Spring 2017 Volume XLIV Number 1
THE MOINA OVER 90 YEARS
FEATURE STORIES
Elizabeth Gentile Shares Mongolian Experience Kevin Connor Spreading Wings Melchizedek Project Opens Hearts w w w. f a t h e r r y a n . o r g
®
I
A lot goes into making the Father Ryan What does it take to fund a Experience A Father Ryan education?
h
F
Annual Fund
Miscellaneous Income (fees, facility rentals, vending and others) 8%
Spring 2017
Judy Komisky Orr ’75, Chair David Glascoe, Vice Chair David Tehle, Finance Chair Bill Stejskal ’79, Membership Chair Rev. Mark Beckman
Volume XLIV Number 1
Mary Brennan, Advancement Brett Wesnofske ’88, Facilities
Feature
1% Cheek Endowment Earnings 2% General Endowment Earnings 3% Subsidies from Diocesan Parishes
Without gifts to the Annual Fund, a critical would missing. Tuition alone is not enough to piece pay for the be many programs, Father Ryan
education distinctive.
Without gifts to the Annual Fund, a critical piece would be missing. You can help make the difference. To make a gift today, visit www.fatherryan.org/giving. Thank you.
Tom Bauer David Bohan ’66 Tommy Bradley ’81 Mary Brennan John Bumpus ’78 Betty Lou Burnett Lee Clark Dave Gallagher ’88 Warner Hassell Judy Hoover Steve Janicak Rev. Pat Kibby ’73 Dr. Robert Labadie Phil Mattingly ’69 Bob Mendes Pat Nolan ’69 Julie Norfleet ’88 Jack Polson Ralph Schulz John Siedlecki
2}
In the News
8}
Athletics
Thomas G. Connor, Sr. ’60 William H. Farmer ’65 Edward B. Gore J. Terry Hunter Vincent T. Phillips William F. Smith Edward A. Stack
Page 16
Celebrating the National Merit Finalists. New Academic Dean named. Ethics Bowl, Relay for Life, Science Olympiad students shine. Special Christmas table. A Veteran’s Day remembered.
State titles claimed by Girls Soccer and Wrestling; best finish ever for Boys Cross Country. Lady Irish Basketball Team among State’s and Region’s best. Sports highlights, individual honors and college signees. New Athletic Director named
15}
Homecoming
16}
Cover Story: The Power of Written Word: 90 Years of The Moina
22}
Elizabeth Gentile ’10 in Mongolia
23}
Kevin Connor ’91 Races for Ansley’s Angels
24}
The Melchizedek Project: An Invitation to Discern
26}
Legacy Gala Honors Robin Dieterich ’73 and Soccer at Father Ryan
27}
Class Notes, Births, Weddings & In Memoriam
Life Trustees
Administration James A. McIntyre, President Paul Davis ’81, Principal Sara Hayes, Vice Principal and Academic Dean Michael La Haie, Dean of Students E lizabeth Coyle ’02, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life Connie Steinmetz, Chief Financial Officer Fr. Gervan Menezes, Chaplain
Page 22
I
Table of Contents
Board Members
2% Gifts for Restricted Uses
A Tradition of Faith, Knowledge, Service
Cover Photo: For nine decades The Moina has been a source of news and fertile ground for several generations of journalists. See how this longstanding Father Ryan newspaper is keeping the news and the traditions alive. Beginning on page 16.
Committee Chairs
Most Rev. David R. Choby ’65 James A. McIntyre Dr. Therese Williams
Tuition 79%
activities and opportunities that make a
CONTENTS
Executive Committee
Ex-Officio Members
Dividends and Interest 1%
Gifts for the Annual Fund 4%
Board of trustees
Page 24
©2017 FRHS 22651
1
In The News spring 2017
JENNIFER ANTON Named Academic Dean
ETHICS BOWL
Father Ryan High School is proud to announce the appointment of Jennifer Anton to the position of Academic Dean, effective June 1, 2017. Mrs. Anton will be succeeding Ms. Sara Hayes, who will be retiring at the end of the school year to attend to health issues. Mrs. Anton was recruited to Father Ryan by Ms. Hayes three years ago to serve as the Assistant Academic Dean. Prior to her joining the Father Ryan administration, she served as the Assistant Principal at Independence High School in Williamson County for five years, where, in addition to her administrative duties, she was the Curriculum Coordinator, Credit Recovery Supervisor, Graduation Coordinator, Student Data Management Coordinator, and Scheduling Manager. Prior to being appointed Assistant Principal, Mrs. Anton was a teacher in both Williamson County, Tennessee, and Gwinnett, Georgia, teaching all levels of mathematics from Algebra I through AP Statistics and AP Calculus. She also has coached Ladies’ Track and Basketball, having served as the Head Manager to Pat Summitt’s Lady Vols Basketball Program for four years.
FIVE SENIORS Named National Merit Finalists Since 1996, over 250 Father Ryan students have received national academic awards for their achievements in the classroom. This year marks one of Father Ryan’s largest classes of national academic honorees, with twelve students receiving recognition at three different levels for their successes. Father Ryan Seniors KATIE CARTIGLIA, CANDICE CHEN, SAMANTHA CORREA, JAVELYN EDWARDS and HUGH HOAGLAND (above left to right) have been named National Merit Finalists, the most by any Catholic high school in Tennessee. Earlier this year all five were named as Semi-Finalists. These students are among the very top students in the nation. Of 1.5 million entrants, only about 50,000 students qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program, and only about 15,000 students are named National Merit Finalists. These bright students will now compete for a National Merit Scholarship at one of three levels, a reward only given to about half of the overall number of Finalists. “We are so proud of these students for their exemplary performance on the qualifying tests,” said Sara Hayes, Vice Prin2
cipal and Academic Dean at Father Ryan High School. “Each of these students embodies the long-standing tradition of academic excellence at Father Ryan High School. I would like to congratulate them on their performance at the highest levels of learning.” In addition to these five finalists, the National Merit Scholarship Program also named Seniors NICK BELLANTE, COLIN CRIST, CLAIRE GALLAGHER, MATT MCKENZIE and EVAN NUÑEZ as National Merit Commended Scholars. Samantha and Evan also received commendation from the College Board as National Hispanic Scholars, along with classmates CHARLIE MARRDER and GUSTAVO MORRICE. These students join an elite group of students. Congratulations to all of our honorees!
Mrs. Anton holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Tennessee; a Master’s in Education, Secondary Mathematics from Georgia State University; and an Ed.S. in Leadership and Administration from Lincoln Memorial University. She has spoken at several education conferences on the topics of student achievement and innovative assessment and grading practices. Mrs. Anton and her husband, Joe, have three children, Jaxon, Jacob, and Jenna Kate. They are members of Christ the King Parish. Ms. Hayes’s retirement will mark 19 years of academic leadership at Father Ryan and more than 30 years in Catholic education overall. She joined Father Ryan High School in the fall of 1998 as a fulltime teacher in the Theology department. She became Chair of the department two years later, and was promoted to Academic Dean in 2002. In 2012, she was promoted to Vice Principal. In her time at Father Ryan, Ms. Hayes has taught Scripture, Church History, Morality, Apologetics, American Literature, Spanish, Latin, and Biology. Some of her achievements include expanding the AP offerings from 12 to 26 classes; helping to expand the Fine Arts department to include multiple offerings in theatre, choir, and dance; and taking the school through dual accreditation, the first in the SAIS and Advanced Education. We thank Ms. Hayes for her love of and commitment to the school and its students, and we welcome Mrs. Anton to her new position.
