team leaves 16th Street for athletic practices. The rifle team takes aim in the same basement rifle range used by generations of Sons of Xavier. The freshman, junior varsity, and varsity basketball teams continue to practice and play home games in the school’s gymnasium.
Other Locations Where Xavier Teams Practice and/or Compete Swimming.......................St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights Tennis................................Alley Pond Park, Queens
Homefield Bowl, Westchester County Bowling is now a hip pastime in New York City. Since pricey bowling alleys and Catholic high school budgets don’t mix, Xavier bowlers and other teams in the CHSAA Bowling League head to Homefield Bowl in Yonkers for games. “A lot of schools are competing for space,” said bowling coach
Rugby and Football.....Pier 40, Hudson River Park, Manhattan Football............................Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn Ice Hockey.......................Richard Korpi Ice Rink, Bayonne, N.J. Lacrosse............................Aviator Sports Complex at Floyd Bennett Field
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DELIVERING part one of a two-part series
The financial plan to keep Xavier accessible, affordable, and thriving Paul Scariano ’90 P’19 didn’t have to ask about anticipated tuition increases each year his son, Patrick Scariano ’19, would be enrolled at Xavier High School. That information was given directly to incoming parents at the Class of 2019 Parents Welcome held in April. In an address to attendees, Xavier President Jack Raslowsky noted that even with a growing Annual Fund and new fundraising events, “By the time your sons reach their senior year, tuition is on track to be $20,000. We know this is a big commitment, and we want you to think about that commitment.” Mr. Raslowsky went on to discuss school finances and outlined what was required to sustain affordability while delivering one of the nation’s top high school experiences. Mr. Scariano said he and other parents appreciated Mr. Raslowsky’s candor. “He was very clear on where tuition is and where it’s going to go,” said Mr. Scariano. “It was refreshingly
transparent. At the end of it, you felt part of the Xavier family by doing your part.” Independent school leaders aren’t usually so direct about tuition, but Mr. Raslowsky explained his comments this way. “We are in a relationship with parents and have an obligation to be honest, forthright, and transparent about the school’s finances so that people can make decisions—and be comfortable with those decisions.”
Strengthening Xavier’s Financial Structure Mr. Raslowsky shared tuition figures derived from a strategic budget planning process that began in 2012. Tuition is just one component of a complex fiscal formula that includes annual giving, planned gifts, and the endowment, as well as financial assistance and scholarships. Ultimately, this formula sustains the Xavier mission to educate intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means.
There have been significant challenges to this calculation in recent years. Stagnant wages among the working and middle-class families Xavier typically serves—and a growing need for financial aid—present new demands that must be balanced with available resources while ensuring the institution remains financially sound. The administration and Board of Trustees have tackled these challenges head on through long-term financial planning, the adoption of Access/Affordability Task Force recommendations, and, according to Mr. Raslowsky, “open and clear dialogue about the state of our finances with the parents who pay the tuition and with alumni and donors whose generosity makes it possible for us to be here.” To further this dialogue, Xavier Magazine is devoting a two-part series to the school’s financial structure and the work that is being done to keep Xavier accessible, affordable, and solvent for generations to come.
TUITION OVER THE YEARS
6.85%
5.84%
AVERAGE INCREASE FROM 2011 TO 2015
AVERAGE INCREASE FROM 1971 TO 2015
$20,140
(Projected)
$15,600 $11,750 $8,700
$855
$1,420
$2,150
$3,700
$5,200
$6,600
1971 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2019
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Why is Xavier a great value among New York City independent schools? Xavier High School is considered a great return on investment because of its: • Strong, mission-driven programs • Rigorous academics • Wide array of co-curricular, service, and retreat offerings
Strategic Budget Planning Xavier has implemented new policies to bolster financial stability in recent years. In 2013, the Board of Trustees ended its practice of year-to-year planning and developed a multi-year financial model that Executive Vice President Daniel Dougherty said “charts the anticipated course, with the expectation that we will adjust the budget year by year as circumstances demand.” For the 2015–16 school year, Xavier developed an operating budget of $20.3 million and a tuition cost that maintains its reputation as an independent school that returns high value for one’s investment. “I say this a lot, but there is not much fat on the bone,” Mr. Raslowsky said. “We’re not overflowing with extra staff, and we don’t have excessive layers of administration. We want reasonable class sizes to promote student-teacher relationships and quality teaching and learning. In terms of who we are and where we want to be, the budget is on target and appropriate.” Mr. Dougherty echoed the sentiment, noting that $14.8 million—more than 70 percent of the operating budget—is allocated to salaries and benefits for teachers, coaches, administrators, and staff. “People generally understand that our teachers and staff are paid fairly but not extravagantly,” he said. “Xavier stewards 30 XAVIER MAGAZINE
• Careful management of resources. Xavier delivers programs equivalent to those offered by more expensive schools by making good financial choices.
its resources carefully. We invest in what is essential and don’t spend frivolously.”
Stewarding Resources According to Mission “Long-term, strategic financial planning is vital and necessary,” Mr. Raslowsky said. “It’s a process that requires us to be honest about our resources, but also to conduct that long-term planning within the scope of our mission.” That was the charge to the Xavier Access/Affordability Task Force that formed in 2012. Comprising trustees, regents, alumni, current parents, alumni parents, and staff, the task force analyzed and recommended tuition and financial aid strategies consistent with the school’s tradition of serving students of diverse backgrounds and means. Recommendations for tuition assistance and pricing were adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2014, and the implementation of suggested policies and practices is now underway. This includes the establishment of a financial aid and merit award budget for the optimal management of resources and new guidelines for allocating financial assistance according to families’ Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). With seven categories or “bands” of AGI ranging from $0 to $200,000 or more, the suggested guidelines allocate the largest percentage
of available aid, 77 percent, to families with household incomes under $99,000. “The need for assistance currently surpasses the available resources,” said Mr. Dougherty, who chaired the Access/ Affordability Task Force. The guidelines, he explained, also recognize the school’s longtime constituencies. “We’ve always had a lot of families from service professions, and the task force paid a lot of attention to that so the people we have traditionally served would still be able to attend Xavier.”