For their first ever Bowl participation, Seniors Evan Nuñez, Gaby Alumbaugh, Jameson Labadie, Claire Gallagher, and Katie Cartiglia put up a good showing in the Tennessee High School Ethics Bowl on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. They spent months preparing with Mr. Brent Fernandez for the 16 cases and competed as the only team from Nashville in the field of 13 teams. The Ethics Bowl is a fun way for students to mix competition and intelligence in a debate-like form. In the competition, the teams must answer questions regarding the cases that they receive. One example of a case is whether or not to fund the conservation of an animal that is soon to be extinct. Some believe that nature should take its course and trying to reverse that is a waste of time and resources. Others believe we can and should take action, and that we should excerise our power as humans to undo the damage from centuries ago that is causing the extinction. The point is to give wellthought-out answers to the questions in the tournament. Then, according to a panel of judges, whoever answered the questions best wins. During the seeding rounds, Father Ryan’s team went undefeated, winning each of their three rounds. Going into the elimination rounds, Father Ryan was ranked 1st, but was defeated in the quarterfinals. Congratulations to these students on their strong showing at the Ethics Bowl!
3
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS from the Kitchen
FATHER RYAN’S RELAY FOR LIFE Saving Lives and Breaking Records
This year’s Relay for Life Committee, led by seniors Mally Doyle and Daniel Hayes, set a humble goal of $125,000, thinking that the record-breaking grand total raised in 2015 couldn’t be more than a flash in the pan. Imagine their surprise when they learned that they surpassed the previous year’s grand total before the 2016 event even started. The committee hosted its 7th Annual Relay for Life on Saturday, October 15, from noon to midnight at the Jim Carell Alumni Athletic Complex. With more than 1,100 participants, including 10 teams outside of the Father Ryan community from Pope John Paul II High School, St. Cecilia Academy, Franklin High School and others, the event raised more than $175,000 for the American Cancer Society. In addition, more than 50 girls participated in the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, which partners with the American Cancer Society. Each stuent donated over eight inches of hair to make wigs for cancer patients. Thanks to the efforts of the Relay for Life Committee and the participants from the community, this year’s total allows 58 individuals to receive cancer treatment in the Hope Lodge for about six weeks each, free of charge, including transportation and meals. The tradition of service at Father Ryan is long and active. As a result, the Father Ryan Relay for Life once again set the national standard as the largest student-led Relay for Life in the world, with no signs of slowing down. To date, Father Ryan has raised over $600,000 for the American Cancer Society. 4
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
Cooking Club prepares the Christmas Eve meal for their guests. Amanda _____ from Pedestal Foods (at left) and Fr. Gervan demonstrate technique to Juniors Parker Brennan and Jamie Schultz.
The competition isn’t only heating up on the courts and fields for the Irish. Just ask the Father Ryan Science Olympiad team, who are making big waves in labs and classrooms across the state!
“Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” This was the motto on the minds of students who helped with Room in the Inn this Christmas, bringing the holiday spirit to life through acts of service.
This year’s team has rolled through the competition with impressive finishes at numerous tournaments. In January, the team finished second at the JPII Science Olympiad Invitational, receiving top 10 scores in 20 out of the 22 categories. It was their depth of knowledge that took them past USN, Ravenwood, Brentwood, JPII, Hume Fogg, and 13 other schools from Tennessee and Kentucky. Only Memphis White Station beat out the Irish for first place in the tournament.
A dozen students from Father Ryan’s new Cooking Club sacrificed part of their Christmas break and prepared meals for 20 homeless guests on Christmas weekend, starting prep work early Friday morning. The wrestling team also played a role in the operation, stuffing duffel bags full of essentials for the guests.
Following this successful finish, the Irish advanced to the Regional Tournament. The team claimed a whopping 20 medals, including 11 first place awards and three out of five performance awards to win the tournament title! The team is now preparing for the State Tournament at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville on Saturday, March 25. Congratulations to our Olympians and Dr. Crooke and Mr. Harden on their successful season, and good luck in the State Tournament!
Although they were physically helping these men, the source of community and a loving atmosphere are what really matter. This love and care were not only felt by the guests, but by each volunteer as well. The guests came to the school through Room in the Inn, an organization founded by Father Ryan grad Charles Strobel ’61 that connects the city’s homeless to churches and other communities that serve as overnight shelters. The high school has hosted this event in previous years, but this time the school’s new Cooking Club prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner, allowing the students an opportunity to use the skills they learned this semester to serve those in need. The Christmas Eve dinner menu included chicken parmesan and
green bean casserole. On Christmas morning, the guests woke up to a wonderful breakfast spread and left with a prepared lunch in-hand for later. Katie Cartiglia, Father Ryan senior who helped with the guests on Christmas Eve said, “I have found that serving others is the best way to bring the Christmas spirit to life.” The Rev. Gervan Menezes, who is the school’s chaplain and the club’s faculty adviser, said that involving the Cooking Club with the school’s community outreach upholds Father Ryan’s mission of faith, knowledge and service. “A lot of the kids that are here at Father Ryan, we give them all the opportunities that we can to encounter Christ. How can you encounter Christ in the kitchen? Here it is,” Fr. Gervan said, “They gave up part of their holiday on Christmas break to cook.” The Cooking Club meets monthly and pairs groups of students with a chef from Pedestal Foods, the school’s food service provider. The students learn about kitchen safety, food sanitation, basic meal prep techniques and recipes for nutritious meals. The popular club certainly has taught the students impressive culinary skill, but it’s also helped build a bond across grade levels.
5
SERVING THOSE Who Serve Us On Friday, November 11, Father Ryan welcomed the largest group of veterans ever to campus for the 12th Annual Veterans Breakfast. Keynote speaker Chris Ring ’05, former Navy SEAL, shared his story of physical and mental determination as he became the first American to swim the length of the Mississippi River. His purpose was to raise awareness of the Legacies Alive non-profit that helps Gold Star families—families who lost a family member while serving—get the support and services they need. More than 120 veterans gathered in the Father Ryan Dining Hall to hear Chris speak, including World War II Veteran Mr. Jim Tohill, the father and grandfather of Father Ryan alumni. Junior Cade Pfeifer was chosen by Mr. Randy Lancaster ’83 to deliver his VFW Voice of Democracy Essay Contest entry to the crowd. The topic of the essay was “My Responsibility to America,” and his thought-provoking essay provided a viewpoint years beyond his age. It even had veterans in the audience saying, “Spot on!” After Cade’s essay, we remembered a special group of veterans from the Father Ryan community as we saluted our Hero Project Graduates. The Hero Project seeks to find Father Ryan students who left our school to serve in our armed forces during World War II and never returned to school. While there were no Hero Project Graduates this year, we remembered these brave soldiers for their courage to serve. Since its inception in 2010, we have presented 15 soldiers and their families with honorary diplomas as symbols of our unending appreciation for their service.
Clockwise from bottom left, Mr. Lancaster, Ring and Pfeifer honor the proud veterans from Ryan Nation, Ring visits with Gold Star Families along his journey, and our veterans recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6
Father Ryan is proud to celebrate the many men and women who have served our nation in the Armed Forces, especially those from our own community, and we especially thank the active duty service men and women who protect our great nation today.
7
Athletics spring 2017
IRISH SPORTS Report There’s never a shortage of excitement when talking Irish Athletics! From the fields and pitches to the courts and lanes, this year’s teams have given us plenty to celebrate, including a big tournament win from the Lady Irish Basketball Team, a second place finish in the State Tournament for the Boys Cross Country Team, and a State Championship from the Lady Irish Soccer Team. Here’s a look back at our fall and winter seasons.
RUN IRISH, RUN! KICKIN’ IT ALL THE WAY TO STATE Congratulations to the Girls Soccer Team on their victory in the 2016 TSSAA Girls Soccer State Championship! In topping Ensworth 1-0, the girls captured the 4th State Championship in school history. The road to State included a come–from–behind win over Hutchison in the Semifinals. After falling behind early, the girls tied the match on a goal from Senior Tally Bishop, assisted by Freshman Lily Rummo. In the second half, Freshman Hannah Morton scored two insurance goals. Bishop had the assist on both goals. The Lady Irish began the Championship match against the Tigers with several near misses. Then, in the middle of the first half, Senior Abby Nipp played a perfect pass to Bishop, who scored the only goal of the match. The defense, led by Senior goalkeeper Reed Sparta and Junior Carolyn Darke, did not allow Ensworth to get the tying goal. As time expired, the girls celebrated their new title, 2016 State Champions!
TWO MORE STATE TITLES FOR THE IRISH WRESTLING DYNASTY
What do Interstate 65 and the runners at the State Championship tournament have in common? They both run behind Father Ryan!
The Irish continued its reign over Tennessee high school wrestling, as this year’s squad won another State Championship title in Dual Wrestling on February 4, and another team State Championship on February 18. These wins bring the total number of State Championship team titles to 25 for the Irish Wrestling program, and mark the 20th and 21st State Championship titles for Pat Simpson ’74 as head coach of the team.
With the boys delivering the best performance in the 60-year history of the sport at Father Ryan, the Irish Cross Country teams completed a fantastic season!
At the Duals State Tournament, the Irish faced the powerhouse team from their perennial rival McCallie School in the finals of the tournament. After trailing early, the Irish mounted a quick comeback and won 45-27. At the Individual State Tournament, Seniors Christian Simpson, Ray Eason, Eli King, Andrew Wesnofske and George Hooker all took home first place medals. With this win, Eli King (above right) became the first wrestler in Father Ryan history to win an individual State Championship all four years of high school. Finishing in second place for the Irish were Freshmen Paul Killian, Junior Joey Vogelpohl and Senior Anthony Hagey. Junior Clay Rogers finished in third. The Irish finished with a team score of 239.5, which was almost 30 points ahead of the second place finisher, McCallie. Congratulations to the Irish on yet another successful season!
8
In the Division II-AA Boys State Cross Country Championship meet, Father Ryan finished in second place, trailing only
Brentwood Academy, and racing past Ensworth and MBA to claim their best finish ever. Senior Jack Clunan placed fourth in the meet, and Junior Joe Hoots placed 12th to earn AllState Honors. The Lady Irish Cross Country team finished sixth in the Division II-AA Girls State Cross Country Championship meet. Freshmen Mary Hampton Hayden and Rachel Knapp both posted Top 30 finishes in the meet. Way to go, Irish Harriers!
LADY IRISH REACH FINAL FOUR So close. The Lady Irish put together a stellar regular season, complete with a championship win in a regional tournament, a 22-game win streak and a senior reaching 1,000 career points. They finished the regular season with a 25-2 record, making it to the State Tournament as the #1 seed. The Lady Irish defeated Hutchison School 41-25 in the first round of the tournament, clinching a Final Four berth. Next up were the Tigers from Ensworth School in the semifinals. After a tough first half, the Irish mounted a big run to pull within reach but fell just short of the Tigers. The Lady Irish tipped off this memorable season with a burst and traveled to Atlanta to defend its title in the St. Pius X
Christmas Classic. Topping teams from the Midwest and a national power from Tampa, Florida, the Lady Irish claimed the tournament championship trophy for the second straight year. Just a few weeks later, the Irish faithful saw Senior Audrey Burdge (above right with Coach Jason Larkin) become the 10th player in the team’s history to top 1,000 points in her career. In a powerful moment a week later, Audrey received a commemorative game ball and was joined on the court by four of the other 1,000 point club members. Although the outcome wasn’t quite what they were expecting, Ryan Nation is proud of the effort and heart that the team showed throughout the year! They offered some exciting moments to celebrate and showed us why every day is a great day to be Irish! 9
BOYS BASKETBALL The young Irish Basketball team started the season off strong, winning eight of their first 11 games against some tough non-divisional opponents. The team fought hard through the treacherous Division II-AA schedule and made it to the first round of the State Tournament, losing a close game by three points to rival Pope John Paul II High School. The forecast for next year’s team looks bright, as the team returns all of its players. They will rely on their senior leaders to give them an advantage in the tough division.
STRIKES AND SPARES FOR THE IRISH PINNERS Congratulations to the Irish Bowling teams on a successful season! The boys team bowled exceptionally well this season. In late October, senior Jordan Hennessy came close to a perfect game, with the entire crowd in the bowling alley cheering for him. The guys finished their season with an impressive 13-4 record, making it to the Quarterfinals of the State Tournament. The Lady Irish team finished their season 10-6, also making it to the Quarterfinals in State, which is especially impressive for a young team with several first-year bowlers. Zoe Harris carried the highest average of the season. In the State Tournament, Carson Turner, Abby Raines and Jamie Schultz set personal records. Coach Holt is looking forward to continuing this season’s momentum next year.
SWIM & DIVE TEAM MAKES A SPLASH AT STATE The Irish Swim & Dive Team continued to dazzle in the water with big wins throughout the year against tough regional opponents. Twelve swimmers and divers qualified for the State Tournament, including Anna Fredericks, Caroline Fredericks, Dodi Fredericks, Matthew Wehby, Christian Simpson, John Clinard, Austin Wright, the relay team consisting of Gabby Juoza-Clark, Olivia Coode and Ayers Callahan, and alternates Chas Woeppel and Ryan Knapp. 10
The State Meet saw each member of the Irish achieve his/her best time. Christian Simpson helped lead the Irish with his 6th place finish in Diving, while Matthew Wehby placed 10th in the Men’s 50 freestyle and 13th in the Men’s 100 Freestyle. John Clinard had a fantastic front split on the Men’s 400 freestyle relay, and teammates Austin Wright and Ayers Callahan with Matthew Wehby as the anchor placed 15th in the Men’s 400 freestyle relay. To top off the season, Wehby and the Fredericks sisters all received the honor of National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Academic All-Americans. In addition, Simpson received the Male Diver of the Year award, and Wehby was selected 1st Team All-Region.