Full Tuition ≠ Full Cost Long-term strategies adopted by the Board of Trustees included new tuition pricing. “One fact not widely known is that even when a family pays full tuition, they are not paying the full cost to educate that student,” said Mr. Dougherty. Indeed, the task force report pointed out that since 2007–08, Xavier has provided every enrolled student—regardless of financial need—a subsidy that covers, on average, 16.33 percent of the full cost to educate that student. A key element of the tuition pricing plan is to distribute that subsidy proportionally, directing more financial assistance to families that demonstrate greater need. “That seemed like the just and fair thing to do,” Mr. Dougherty said. Nevertheless, every student will continue to receive a subsidy; by 2018,
GIFTS EMPOWER A XAVIER EDUCATION $18,100: Cost to educate each student, 2015 $2,500: Subsidy provided to each student as a result of fundraising income $15,600: Full tuition per student
Xavier anticipates it will amount to 10 percent of the cost to educate each student. The decision is supported by a Tuition Price Sensitivity Analysis conducted by Hanover Research in 2013. That survey of current and former parents, as well as parents who chose not to enroll their sons at Xavier, reported that nearly 70 percent of respondents believed the cost of Xavier is “high, but worth it,” while another 23 percent believed the cost is “reasonable.” “Xavier is a gem of a school,” said Frank Clarke P’15, who served on the Access/Affordability Task Force. “If you were to look at tuition relative to other schools, it’s substantially below the $40,000 some charge. We don’t have the flowers in the lobby or the Oriental rugs, but the quality of education is there.”
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a scenario that would have raised tuition between 7 and 9 percent per year.” Ultimately, the task force recommended more moderate increases. “We didn’t want sticker shock,” explained Mr. Clarke, noting that the projected tuition increases were too high for the Xavier community to bear. “The middle of the road is the more prudent way to go.” “We took a position that acknowledges Xavier’s strong donor base,” Mr. Dougherty added. “We believe the school will continue to thrive with the adopted benchmarks.”
“Even moderate changes in assumptions, like growing annual giving—including gifts to the endowment— can be game changers in sustaining affordability.” Leveraging Opportunities
Empowering a Xavier Education Xavier’s strong donor base guarantees the difference between income generated by tuition and fees and the school’s operating expenses, making a middle path of moderate tuition increases possible. Mr. Dougherty said this middle path locks tuition increases to between 6 and 7 percent over the next four years while continuing to improve the financial stability of the school. “Some would suggest the increase should be larger,” he said. “In fact, the task force outlined
Significant progress has also been made on increasing participation in the Annual Fund, which grew from $1.94 million in 2010 to $2.28 million in 2015, and with newer fundraising events such as the Celebrate Xavier Gala. By 2018–19, Annual Fund support is expected to hit $2.4 million. In addition to parent leadership giving and a draw from Xavier’s endowment (currently $44 million), unrestricted support will account for more than $4 million of the $23.3 million budget.
As Xavier maximizes traditional sources of income, school leaders continue to identify new sources of revenue. The school recently increased rental rates for film shoots and use of the gymnasium by outside groups. Fernandez-Duminuco Hall, the six-story, 33,000-square-foot addition slated to open in 2016, also has potential to generate revenue when Xavier programs are not in session. “We are using all that is available to us to remain costconscious on tuition and to keep delivering the mission,” Mr. Raslowsky stressed.
“Assumptions can change overnight, and they don’t have to change drastically to slow the rate of budget growth,” Mr. Raslowsky said. “Even moderate changes in assumptions, like growing annual giving— including gifts to the endowment—can be game changers in sustaining affordability. So our success in fulfilling this mission is ever more dependent on people supporting it. It’s incumbent on us to ask more deeply and for Sons of Xavier to respond more deeply.” Part Two of “Delivering the Mission” will appear in the 2015 Xavier Annual Report.
XAVIER MAGAZINE 31
ofXavier
Sons Caption for
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XAVIER MAGAZINE
the Jesuit Library at Xavier on May 2. 1952
Frank Mascola ’40, center, and Marcy Mascola, right, were joined by former Vice President for Advancement Joseph Gorski at Xavier’s 173rd Commencement in May.
1940
Tom Conniff was named an affiliate of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in recognition of his 40 years of service as outside counsel. At the luncheon preceding the awards, he sat next to his classmate John Rooney. “The meeting was totally unexpected and a pure coincidence,” Mr. Conniff said. “Our wives had to put up with a constant flow of Xavier stories throughout the luncheon.”
Francis Xavier Mascola recently rep-
resented the 75th reunion class at Xavier’s 173rd Commencement, held on June 11 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He and his wife, Marcy, live in West Nyack, N.Y., where they maintain a busy schedule with their grandchildren. Mr. Mascola fondly remembers his years on 16th Street, particularly his time as a running back on the football team. 1949 Gaspar “Chip” Cipolla, known as “Mr.
Chips” to his students, has been a substitute teacher in Manalapan, N.J., for the last 15 years. 1950
Attorney George Gerardi recently ventured to India to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Butterflies, a children’s rights organization that works with street children. He has served on the board of Butterflies USA since 2008. Mr. Gerardi holds an LLM in international law from New York University and has served in numerous capacities with several non-governmental organizations including Hermandad, Technoserve, and CODEL Inc. (Coordination in Development). Locally, he has been an adjunct professor, a school board member, prosecuting attorney for a village, and a member of the Justice and Peace Committee of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y. 1951 Rev. John Replogle, S.J., baptized Quinn, the great-grandson of his Xavier classmate Dr. John Quinn, in
John Maloney ’42 as himself and in costume.
Alumni Profile JOHN MALONEY ’42
Tom Conniff ’52
Col. William McGuth, USAF (Ret.)
writes asking for prayers for his wife, who is battling Alzheimer’s Disease. 1954 Lt. Col. Robert T. Gmelin, O.D., USA (Ret.) has retired from his post as
assistant professor at the University of California Berkeley School of Optometry. He and his wife, Sally, live in Sonoma, Calif. 1956
Dr. Emil Signes ’56
Dr. Emil Signes was inducted into
the U.S. Rugby Foundation’s Hall of Fame, the culmination of his 41-year association with the sport, on September 4. He began coaching rugby in 1974 and has since shared his expertise with club teams, colleges, high schools, men and women, boys and girls, 15s and 7s. He was
John Maloney regretted missing Xavier’s 2015 Reunion Gala in May, but he had a good excuse—it was opening night for the senior show he wrote, directed, and in which he played a starring role. He has been active in the show’s production for more than three decades, writing and directing it for the past 10 years. At age 91, he’s a model of vigorous health, eagerly preparing for next year’s show. “Eight hundred people attend the show each year. It’s only one night,” he explained. “Either you get it right, or you don’t get it right. Everyone’s in their 70s and 80s, so there’s a lot of ad-libbing!” A born entertainer, Mr. Maloney is a former stand-up comedian who still writes a regular humor column for The Rockland County Times. At the heart of his passion for entertaining is his love for people, a thread that has woven its way through his life. As a young man, the Harlem native entered the seminary, intending to serve God as a priest—but after a few years, he felt called to follow another path. He married his wife of 65 years, Joan, in 1950, and earned a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University. After Pope Paul VI restored the order of the diaconate as a permanent ministry in 1967, Mr. Maloney found a way to serve the church again. He became a member of the first class of permanent deacons ordained in New York in 1973. Today, in his 42nd year as a deacon at St. Anthony Parish in Nanuet, N.Y., he continues to visit the local jail, 85 seniors at the local nursing home, and 10 shut-ins every Sunday. For 36 years, Mr. Maloney also served as an elected official in Clarkstown, N.Y. (“They couldn’t get rid of me,” he said), including his time as police commissioner. He is now chaplain of the Nanuet Fire Department. What’s the secret to his vitality? “Two scotches a day,” he said, “and keeping busy.”
XAVIER MAGAZINE 33
Kevin McLaughlin ’74, Kevin O’Brien ’74, Kevin Tattam ’72, and Joe Tully ’96 with members of the Xavier Jazz Ensemble.
Rev. David Ciancimino, S.J. ’77
the U.S. national men’s 7s coach from 1987 to 1990 and its manager from 1991 to 1993. In 1988, he became a member of the USA Rugby Board of Directors and in 1988 was put in charge of organizing 7s within the U.S. He formed the national women’s 7s program and was the first national women’s 7s coach from 1996 to 2005. Between 7s and 15s, men and women, club and All-Star, his teams have won 14 national championships. He has been credited with setting the stage for rugby’s entry into the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who obtained a “recreational doctorate” in Spanish Literature at Rutgers, Dr. Signes lives in Bethlehem, Penn., with his wife of 50 years, Heide. They have four children and 12 grandchildren. 1958 Dr. Charles L. Crawford gave a gift to
Gary Horan ’66 receiving the ACHE Regent Lifetime Award.
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.
34 XAVIER MAGAZINE
the Xavier Annual Fund in grateful memory of his recently deceased classmates and former teammates, football co-captains Vincent (Jimmy) D’Ambrosio and Henry Sgrosso. 1959 Col. Lawrence Daly, USA (Ret.) writes
that he had a great time at the 2014 Hall of Fame Dinner with his classmates and his brother Col. William Daly, USA (Ret.) ’55 as they welcomed former Xavier President Rev. Daniel Gatti, S.J. (another proud member of the Class of 1959) and JROTC instructor Staff Sgt. Michael Rand, USA† to the distinguished group of Xavier Hall of Famers. Dominic Schiavo moderates an email
group of 80 alumni from the Class of 1959. Classmates who would like to join the group should email him at ddschiavo@gmail.com. 1961 Peter Cervini graduated from
Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1965, then volunteered for the draft in 1966. He served in the U.S. Army, attending Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Armored Division in Bamberg, Germany, for
15 months, then volunteered for service in Vietnam, where he was first a brigade staff officer and ultimately a company commander with the 101st Airborne Airmobile Division in I Corps. After his honorable service, Mr. Cervini practiced as a criminal defense attorney for 30 years, mostly in the five boroughs, but occasionally as far north as Albany. He retired to Hollywood, Fla., in 2009. As he noted in a recent letter to Xavier Magazine, “I turned 71 on April 2 and married a 44-year-old, drop-dead gorgeous blond Brazilian bombshell. With the great assistance of VA healthcare in Miami, I hope to squeeze out at least 20 more years with the missus.” 1962 Msgr. Alfred LoPinto was appointed
Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens in November 2014. He also serves as Vicar for Human Services for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Bill Fife once again served as moderator of the Professional Women in Construction Transportation Forum, an event he has led for the past 20 years, on July 15. As principal of The Fife Group, his consulting firm, he acts as senior technical advisor to Weidlinger Associates, a structural engineering company. He also lectures at the annual aviation planning course at the University of California, Berkeley. He and his wife, Pat, have been married for 47 years, and all three of their children are graduates of Jesuit universities.
1965 In 2014, Dr. Luke Burke retired after 34 years as a professor of chemistry at Rutgers University in Camden, N.J. He taught 3,300 students during his time at Rutgers and spent 17 years as chair of the chemistry department. His research centered on theoretical chemistry, specifically in computing the electronic properties of molecules and how they react. 1966 Frank O’Brien has lived in Rhode Island with his wife, Charlotte, for the past 17 years. Twenty-five years ago, she presented him with a Xavier-themed Christmas gift: three
wall-mounted displays of his Xavier memorabilia collection, including his track medals, a varsity track letter, his senior year Block X picture, diploma, and an invitation to his graduation ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. “For years, I used to tell people that I graduated from the Waldorf-Astoria, only to have my wife remind me that I actually graduated from Xavier High School!” he said. A graduate of Manhattan College and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (where he met Charlotte 43 years ago), Mr. O’Brien is a finance and accounting consultant with Resources Global Professionals. Gary Horan , President and Chief Executive Officer of Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, N.J., was honored with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) 2015 Regent Lifetime Award in February. One month later, NJBIZ named him one of the top 50 most powerful people in New Jersey healthcare.