HOCKEY The Irish Hockey Team went into the GNASH Playoffs, hoping to win the Predators Cup Championship for the first time since 2009. They finished the regular season third in their division with 13 points. The team faced off against Lipscomb/ Brentwood Academy in the first round of the playoffs, defeating them 6-1 behind Senior Matt Faulkner’s four-goal game. But they fell to the red-hot team from Ravenwood to end their run. Congratulations on a successful season!
LADY IRISH RALLY The Lady Irish Volleyball team entered the season facing a rebuilding year after graduating seven seniors from the previous season and welcoming back former Lady Irish Volleyball player Ann Mullins ’03 as the team’s new head coach. But the players on this new-look squad took on the task of rebuilding with the resolve and resilience one would expect of the Lady Irish athletes. Undaunted by learning a new system, the team put together a memorable season, posting a 24-17 record and finishing third in the region. The team started off the State Tournament strong, beating 11
TOP TIER ATHLETES RECEIVE ALL-STATE HONORS The 2016 Fall Sports Season was one to remember, with a State Championship for the Lady Irish Soccer Team and exceptional performances by all of our athletes. Six Irish athletes received All-State commendations from The Tennessean for their performances in the fall sports season.
Hutchison in straight sets in the quarterfinals. Next up was a Semifinals match against a veteran-heavy Baylor team, who defeated the Irish in straight sets. Facing elimination, the young Lady Irish team fell to the Honey Bears from Harpeth Hall in five sets.
COLLEGE SIGNEES for 2017
Although the ending was less than desirable, the young team made a strong showing throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, providing promise for the years to come. Congratulations to the Lady Irish on the strong finish this year.
PUTT-ING ON A SHOW The Father Ryan Golf team had a great season, beginning with a win by both the Irish and Lady Irish at the Murfreesboro Classic Tournament at Champions Run. The Irish shot 296 and the Lady Irish shot 152 to take 1st place in both divisions.
TALLY BISHOP ’17 and CAROLYN DARKE ’18 were named to the Girls Soccer All-State Team.
MAGGIE THOMPSON ’17 and JACQUELYN KRUMNAUER ’19 were named to the Girls Volleyball All-State Team.
Both teams played in the Tennessee Golf High School Championship in Crossville. Palmer Sadlowski finished 5th with a two-day total of 145. The Irish found success again at the Hendersonville Invitational at Bluegrass Country Club, shooting 303 and taking the championship. Nick Wolf and Sadlowski each shot 72 and tied for 2nd place low medalist. The Lady Irish finished in 3rd place as a team, shooting 160. At the Irish Invitational, the boys’ team finished in 1st place, taking the Championship with a team score of 295. The Lady Irish finished in 5th place.
JOHN ARMBRUSTER signed to play TALLY BISHOP signed to play soccer JOHN ARMBRUSTER signed to play for Western Kentucky University. soccer for the University of Louisville. soccer for the University of Louisville.
In the post-season, each team finished 5th in the Regional tournament, where the Irish shot 295 but did not make the cut. However, four individuals qualified for the State Tournament and represented the Irish and Lady Irish well. At State, Nick Wolf finished tied for 6th, Matt Kirchenbauer tied for 14th, Aubrey Frantz tied for 3rd and received a medal, and Liv Cunningham finished 9th.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHTER This season marked a new era for Irish football as head coach Brian Rector and his staff brought their approach to Giacosa Stadium. Although young, the team exhibited determination, fight and enthusiasm that resounded across the campus.
AUBREY FRANTZ ’17 was named to the Girls Golf All-State Team. JACK CLUNAN ’17 was named to the Boys Cross Country All-State Team.
No better example of that spirit, captured by the 3Cs— Commitment, Courage, Character—was displayed than when the team faced MBA. They held the Big Red in check and entered the 4th quarter with a 10-7 lead against one of the state’s best teams. While a late surge by the Big Red earned MBA a victory by a 21-10 margin, the team earned the respect of the fans on both teams and developed a confidence that would be the highlight of the season.
PRESTON THOMPSON signed to play ETHAN WILSON signed to play NICK WOLF signed to play golf for the lacrosse for Montevallo University. soccer for the University of Alabama- University of Tennessee-Martin. Huntsville.
Congratulations to these athletes for their outstanding work this fall sports season! Thank you for your leadership and sportsmanship. 12
13
HOMECOMING 2016 Celebrating the Past and Looking Toward the Future
Introducing our New A.D. DR. DEVIN DELAUGHTER Devin DeLaughter, Ed.D., a member of the Father Ryan Math Department, all-conference athlete at the University of the South, and former high school coach and administrator, has been named the new Athletic Director at Father Ryan High School, effective June 1, 2017.
There’s just something about standing and clapping along to the Father Ryan Fight Song during those chilly autumn football games. There’s something about hearing the bass drums, trumpets and tubas march down the bridge proudly playing the tune to that familiar song. For Father Ryan alumni, to pledge our loyalty to the Irish has a deep meaning that extends beyond the bounds of a crowded football field. And on Homecoming night, those emotions run even deeper.
Dr. DeLaughter, who is 37, assumes the leadership of one of the Mid-State’s most successful athletic programs, one that has won 64 state titles in its history, including 26 in the past 12 years, and has finished runner-up almost as many times. Dr. DeLaughter came to Father Ryan last fall to teach mathematics, which he will continue to do through May, and serves as the faculty advisor for the school’s Multicultural Student Union. He previously taught at Tullahoma High School, his alma mater, where he also served as the football team’s QB coach and offensive coordinator. In making the announcement Father Ryan President Jim McIntyre said that everyone was delighted with the caliber and number of the individuals who sought the Irish’s athletic director’s position, but Dr. DeLaughter was clearly the top candidate. “Devin brings an exceptional combination of experience and leadership to this position,” Mr. McIntyre said. “In the classroom he has distinguished himself by both his talent and his teaching approach, and he has become a respected part of our faculty in a very short time. His coaching skill is well-established, and his background in a variety of administrative roles—from athletics to academics to student life—demonstrates his commitment to education in all its aspects. Add in his athletic achievements and his embrace of our culture and it is clear that the search committee and our administrative staff have found a special person in Devin. We are pleased to welcome him as our Athletic Director.” Dr. DeLaughter said the opportunity to be part of such a historic and accomplished place is exciting for him. “I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead this athletics program. In a short period of time, I have discovered how special this school and its community are. Teaching these students has been exhilarating for me as I watch them learn and see them work together to serve others. And the legacy of Father Ryan in Tennessee sports history, embodying the best of competition, sportsmanship and leadership, is a proud one that is respected across the region. I am honored to build on that legacy, and I look forward to working with our entire teaching and coaching community to help these young men and women achieve success while being outstanding examples of Father Ryan.”