After 20 years as an Army hospital administrator and 22 years as a financial manager at the U.S. Department of State, John Singler retired on May 31, 2014. 1969 Rafael Martinez writes that his daughter, Laura Martinez, married Erik Durr on March 14.
1970 Rev. Vincent Euk recently earned his
master’s degree. He is the pastor of the Church of St. Veronica in Howell, N.J. Don Loar is retiring from Milspray LLC as Technical Director.
1971 After retiring from Xavier in 2012, Michael Wlach became an adjunct professor of mathematics and computer science at St. John’s University. He just finished his third year at St. John’s and celebrated his 40th year in education. 1972 Charles Dupont is retired and living
in the desert of East County, San Diego. He writes that he is “swim-
Class NOTES
ming in a pool somewhere most days, reading history, seeking peace, wandering, and pursuing knowledge.” 1973 Thomas McDonnell is a portfolio management director at Morgan Stanley, where he has worked for seven years. He and his wife, Dr. Karen McDonnell, live in northern Virginia and have three children aged 25, 22, and 14. The McDonnells are considering a second home in South Carolina.
1974 Kevin McLaughlin was joined by Kevin O’Brien, Kevin Tattam ’72 , and Joe Tully ’96 at the 40th Annual
American Ireland Fund Dinner on May 7. They enjoyed meeting Matt McCabe ’15, Luis Arias ’16 , Christian Karas ’16 , Liam Jeffries ’17, and James Rodgers ’17, members of the Xavier Jazz Ensemble who performed at the event. 1976 George Carpenter is employed as
counsel at Rafter and Associates in Lower Manhattan. He specializes in insurance defense litigation with an emphasis on construction accidents, premises liability, property damage, wrongful death, and related insurance coverage issues. He writes, “Got two kids through Villanova and Georgetown. One more to go. Best to all.”
Frank Rohr tells Xavier Magazine that
his son, a biochemistry major with a 4.0 GPA, planned to take the MCAT in July. His 18-year-old daughter is an aspiring model who starts college this fall. 1977 Former Xavier Headmaster Rev. David Ciancimino, S.J., became the
35th president of Canisius High School in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 1. From 1989–95, he taught religion, Spanish, and French at the 145-yearold school, where he also served as Director of Admissions from 1989– 92 and Principal from 1992–97. Fr. Ciancimino then served as Xavier’s Headmaster from 1997–2004 before being appointed assistant to the Jesuit provincial in 2004. He became
provincial superior of the New York Province of the Society of Jesus in 2008. During his six-year term as provincial, he was responsible for the care of more than 400 Jesuits, as well as all the apostolic works of the province, including universities, colleges, high schools, middle schools, parishes, retreat houses, a social center, and overseas missions. In May, Fr. Ciancimino was awarded an honorary doctorate by LeMoyne College in Syracuse. 1978 The Hollywood Reporter ranked Armando Nuñez No. 7 on its 2014 list of the top 25 Latinos in entertainment. As president and CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group, Mr. Nuñez oversees all of CBS Corporation’s international and domestic distribution operations. He and his family live in Los Angeles. Michael Manogue, son of Joe Manogue, graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, Texas, and is now studying electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. 1981 James Menendez writes that his
daughter, Caroline, just graduated from St. Joseph’s University and will be working in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Montana. 1983
George Febles, Jr. was inducted into
the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame on May 14. A graduate of Fordham University, he has coached cross country and track and field at Fordham Prep since January 1988. Throughout his storied career, he has coached 79 CHSAA champions, five New York state champions, 70 All-Americans, and 16 national champions. His teams have won 10 CHSAA titles and six Millrose Games 4×800 meter relays. Mr. Febles has served as the CHSAA boys’ cross country chairman since 2001. He follows in the footsteps of his father, George Febles, Sr. P’83 ’88 ’90, who was inducted into the CHSAA Hall of Fame in 1996 as a track and field coach at Xavier and Fordham Prep.
Members of the Grain House Gang celebrating the 75th birthdays of Des Flanigan ’56 and Lenny Weg ’56 at their September 2014 luncheon.
Alumni Profile THE CLASS OF 1956’S GRAIN HOUSE GANG At their rollicking monthly lunches in Basking Ridge, N.J., laughs and nostalgia are plentiful. A Xavier 1956 banner always hangs proudly; old yearbooks and current Xavier publications dot the long, crowded table. They call themselves the Grain House Gang, these members of the Class of 1956, in honor of the lunch spot where their tradition began in April 2004. They meet just up the road now at Vine, an upscale eatery where they take over a private room each month. Guests range from seasoned regulars to out-of-town visitors like Jack McDermott ‘56, a California resident who dropped by the June 2015 lunch while on the East Coast for his 55th Holy Cross reunion. The Grain House Gang often (and happily) welcomes Sons of Xavier from other classes, too, including Dr. John McGrade ’57 and Rev. Vincent Euk ’70. Nelson Deusebio ‘56, universally referred to by his peers as “Beadle” (a nickname dating back to his days on 16th Street, when he carried that title in his homeroom), organizes the monthly lunches. During Xavier’s all-military era, Beadles took attendance, carried messages for teachers, and helped keep their classmates in line. It was good preparation for his current role, in which he oversees class events, writes regular e-newsletters, shares news of birthdays and new grandchildren, and keeps his classmates’ morale high. “Nelson has really kept us all together,” said Gerry Seitz ’56, a Grain House Gang regular. Mr. Deusebio deflects the attention, instead crediting the group’s success to its joyful camaraderie. They have seen a lot of life during the past 11 years, including retirements, milestone birthdays, and major anniversaries—even a group trip to Washington, D.C., where they were hosted by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ’53, who was a senior when they were freshmen. “We have a very simple group goal now…to reach 80 years of age!” Mr. Deusebio quipped. Members of the Class of 1956 (and other Sons of Xavier passing through the area) who wish to attend a lunch are encouraged to email Nelson Deusebio at nelsoncpt@aol.com. “There’s always room for more at our table,” he said.
XAVIER MAGAZINE 35
1988
Alumni Profile
Brendan Gallagher was honored for
FRANK RAGUSA '11 “If you look at the people who have accomplished outsized success in any industry, it was their creativity and commitment to excellence that drove them forward,” Frank Ragusa mused shortly before his graduation from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. As the winner of the 2015 Dean’s Award for Excellence, Wharton’s highest undergraduate honor, he is well on his way to emulating his role models. The Bay Ridge native’s passion for finance translated into an extraordinary college career, marked by his co-authorship of a major corporate bankruptcy case that has already been requested for use at Harvard Business School, Duke Law School, and the University of Virginia. He also served as a teaching assistant in multiple courses, including a Wharton Executive MBA course, where he taught the aforementioned case to graduate students. “I have always been interested in capital markets and investing,” said Mr. Ragusa, who majored in economics and concentrated in finance. “Even when I was very young, I read the business section of The New York Times, but I don’t think I understood the full extent of what finance really is until I came to Wharton.” This fall, he will start his career as a real estate private equity analyst at The Blackstone Group, the influential global investment and equity firm. He is thrilled to begin the next stage of his life in his native city—and true to form, he has set high expectations for himself. “The most successful people are successful on many dimensions—they are healthy, they nurture good families, they are passionate and high-achieving in their careers,” he said. “This was an insight that I recognized during my college career, and I made a personal commitment to strive in many dimensions of my life.”
his service to the Emerald Association of Long Island at the organization’s 176th Annual Emerald Ball on February 7. His sons Aidan ’17 and Brendan ’18 are thriving at Xavier.
Dr. Gustavo Lozada became the associate program director of the Tufts anesthesiology residency program on July 1. He is also the regional anesthesia and acute pain service director at Tufts Medical Center. A graduate of Boston College and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Dr. Lozada taught science at Xavier from 1993–95. He credits those years with spurring his passion for medical resident education. “I am very grateful for the years I was a teacher at Xavier,” he said, “as they fostered a profound interest in education.”
1989 1984 Andrew Corrigan is celebrating his
12th year as an independent financial advisor with American Portfolios Financial Services in Flushing, N.Y. 1985
Joseph McCarthy ’89 and Demien Farrell ’91
YOUR IDEAS matter... Please participate in the Xavier Advancement Survey at http://bit.ly/xhssurvey by October 5. Your input will help us serve the Xavier community more effectively.
36 XAVIER MAGAZINE
James DePierro enjoyed his 30th reunion celebration this May. He is very proud of his seven children— Jonathan ’04 , who is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology; Justin, a high school varsity football coach; James, a student at the University of Notre Dame; Jordan; Jason; Joseph; and Julianna. He and his wife, Kristen, celebrate their 29th wedding anniversary this year. Pete Hopper produced a two-man
play, Gray Horse, at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village in late August. The play focused on two cousins returning from war.
William Gibleski lives in Howard Beach, where he is chef/manager at Russo’s on the Bay. He has worked at Russo’s since November 1992. His wife, Diane, is a dental assistant. Their son, Billy Jr., just finished his freshman year at Scholars
Academy High School, while their daughter Christina just completed the sixth grade. Peter Seccia , a partner at Goldman Sachs and former Play Rugby USA board member, was presented the inaugural Founders Award at the Play Rugby USA 10th Anniversary Gala Benefit on May 12. The honor marked his longtime support of the organization and his deep commitment to developing youth through rugby.
1986 The efforts of John Crotty to support community gardens in the Bronx earned him recognition in a New York Times article in June. Last year, he and a fellow affordable housing developer invested in Small Axe Peppers, maker of the coveted Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce—a staple at city farmers’ markets, in Bronx shops and restaurants, and in local Whole Foods stores. Tony Gonzalez recently celebrated nine years with the FBI. He is currently assigned to the Operational Projects Unit at the FBI Laboratories in Quantico, Va.
Joseph McCarthy and Demien Farrell ’91 hosted the Xavier rugby
team at Común, Farrell’s restaurant in San Diego, during the team’s trip to California in April. McCarthy’s iPourIt pour-your-own beer technology is utilized at Común.
Christopher Spataro continues to practice law out of the South Bend, Ind., office of Faegre Baker Daniels. He attended New York University and earned his law degree at the University of Notre Dame Law School. Mr. Spataro was recently elected president of the board of the Volunteer Lawyer Network, which promotes pro bono legal services in northern Indiana. Peter Mazurczyk enjoyed running into Xavier students in Rome in April.
1991 Duncan Bahr published his first nov-
el, Dead Man’s Hill: Hell’s Kitchen Adventure, earlier this year. Now based in Apopka, Fla., he also continues his pursuit of the theater and recently appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace, Barefoot in the Park, Henry V, and others.
Class NOTES
1992 Adweek.com took notice of Nick Pappas and his wife, Mary Perhach, last year due to the success of their media agency SwellShark. Mr. Pappas serves as CEO, while Ms. Perhach is president. Brian Schulz was named to the 2014
SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal 40 Under 40 list, which honors the most promising young executives in sports business. A producer and cinematographer for MLB Productions, he won a National Emmy in 2012 for his work on The Franchise: A Season with the San Francisco Giants. 1993 Mark Perry earned a master’s degree this May at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J. He was invited to join the Alpha Sigma Nu and Kappa Delta Pi honor societies. Mr. Perry is currently a high school social studies teacher and reading specialist in Newark. He worked in real estate commercial brokerage for nine years before transitioning to his career in education.
1994 Matthew Hickey is currently assis-
tant general counsel at Rouse Properties in New York City. 1995
Paul Fabsik is celebrating his second year of marriage to his wife, Laura.
2002 Dr. Robert Cyparski, BCPS earned his
Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. He is a clinical pharmacy specialist at Martinsburg VA Medical Center. 2003
Matthew Hedge was a bone marrow donor in March.