14
A 2002 graduate of the University of the South with his B.S. in Mathematics, Dr. DeLaughter earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2015 from Dallas Baptist University. He began his teaching career at McCallie School for Boys in Chattanooga, where he taught mathematics and history, served as the Faculty Director of the BASIC Academic and Enrichment Program, and later was the director of Multicultural Affairs. He later moved to Grace Community School in Tyler, Texas, where he served as Director of Athletics and Assistant Principal. One of the top running backs in Tullahoma High School history and an All-State athlete, Dr. DeLaughter went on to star at Sewanee, where he was a three-year starter at running back, earning All-Conference accolades in 2001 and 2002. He began his coaching career as a football graduate assistant at Ohio University and returned to the University of the South as assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator for one year. He served as Varsity Football Offensive Coordinator at McCallie from 2004-2010, and later as coach at Grace Community, when the school won its first Varsity Football district championship. He is USA Track and Field Level 1 Certified and will soon complete his certification as an NIAAA Athletic Administrator. A resident of Murfreesboro, Dr. DeLaughter and his wife, Tina, a 2003 University of the South graduate, have two daughters, Briana and Erica. We have been delighted to have Dr. DeLaughter and his family as a part of our Father Ryan family, and we are excited about the future of our Athletics program under his leadership. Go Irish!
Homecoming weekend kicked off with the 4th Annual Pride in the Pit Barbecue Contest. Several pitmasters competed in the event, which was hosted on-campus and judged by a panel of celebrity judges, including local news celebrity and WSMV anchor, Rudy Kalis. The competition was stiff, but when the grill smoke finally cleared, it was the ‘No Butts, No Glory’ team that took home the trophy as the Grand Pitmasters. Everyone turned out winners though, as proceeds from the contest went toward the Father Ryan Mission Trips fund, raising $4,500. Father Ryan also hosted a “Junior Irish Night” for future Irish boys and girls, a night full of inflatables and fun for the whole family. Students, their families and the faculty from all of the area grade schools and parochial schools in the Diocese of Nashville attended. The children had fun with Irish temporary tattoos and a coloring page where they could add personal flair to the Father Ryan crest. The pinnacle of the weekend, the annual Homecoming football game, didn’t disappoint the gathered crowd of Irish fans and alumni. Serving as honorary captains for the game were members of Father Ryan’s Class of 1967, who celebrate their Golden Grad 50th reunion this summer. The Irish then took the field and put on a strong performance in beating Evangelical Christian Academy 34–7. The football team wasn’t the only party to walk away with a victory on Homecoming night. At halftime, senior Grayson Fletcher was crowned as Father Ryan’s Homecoming Queen. As part of a celebratory tradition, Queen Grayson was joined on the field by former Homecoming Queens, many from Cathedral High and St. Bernard going back to 1948. The weekend proved an all-around success, full of food, fun, family, friends, and Father Ryan football, and saw the coming together of Father Ryan students past, present, and future. It was a great night to be Irish!
15
Cover Story spring 2017
THAT GOES BACK NINE DECADES
Writing for The Moina taught me the importance of becoming—and staying—an informed person. Daily news is maintenance. There’s no day I’m not asking questions and informing myself. The Moina taught me that’s my right.
—Katie Lewis, Class of 2004
16
17
middle school self, ’Father Ryan kids are so funny and cool!’ As a sixth-grader at Overbrook, I probably knew more than anyone at Father Ryan about who was dating who or what Mr. Davis’s favorite Halloween tradition was.”
With the advent of the Internet, the 140-character news feed, and the 24-hour news cycle, there are questions about the future of newspapers. But whatever form journalism takes, there’s no doubt that a free press, storytelling and news gathering remain critical components to our democracy and to developing informed citizens, especially our youth.
Although writing for The Moina is quite often an enjoyable task, such as writing cheeky articles about Halloween traditions, valuable lessons are learned, too, that prepare journalists and writers for what lies ahead.
At Father Ryan, journalism, the art of writing and the expression of the written word, are not only celebrated, but have always played a central role in our school’s history. For 90 years, Father Ryan’s student newspaper, The Moina, has encouraged students to find their voices and tell the Father Ryan story. And, it isn’t only The Moina. There are the Gadfly, Father Ryan’s literary magazine, which also has an impressive history, the Yearbook, and the Creative Writing Club, all organizations that teach students the skills they need to carry on successful careers not only in journalism, but in any field that values written communication. And don’t they all? Many recent graduates have used their experience as writers at Father Ryan to launch professional careers in journalism. There’s Adam Tamburin, Class of 2005, covering hard-hitting and investigative news stories for The Tennessean. There’s Katie Lewis, Class of 2004, who writes and edits full-time and has her first book coming out next year; Briana Grzybowski, Class of 2008, merging her Catholic faith with her journalism skills by writing for the Tennessee Register, the Nashville Diocese’s newspaper; and Michael Murphy ’06 covering sports for The Tennessean. The list goes on, with leading journalists like Pat Nolan ‘69, TV political reporter; Tony Spence ‘70, long-time journalist in the Catholic media; John Seigenthaler, Jr. ’74, national TV news anchor. Griffin Connolly, Ransom Patterson and Tom Novelly, all Class of 2013, and Mary Grace Wilson ’14, who are now college students, are using their skills honed at Father Ryan to write for their local newspapers and blogs. 18
Such as the lesson former Moina writer Katie Lewis learned when she was unveiling the latest edition of the student newspaper. She was proudly handing the paper out to any student who walked by, and as she “cheerfully shoved” one paper in a classmate’s face, that student responded that she had heard of The Moina, but never read it. “I went through the five stages of grief in five seconds at losing this reader,” said Lewis, “But the huge lesson I learned was that we don’t report for people; we report because of people. It’s the right and just thing to do, to publish news that affects our community. If we have a story, we can’t not share it.”
"The importance of writing - of being a voice to your particular community - that’s a special gift - one I was lucky to find at Father Ryan." —Jim O’Hara, legendary reporter and Father Ryan graduate, Class of 1968
There are also our current Father Ryan students, like Emily Kendall, who is active in the Creative Writing Club and plans to major in journalism or communications in college with the goal of becoming a published author or journalist someday. LAUNCHING PAD Since the paper was founded in 1927, hundreds of Irish students earned their writing stripes as members of the student-run newspaper. Today, any student who wants to write for The Moina takes Newspaper Journalism as an English elective class, which is open to all Father Ryan students in the 10th-12th grades with at least an 85 average in English and a department recommendation. The course
introduces the student to the basics of the production of a newspaper and other forms of print media, and deals with theory as well as practice. Throughout the years, The Moina staff have covered stories as varied as the new schedule changes at Father Ryan, Freshmen Fears, The Fine Art of Chanting, Nine Days: Debating the new Attendance Policy, All I Want for Christmas is an Off-Campus Lunch, Student Athletes of the Month, Prom on a Budget, 20 Ways to Creep Out a Teacher, and many more unique stories seen only though a student’s perspective. “The Moina is an awesome collection of student writing that captures Father
Throughout the years, The Moina has attracted students and moderators, all drawing on the legacy of nationally-respected journalist John Seigenthaler '45.