2005 Eddie Cullen is working as the community manager at Grand Central Tech, the celebrated tech accelerator headquartered in New York City. Previously, he served as Director of Innovation at the Fordham Foundry, a unique partnership between
Fordham University and the City of New York that focuses on creating and growing small businesses. 2006 Michael Long was recently named
general manager of the iconic Manhattan saloon P.J. Clarke’s. 2007
Capt. Michael J. Chiaia, USA returned
from Afghanistan in October 2014 and received the Army Commendation Medal and the Air Medal for his contributions to combat operations as a UH-60M Pilot and Platoon Leader in Regional Command-West. Capt. Chiaia flew more than 70 combat hours in challenging environments, including night vision goggle flights at high altitudes and mountainous, dusty terrain with minimal illumination in hostile territory. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in May and will attend the Aviation Captain’s Career Course at Fort Rucker, Ala., from August 2015 to February 2016. 2008 Rev. Nicholas Colalella was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Brooklyn on June 27. He is a 2011 graduate of St. John’s University, where he studied philosophy and ancient studies. After college he was sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome and completed his degree of bachelor of sacred theology summa cum laude at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is currently pursuing a licentiate in biblical sciences at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, with a focus on biblical languages, including Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.
2010 Christopher Corrado earned his
bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and graduate certificate with honors from Stevens Institute of Technology in May. He is currently employed as a software engineer with Johnson & Johnson in their IT Leadership Development Program.
Championship (NEC) and played in the Division I College World Series. Mr. Maguire is the only player in Sacred Heart baseball history to win three NEC championships. 2011 After one year with ESPN, Chris Chavez has accepted a job at Sports Illustrated. He will be writing for the SI news team and assisting in their track and field, marathon, and Olympic coverage.
Members of the Xavier Entrepreneurial Society, accompanied by Michael Mulé '04, James Cappabianca '05, and Michael Chiafulio, visited Eddie Cullen '05 at Grand Central Tech in March.
Lawrence Schober graduated from
Fordham University earlier this year. He is a grantwriting intern at the Atlantic Theater Company on 16th Street. Mr. Schober founded his own theater company, The Mesh; its inaugural production of Woyzeck premiered this June in Long Island City. He hopes any Sons of Xavier who want to get involved in theater in New York will reach out to him at lawrence.schober@gmail.com.
Patrick Steffens recently graduated from Florida State University with a double major in finance and real estate. He is now working at the New York office of Avison Young, where he is an associate on the commercial leasing team.
Capt. Michael Chiaia, USA ’07 during his deployment in Afghanistan.
2012 Frank Arigo was recently elected senior class president at Gettysburg College, as well as vice president of the Student Senate.
John Cortese ’12 atop Mount Everest.
John Cortese, a rising senior at
Northeastern University, climbed Mount Everest in April. 2015
Matthew Rienzi has been playing on a baseball team in Croatia and Poland and represented Poland in the European Cup Championship. He was chosen to represent Poland on the Polish national baseball team in Vienna, Austria, from July 27-August 1. He has also been coaching Little League in Poland, where he donates gear to children who are interested in the sport.
Matthew Rienzi ’15 pitching for the Polish national baseball team.
Robbie Maguire and his Sacred Heart University baseball team won the Northeast Conference
XAVIER MAGAZINE 37
MILESTONES
REMEMBRANCES
Engagements
Births
Edward Hernandez ‘03 is engaged
Charlie Ferrara ’56 became a
to Stephanie Palacios.
Shane Lavin ‘03 is engaged to
Bridget Mahoney.
grandfather again to twin girls, Casey and Emily, in April 2014.
Dr. Frank Heelan ’56 and his wife,
Weddings
Ann, welcomed their 10th grandchild, a girl named Aria, in June.
John Singler ’66 married Deborah
Fredric Wheeler ’67 and his wife,
Brooker at Zion Episcopal Church in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., on June 3, 2007.
Matthew Hickey ’94 married
Brigitte LaBonte at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Lake Placid, N.Y., on August 30, 2014.
David Chen ’95 married his fiancé,
Terina, in March.
Matthew DiVeglio ’98 married Jessica Welsh at Holy Family Church in Nutley, N.J., on March 29, 2014. Andrew Nam ’02 married Czarina
Carbonell at St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church on June 20.
Frank Chiofalo ’03 married
Josephine Ocello at St. Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, on July 11.
Zachary Lipari ’03 married Jillian Macchiarella at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on June 28. Classmate Eric Hanson ’03 was a groomsman. Stephen Winter ’04 married Kristin Styles at the Church of St. Francis Xavier on May 30, 2014. Sebastian Perez ’06 married
Amanda Hernandez at DUMBO Spot in Brooklyn on July 3.
Andrew Nam ’02 and his new bride, Czarina Carbonell. 38 XAVIER MAGAZINE
Monica, welcomed granddaughter Cora Esperanza Wheeler, born to Brian and Claudia Wheeler in Washington, D.C., on April 15.
Jeff Sciscilo ’73 and his wife, Colette, announce the birth of their granddaughter, Colette Marie, on March 15. She was lovingly welcomed by her 2-year-old brother, Dominic, and parents Tess and Jeff Sciscilo, Jr. Dave Ryan ’74 and his wife, Vivienne, welcomed granddaughter Eleanor Rose Moss on May 2. Ellie is the daughter of Katherine Rose Ryan Moss and Luke Moss. Richard Nolan ’83 and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Mussi, welcomed daughter Clare Elizabeth on April 19. Paul Tuorto ’92 and his wife, Nicole
Centanni Tuorto, welcomed their son, Thomas Michael Tuorto, on May 23.
Michael Avalos ’94 and his wife, Sien, welcomed their first child, Sophia Annabelle, in October 2014. Mark Montaruli ’03 and his wife, Melissa, welcomed a son, Nicholas Joseph Montaruli, on April 16. Kevin Pohlman ’03 and his wife, Jessica, announce the arrival of their daughter, Reagan Claire Pohlman, on April 16.
Sophia Annabelle Avalos, daughter of Michael Avalos ‘94.
Rev. Peter O’Brien, S.J. ’58 When Rev. Peter O’Brien, S.J. ’58 died at age 74 on May 3, he left behind a legacy of service and musical genius spanning his 57 years as a Jesuit. The son of Peter and Martha O’Brien, Fr. O’Brien was born in Teaneck, N.J., in 1940. He entered the Society of Jesus shortly after his graduation from Xavier in 1958. His early years in the Society took him to Loyola Seminary in Shrub Oak, N.Y., Fordham University, Fordham Prep, and Woodstock College. He was ordained a priest in June 1971. His first assignment as a priest was at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Manhattan. In 1964, Fr. O’Brien’s ministry was forever altered when he met Mary Lou Williams, the great jazz composer and musician. He became her personal manager and advised her in the composition of three jazz Masses. At Duke University, Fr. O’Brien and Ms. Williams co-taught a course on the history of jazz. After Ms. Williams died in 1981, Fr. O’Brien returned to New York to assist in campus ministry at Fordham College Lincoln Center while dedicating himself to his work as executive director of the Mary Lou Williams Foundation. Through that organization, he helped provide assistance to countless musicians suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. His work with the Society later took Fr. O’Brien to various ministries and chaplaincies in Minneapolis, Minn., then to Christ the King Retreat House in Syracuse, N.Y., and St. Ignatius Retreat House in Manhasset, N.Y. He returned to his New Jersey roots in 1999, assisting in pastoral ministry at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City and contributing to the work of nearby Resurrection Parish until 2004, when he became an adjunct professor of English at Saint Peter’s University. He continued as executive director of the Mary Lou Williams Foundation and as a pastoral associate at St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church until poor health led him to Murray-Weigel Hall, the Jesuit infirmary in the Bronx, in early 2015. He is survived by his brother, Patrick O’Brien.
Rev. Henry Zenorini, S.J. Less than a week after celebrating his 94th birthday, longtime Xavier faculty member Rev. Henry Zenorini, S.J., passed away on May 15. Born in West New York, N.J., on May 10, 1921, he graduated from St. Peter’s Prep and the Lowell Textile Institute. He worked in communications during the war and returned to his family’s textile factory afterward. He discerned a call to the priesthood and entered the Society of Jesus on September 17, 1951. He studied at Weston College and at Woodstock College, taught at Fordham Prep, served as assistant director of the Catholic Medical Mission Board, as director of the Jesuit
IN MEMORIAM ALUMNI Seminary and Mission Bureau, and director of Jesuit Deferred Funds. Later, he served as president and treasurer of the J. Homer Butler Foundation. In 1970, Fr. Zenorini returned to Xavier, where he had lived in the Jesuit community from 1963–66. He spent most of the next 41 years on 16th Street, working as a counselor and as treasurer of the Jesuit community. His gentle, kind presence endeared him to everyone. Fr. Zenorini is survived by three sisters, Elena McEntee, Marie Kinsey, and Gloria Markey, as well as by many nieces and nephews.
Gerald FitzGerald ’58 Loyal alumnus Gerald P. “Jerry” FitzGerald ‘58 died on May 18 after a brave battle against leukemia. A graduate of Fordham University, Mr. FitzGerald credited his Xavier teachers for instilling in him a strong work ethic and the desire to succeed. He achieved renown in the aviation industry, spending 34 years with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and eight years at Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global transportation engineering company. Upon his retirement in 2004, he opened Aviation Perspectives, LLC, a transportation marketing and management company. In his spare time, he published a novel, The Seat of Power, a story of history, politics, and religion. Mr. FitzGerald served on the boards of Catholic Charities, the United Way, and Xavier High School. He was a member of the Xavier Board of Trustees from 2002–2008, then rejoined the Board in 2011. Mr. FitzGerald is survived by Ellen, his wife of 53 years, two sons, two daughters, 11 grandchildren, a sister, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Daniel FitzGerald, Jr. ‘48†, and his sister Maryclare Goss.
Rebecca Draper Townsend Rebecca Draper Townsend, 17, the granddaughter of Dr. Thomas Draper ’44, died on July 2 in Danbury, Conn. She was a 2015 graduate of Danbury’s Immaculate High School who planned to attend the University of Notre Dame this fall. News of Rebecca’s death spread worldwide earlier this summer when details emerged about the accident that took her life. She and a friend were crossing the street after a fireworks display when they were struck by a car. Rebecca pushed her friend away from the vehicle, saving his life. Later, family members found a note on her bed—a “bucket list” she had written for a class two years earlier. It read, “Kiss in the rain. Fly to Spain. Save a life.” She achieved all three goals. Rebecca is survived by her parents, Dr. Joan Draper and Dr. Gary Townsend, her four sisters, three grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
John R. Lau ’38 , 1/2/15 Frederick Cody ’40, 7/18/11 CDR R.F. Cuccias, USN (Ret.) ’40,
4/26/03