Ryan life through a student lens,” said Mr. Matt Puryear, an English teacher who has served as The Moina moderator for 17 years. “While we don’t typically do a lot of hard-hitting journalism, we do have a good balance of stories that have substance with stories that are geared toward a high school audience—which is why people love it.” Even those people who are not high schoolers love it too, as evidenced by Griffin Connolly, who did not work on
The Moina during his tenure at Father Ryan, but was greatly affected by it during his formative years. He now covers high school sports for the Boston Globe while attending Boston College. Connolly vividly remembers when his older brother Brendan ’09 would bring the paper home on “Moina Day,” the highly anticipated day each month when the paper came out. “I’d read every story, every little blurb, cover to cover,” Griffin recalls. “and I’d think to my
A FIRST AMENDMENT LEGACY A valuable lesson, indeed, for all writers to learn. A lesson that our very own and distinguished journalist, the late John Seigenthaler, Sr. ’45, would have been proud to hear. Anyone with a connection to Father Ryan and to journalism can trace the roots of their own story, whether they realize it or not, to this giant in the world of American journalism and a beloved Father Ryan grad. “When I told an English teacher at Father Ryan my senior year that I wanted to study journalism in college,” recent Father Ryan grad Tom Novelly recalled in a column for The Tennessean, “he said ’Who knows, maybe you’ll become the next John Seigenthaler.” It wouldn’t be until a year later, when Seigenthaler, the celebrated journalist and activist, passed away, that Novelly started to learn more about 19
Seigenthaler’s truly remarkable life as an award-winning journalist, political adviser to Robert F. Kennedy, passionate civil rights activist, and First Amendment advocate. Now that Novelly appreciates Seigenthaler’s story and legacy more fully, he says he is especially proud to walk in Mr. Seigenthaler’s footsteps both as a Father Ryan graduate and as a reporter for The Tennessean. “For an aspiring journalist, Mr. Seigenthaler became a professional and personal role model,” he says. While Seigenthaler may be the most celebrated and recognizable name among a long list of notable journalists from Father Ryan, there are many others who have made their own significant marks on the profession. There is Msgr. Owen Campion ’58, who recently retired as the editor of The Priest and associate publisher of Our Sunday Visitor, one of the largest English language publishers in the world and the most popular Catholic newsweekly of the 20th century. And there’s Jim O’Hara ’68, who has spent more than 35 years as an award-winning reporter and editor, senior federal public health official and national issues campaign manager. During O’Hara’s time as a reporter for The Tennessean in the 1980’s, he and fellow reporter Phil Williams were finalists for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service for an extended investigation of corruption in Tennessee’s charity bingo industry. And although it was his sister who inspired his interest in journalism (she wrote for the Globe-Democrat in St. Louis and the Knickerbocker News in Albany, NY.), he says it was the three years he spent working at The Moina that gave him his real start in the journalism business. “My experience with Moina gave me a real love and appreciation for what you can do with a newspaper, which I later saw in The Tennessean day in and day out,” said O’Hara.
a sign of unity during the intense times of unrest in the late ’60s—a very radical idea at the time. His then-girlfriend, who was the editor of the high school newspaper at St. Cecilia, took a “blistering exception” to the idea and wrote a column condemning it. Although O’Hara’s idea did not take shape and didn’t go over well with his date, he took great pride in rising to the occasion and making his voice heard. ALWAYS WRITING It’s a tradition that is carried on today by Father Ryan’s recent graduates and current students. In addition to the current Moina staff and alums, members of the Yearbook staff, writers for the Gadfly and members of the Creative Writing Club regularly come together to celebrate the joy of writing and finding their creative voices. Emily Kendall, president of the Creative Writing Club, was ecstatic to find the organization during her freshmen year because she had recently “fallen in love with the English language and the power of words.” “Our club provides a positive and safe environment for members to share their writings and receive feedback,” said Kendall. Now, she and 45 other members meet every Friday for an hour to share their new work and share their voice. The club also submits work to the Gadfly and hosts a Writer’s Night once a semester in a coffee shop atmosphere where members can share their work with the entire Father Ryan community. But, you don’t have to be a writer for The Moina, Gadfly or Yearbook or be in the Creative Writing Club to gain an appreciation for the love of the written word. Students gain that every day they come to class at Father Ryan, says recent graduate Ransom Patterson. “The most valuable writing lessons I learned came from the English classes I took with Mrs. Brewer (English I Honors and AP English), Mr. Lancaster (British Literature), and Mrs. Tate (AP English Language),” said Patterson, Class of 2013 and current writer for four online blogs, including CollegeInfoGeek.com. “The instruction these teachers gave me in formulating and supporting arguments, striving to use impeccable grammar, and opening my eyes to the transformative power of literature led me to be the English major and writer that I am today.”
“The importance of writing—of being a voice to your particular community—that’s a special gift— one I was lucky to find at both Father Ryan and The Tennessean.”
Father Ryan and strong writing. They go together like Strunk & White. (Don’t get it? Ask one of the writers above or some-
O’Hara remembers finding his own voice in commenting on issues of the time. During his senior year when he was editor of The Moina in 1967-1968, he wrote a column suggesting all Catholic high schools should have a joint graduation ceremony as
Left to right, top to bottom: Griffin Connolly ’13, Katie Lewis ’04, Emily Kendall ’16, Jim O’Hara ’68, Pat Nolan ’69, Ransom Patterson ’13, Adam Tamburin ’05, Tom Novelly ’13, Tony Spence ’70, John Seigenthaler, Sr. ’45, Msgr. Owen Campion ’58, Michael Murphy ’06, Briana Grzybowski ’08, John Seigenthaler, Jr. ’74; O’Hara with Mr. Puryear and the 2016 staff of the Monia during a recent visit.
20
one in Freshmen Year English).
21
Elizabeth Gentile ’10 I MPACTING THE LIVES OF MONGOLIAN CHILDREN AND BUILDING HER TEACHING CAREER
G
Growing up in Nashville and attending school at St. Matthew and Father Ryan, the idea of living halfway around the world wasn’t in the plans for Elizabeth Gentile ’10. Mongolia was a word, and possibly a place, but one relegated to geography studies, not to life experiences. However, the commitment to service takes us where it needs us, and for Elizabeth, the Peace Corps called and Mongolia beckoned. Elizabeth spent more than two years teaching in Mongolia on a trip set up through the Peace Corps. She volunteered in youth development, working with a vocational school, a local orphanage, a local disability center, and a local Provincial Children and Family Development Center. Elizabeth’s main host-country agency was a vocational school called the Door Knob Polytechnic College, which trains students in areas such as hairdressing, mining and various trades. Her main focus was to collaborate with the school’s social worker and implement life-skills lessons with the students, focusing on self-esteem, planning, decision-making and communication skills. She also spent time within her community, working closely with a local orphanage called Anna Home, establishing a peer-mentoring group between her vocational school and the orphanage. Students from the college would come to the orphanage and do one-on-one 22
Kevin Connor ’91 HELPING CHILDREN SPREAD THEIR WINGS
AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT DISABILITY
After Elizabeth interviewed, she informed her recruiter that she really wanted to do youth development. She was placed in Mongolia based on her skill set and the country’s need at the time, receiving an official invitation from the Peace Corps. Elizabeth knew very little about Mongolia upon receiving the assignment, but was excited for the adventure of the unknown.
mentoring with the kids in various activities and life-skills building. The kids at the orphanage ranged anywhere from two to 22 years in age. The
Living there for two years, Elizabeth built some really important friendships with teachers at her school and the children at the Anna Home Orphanage. The kids were very special to her and she really misses them after developing such strong relationships. Even though she’s on the opposite end of the world now, Elizabeth still connects to her friends
“The kids were very special, and I really miss them after developing such strong relationships. Even though I’m on the opposite end of the world now, I still connect to my friends and the kids through Facebook.”