Dr. Henry T. Uhrig ’40, 11/17/11 John J. McDermott ’42 , 11/20/13 Dr. Edward T. Pierce ’42 , 3/5/15 Francis B. Duffy ’43, 12/10/14 Rev. Charles H. Lohr, S.J. ’43, 6/21/15 Walter F. Salnardi ’43, 11/8/14 Donald F. Gomber ’44 , 5/16/15 Dr. John F. Heffernan ’45, 12/5/12 George F. Neal, Sr. ’46 , 3/9/15 Joseph G. Holland ’47, 7/28/12 James W. O’Neil, Jr. ’47, 10/1/14 Francis X. Shea ’47, 1/28/15 Dr. Thomas L. Kennedy ’48 , 6/5/15 Edward Donegan ’49, 4/2/15 John S.T. Gallagher ’49, 4/18/15 Martin Johnson ’49, 6/2014 Robert C. Krieg ’49, 5/1/15 James F. McGann ’49, 12/5/14 Dr. Nicholas P. Cushner ’50, 9/25/13 Donald Harrington ’50, 1/27/15 Francis J. Herel ’50, 6/13/14 Dr. William J. Kane ’50, 3/27/15 Charles N. Shaffer, Jr. ’50, 3/15/15 A. Frederick Gant ’51, 3/16/15 John V. Girvin '51, 7/20/15 Robert P. O’Halloran ’51, 10/16/14 Raymond J. Robinson ’51, 5/29/12 John J. McCarthy ’52 , 7/13/15 Rev. Frank Nuss ’53, 4/8/15 Vincent “Jimmy” T. D’Ambrosio ’58 P’92 , 4/15/15 Gerald FitzGerald ’58 , 5/18/15 Rev. Peter F. O’Brien, S.J. ’58 , 5/3/15 Frank Mangiapane ’62 , 4/11/15 Joseph C. Antoniotti ’65, 7/9/14 Dr. Edmund J. DiLello ’68 , 5/22/15 Kevin F. Candio ’70, 5/3/13 William Carbone ’70, 10/22/12 Louis Pini ’70, 6/15/14 Chester J. Straub, Jr. ’78 , 6/21/15 Matthew Eugenio ’94 , 6/16/15 Mark J. Rivera ’96 , 3/21/15 Jose Benitez ’02 , 3/10/15
SPOUSES
Jeannette Daly, wife of Dr. John Daly ’65, 3/2/15 Kathleen Gerardi, wife of George Gerardi, Esq. ’50, 3/2/15 Catherine Heintz , wife of John Heintz ’46†, 6/26/15 Rose Koch , wife of Erick Koch ’47†, 8/25/14 Barbara Tomaselli , wife of Orest Tomaselli ’89, 3/28/15
PARENTS
Domenica Abernethy P'70 '71 '77,
mother of Robert Abernethy, Jr. ’70, William Abernethy ’71, and Joseph Abernethy ’77, former secretary to Rev. William McGowan, S.J., and the guidance department, 7/15/15 Irene Brenneis P’77, mother of Mark Brenneis ’77, 3/7/15 Joanne Devine-Dunn P’17, mother of sophomore Sean DevineDunn ’17, 4/26/15 Gerald V. Haskins P’74 ’77, father of Edward Haskins ’74 and Robert Haskins ’77, 5/31/15 Kathleen P. Hillman P'69 '75, mother of George C. Hillman ’69 and James E. Hillman ’75, 7/27/15 John Hyzak P’69 ’75 ’80, father of Thomas Hyzak ’69, Peter Hyzak ’75, and Paul Hyzak ’80, 5/27/12 Sue Hyzak P’69 ’75 ’80, mother of Thomas Hyzak ’69, Peter Hyzak ’75, and Paul Hyzak ’80, 4/26/14 Mary F. O’Mahoney P’77 ’80 ’85, mother of John O’Mahoney ’77, Michael O’Mahoney ’80, and Stephen O’Mahoney ’85, 6/17/14 Gertrude Maher P’67, mother of Joseph Maher ’67, 7/3/15 Maryrose Orlando P’67, mother of Deacon Frank Orlando ’67, 4/19/15 John Piccard P’88 ’90, father of John Piccard ’88 and Paul Piccard ’90 and grandfather of John Piccard ’17, 3/5/15 James T. Smith P’79, father of James Smith ’79, 5/4/15 Sylvia Summa P’79, mother of Don Summa ’79, 5/28/14 Jose Velazquez P’81, father of Michael Velazquez ’81, 11/22/13 SIBLINGS
Mark Bevilacqua , brother of
Matthew Bevilacqua ’08, 6/27/15 CHILDREN
Joseph J. Cipolla , son of Gaspar B.
Cipolla ’49, 5/4/15
Staff Sgt. Thomas Florich, son of
Stephen Florich ’75, 3/10/15 FACULTY
Peter Arabia , father of Rev. Peter
Arabia, S.J.†, former Xavier faculty member, 5/11/15 John Vega, Sr. , father of Shawna Gallagher Vega, Xavier’s Director of Communications, 5/18/15 Rev. Henry Zenorini, S.J. , faculty member at Xavier from 1971–1982, 5/15/15
XAVIER MAGAZINE 39
By Joseph Sexton ’77 see them every now and again on the city’s subways, their membership in the tribe given up by their team jackets or blue and maroon book bags. They are better behaved than I was—never any jumping of turnstiles or dodging of cops or poorly disguised chugging of beers in brown bags. But if I don’t always see myself in today’s Xavier students, I invariably become nostalgic for the rides to and from 16th Street on the subway. Subway cars are some of the city’s best classrooms. They ground you in a useful reality—the understanding that your daily exercise in curiosity and discipline is just a small part of an eternal, much larger experiment in ambition and struggle. The jostling for position, the pursuit of stolen sleep, the improvised inhaling of news and music and conversation. Invigorating, daunting, intimidating, inspiring. All of it good preparation for an 8:50 biology class.
I
Look or listen closely enough, and the lessons offered in those subway cars can run deeper. Matters of politics and race and sex and culture and commerce play out in those often claustrophobic classrooms. The education can be spontaneous, even dangerous; true learning can require powers of observation and infiltration; the truths revealed can be both sublime and sinister. But what is not to like about a school such as that? I began at The New York Times as a sportswriter, and years later moved on to the City desk. One of the first stories I did was simply conceived: ride a subway car from one end of the line to the other, and talk to every person who sat underneath one of those poems slapped up alongside the ads for acne medication. This day, the poem was “Luck” by Langston Hughes. “Sometimes a crumb falls From the tables of joy Sometimes a bone Is flung To some people Love is given To others Only heaven.”
Photo by Lars Klove
Notes from the Underground
Joseph Sexton ’77
The ride produced a woman who had just buried a best friend; Allen Ginsberg’s aunt; a woman from Joplin, Missouri, Hughes’s birthplace; an angry man; a Spanish immigrant; a devout Christian. A subway randomly selected had produced a perfect New York tableau. Fascinating; Serendipitous; Ironic; Diverse; Hilarious. So, Sons of Xavier, ride those subways with open eyes and open hearts. Study. Snoop. Inquire. Investigate. Take a moment, and take note. Always. A Brooklyn poet, Enid Dame, captured what’s at stake during each of those rides to and from 16th Street. Read her final line—“Anything you don’t see will come back to haunt you”—and make it your manifesto. Joseph Sexton ’77 has been a senior editor at ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest, since 2013. Before that, he worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor at The New York Times. He is a lifelong Brooklynite.
40 XAVIER MAGAZINE
FROM THE
ARCHIVES Xavier’s deep connection to New York City is never more apparent than on St. Patrick’s Day, when the Xavier cadets march up Fifth Avenue as part of the iconic Irish-American celebrations. Here, the regiment marches past St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the 225th annual parade on March 17, 1986.
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