—Elizabeth Gentile younger children lived in a house together, and the older kids lived in a more transitional setting across the street in a yurt. This allowed them to live on their own but also maintain guidance from the organization. Some of the older children went to Elizabeth’s local vocational school and some were working, so it was a way for them to transition to living alone. Elizabeth was inspired by the idea to travel oversees when she was attending school at Saint Louis University studying social work. “I hadn’t considered international work before, but around my junior year one of my policy teachers was talking about her work in international development, and I became interested in going abroad to volunteer,” Elizabeth said. She also took a class that focused on community development as a whole, which inspired Elizabeth to look into the Peace Corps.
and the kids through Facebook. Elizabeth just recently moved to New Orleans, where she is working as an enrichment instructor at an organization called DiscoveryFEST, which is an afterschool program that uses alternative types of learning methods such as play and interaction. Right now, she’s teaching a class called the superhero league, which focuses on life skills, self-esteem and critical thinking through literature. She teaches her students reading comprehension through use of comic books to make it more creative and engaging for the kids. She reflected that the great thing about the Peace Corps is they do a great job of training their mentees. “I felt very well prepared to experience the international development world because the Peace Corps equipped me so well with the language skills and cultural preparation necessary to succeed.”
A
Angels have wings. They fly. And why can’t we? That belief is what drove Kevin Connor ’91 on his own angel path that has resulted in "wings" for countless young boys and girls. Kevin serves as the ambassador for the Nashville chapter of Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that allows disabled children to be a part of long-distance running races. The organization was started by a Marine in Lake Charles, Louisiana, whose daughter died in February 2016 from a progressive neurological disorder. In her life, her father would try to include her in as many activities as possible, and her therapist noticed how much she enjoyed being taken on runs with him. His daughter’s happiness is what inspired the idea for Ainsley’s Angels, which has grown significantly since the start. Now there are 50 ambassadors in 50 different regions across America. Kevin got involved with the organization after he saw Facebook photos from a fellow alumna, Paula Hoffman ’92, and
"At the end of the races, it is very heartwarming to see these children’s faces light up as they are pushed through the finish line and everyone in the crowd is cheering for them. It’s a great way for the kids to feel included and loved." decided he wanted to help out. Now, he is the local ambassador in charge of promoting fundraising, organizing the sponsors and riders, and of course participating in the races. “The children’s sponsors purchase special strollers for the kids to be pushed in throughout the race. At the end of the races, it is very heartwarming to see these children’s faces light up as they are pushed through the finish line and everyone in the crowd is cheering for them. It’s a great way for the kids to feel included and loved.” Kevin said, “Our main mission is to include people who would not otherwise be able to participate in some type of athletic event, and not only to have a good time but also to think of someone other than ourselves.” The Nashville program has been open since July 2016. There are several volunteers who push these children in races around town in areas such as Maryland Farms, East Nashville, and the YMCA. They try to select 5ks with lively crowds who will especially cheer on the kids.
—Kevin Connor
elementary schools such as Harris-Hillman, High Hopes, and programs like the YMCA. Some of these children are even the kids of Father Ryan graduates. The Father Ryan Community has been especially involved in Ainsley’s Angels. Besides the alumni’s children participating in the races, the community even pooled their efforts and raised money for a $1,000 chair in just one day’s time. With the power of social media, both Kevin and Tony Carletello ’89 challenged their Facebook friends to raise the money, seeing how many could give at least $25. They were thrilled to see how many people immediately joined the effort, and especially from Father Ryan runners. Ainsley’s Angels has enriched many lives in the Father Ryan Community, says Kevin, “I’m so pleased that I got involved.”
A lot of these children come from local 23
The Melchizedek Project: LIGHTING THE PATH FOR FATHER RYAN STUDENTS
But these meetings are not enough to thoroughly discern a vocation to the priesthood. So to complement the program, the students are able to attend one-on-one spiritual direction with Fr. Gervan throughout the school year. “In spiritual direction, I give them an opportunity to talk through any issues they might be facing in their lives. Then, we talk about prayer, helping direct their prayer lives and teaching them how to pray,” said Fr. Gervan. These students are also invited to take an annual trip to a seminary with the Nashville Catholic Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office to see firsthand what life as a seminarian is like. Additionally, students in the program are trained to be
Y
"”You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Words from the Bible, heard often at Mass, echoing a cry from Hebrews that honored the great high priest. Today, that high priest’s name is a fitting title for a program designed to help young men discern their vocation. With Nashville’s Catholic community growing in population and number of churches, the need for more priests is now greater than ever. During his 10 years as head of the Diocese of Nashville, Bishop David Choby, a 1965 graduate of Father Ryan, has gained a reputation for his work boosting vocations to the priesthood across the diocese. That reputation is both appropriate and impressive, as his efforts have yielded exceptional results. According to a story posted by the Tennessee Register in February 2016, the Diocese of Nashville currently has 27 seminarians, and Bishop Choby has ordained 26 new priests in the last 10 years, including at least one every year. Following the Bishop’s example and direction, Father Ryan has also focused its efforts over the past few years on creating opportunities for students to explore their callings and discern their vocations more seriously. Of the 27 seminarians from the diocese, four are Father Ryan graduates: Rhodes Bolster ’11, Jackson Du Bois ’15, Quinn Robinson ’15 and Luke Wilgenbusch ’11. To help Father Ryan students determine God’s calling for 24
nary next year.” Ryan’s classmate and fellow member of the Melchizedek Project Christian Hamrick ’17 is also discerning a vocation to the priesthood. “I would say the Melchizedek Project has made it to where I am not ashamed to acknowledge my faith as part of being a man. A man of God,” Christian said. “It is an environment in which I find other guys like me. Guys who are truly searching for the way to Christ and trying to discern God’s will for their life. It has been one component of my coming to God.” Also in the program is Preston Thompson ’17, who similarly
“What is a vocation? It’s a calling from God and an answer from man. ” —Father Gervan them, the school has implemented a special program for male students called the Melchizedek Project, led by Father Ryan’s Chaplain Father Gervan Menezes. The Melchizedek Project is a national program used by many schools and universities across the nation. According to the program’s website; “The Melchizedek Project helps men hear the call of Jesus Christ and discover their true vocation.” It is centered on a book written by Father Brett Brennan called To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood, which has been lauded as the “catechism for discernment” by critics. “What is a vocation?” Fr. Gervan posited, “It’s a calling from God and an answer from man. The Melchizedek Project is a chance for a Father Ryan student to bring his vocation to the front of his mind and begin discerning it at an early age.” The group includes 43 students in all four grade levels and meets once a month to study materials on vocations and meet with priests or seminarians to hear their vocation stories. “I typically ask younger priests or seminarians to come to the meetings and share their stories to help our students better relate to their witnesses,” Fr. Gervan said, “For example, Jackson and Quinn came to a meeting earlier this school year to share their vocation stories, which was very beneficial for the students.”
Father Ryan alumni in the seminary: left to right Jackson DuBois, Quinn Robinson, Rhodes Bolster and Luke Wilgenbusch.
altar servers for the Bishop, giving them the chance to participate in the Liturgy around the diocese. “I can see each student’s faith grow right in front of my eyes,” Fr. Gervan said. “Many of these students are the ones I see every day at morning Mass before school begins, and they are the ones leading Adoration on Thursdays after school ends. They offer to serve Masses on campus and in the community. These students come from different walks of life and have many different interests. It’s a blessing to see them get so involved with their faith and with prayer, and they really set an example for the rest of the student body.” One of the students currently enrolled in the program is Ryan Hinlo ’17, who joined the program at the beginning of his junior year when Fr. Gervan reached out to him. “During the activities fair my junior year, Fr. G reached out to me and asked if I would think about joining,” Ryan said. “I had started going to morning Mass regularly at the beginning of the year and started building a relationship with Fr. G. I had a basic understanding of what the group did, and it sounded pretty fun, so I knew that it wouldn’t hurt to go to a meeting and see what it was really about,” Hinlo said. Now halfway through his second year, Ryan has nothing but praise for the program, “I really did not even think about the priesthood prior to joining the group. By joining the group, another vocational option has opened up in my eyes. The Melchizedek Project has really helped me think about all my options, and it has led me to the decision to enter the semi-
joined in his junior year. “The meaning of the program to me today is an opportunity to explore a future in my faith. This project has really made me start to think about things differently. I find myself having a better faith life and praying more throughout my day,” Thompson said. Preston, an All-Region and All-State lacrosse player for the Irish, recently signed his letter of intent to play lacrosse for Montevallo University in Alabama. Although his plans for college are set, Preston is far from finished discerning God’s call, saying this is just one call from God that he has answered. “For me, discerning the call isn’t just a one and done thing,” Preston said. “I’m going to Montevallo because that’s where I feel called to right now. Who’s to say what will happen in 10 years? God may call me to the priesthood, or he might call me to married life. I don’t always know what’s in store for me in the future. That’s why I have to discern my vocation.” At the moment, Father Ryan is developing a program called Magnificat for female students to discern their vocations and participate in more formal spiritual direction, according to Elizabeth Coyle ’02, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life. “With the success of the Melchizedek Project on campus, we want to make sure that our female students have similar opportunities to discern their calls from God,” Elizabeth said. “We are doing our research and gauging interest now in hopes that we can grow the Magnificat program over the next couple of years.” 25
Class Notes spring 2017
YOU’LL GET A KICK OUT OF HIM HONORING OUR LEGENDARY TEACHER AND SOCCER COACH ROBIN DIETERICH ’73
1962 The boys from 1962 celebrated their 54th reunion in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on October 15, 2016. Pictured left to right are PHIL KINCAID, BOB MUSGROVE, BILL SOVINE, JOHN BATSON, MICHAEL GALLAGHER, BERNIE WHEELER, PAT MCREDMOND, JIM HUGHES, JACK HUGHES, JOE SEMMES, and CLARK LUSTER.
On February 25, 2017, Robin Dieterich ’73, one of the school’s longest serving faculty members and one of its most successful coaches, was saluted and applauded as the honoree of the school’s 38th Annual Legacy Gala. He has taught English and coached the Varsity and Junior Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer teams at the school since 1978 with the exception of a brief six-year period when he taught at Brentwood High. His boys teams have claimed the State Championship on five occasions, and his girls teams have won the title four times, including the team’s most recent title win in the fall. Robin received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Stetson University in 1978 and was a member of their Soccer Team. He is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association, and the Tennessee High School Soccer Coaches Association. But you can’t separate Robin from the soccer pitch, so in addition to saluting him for his service in and out of the classroom, Father Ryan also honored the school’s highly successful soccer program. The school fielded its first boys soccer team in 1971, and the program quickly found success, winning back-to-back State Championships in 1972 and 1973 with a team that featured Robin Dieterich as a player. Nearly a decade later, the first Lady Irish Soccer team took to the pitch, with none other than Coach Dieterich at the helm for the squad. To date, the program has claimed 11 State Titles and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. For more pictures or to watch the video on Coach Dieterich, visit www.fatherryan.org/legacygala.
26
1964 MIKE MONOHAN and his wife ANITA (CORSINI)
2011 LUKE WILGENBUSCH and RHODES BOLSTER are
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 1, 2016, in St. Stephen Church in Mt. Juliet, where they are members. The couple shared their special day with nearly 100 of their closest friends and family.
attending seminary at The Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. Pictured with Luke and Rhodes is Nancy Langdon (retired staff) and her son John Langdon ’92, who visited them in October while on a church trip to Italy.
1983 RANDY LANCASTER (FACULTY) played the characters
Duke Solinus and Balthasar in Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s production of Comedy of Errors, featuring the music of Nashville songwriters David Olney, Stan Laurence, and Lari White, during a six-week run in the fall. Junior Michael Valencia ran the sound for the shows.
2011 JACOB BAUMAN
from Bridgestone Arena. This award is given to the person who has exemplified the mission statement and who has been instrumental in the efforts to achieve the “One Goal” by working hard, playing hard, and providing outrageous customer and community service. Jeremy is the Front of House Coordinator at Bridgestone Arena and for the Nashville Predators.
works for Stage Post Studios in Nashville as a studio assistant and director of photography while managing their three studios. His work includes filming an interview with Tom Cruise, the red carpet for country music events, and projects for Bridgestone, Shell, Kroger, Schneider Electric and many other Fortune 500 companies.
2010 ARIEL NEWTON graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in July with a Master of Science in Nursing and is a certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). She has started her career as a PMHNP with Centerstone in Nashville.
2012 SARAH PLANTZ received Auburn University’s President’s Award and the W. James Samford Scholarship last spring. She was a member of several honor societies, an ambassador for the college, and former president of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. Sarah was a recipient of the National Retail
2004 JEREMY MERIWETHER received the Masterson Award
27
Federation Student Summit Scholarship and was selected as an ambassador for the 2015 International Quality of Life Awards at the UN in New York. Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude in May with a major in apparel merchandising. She is a merchandising assistant at Lord and Taylor in NYC.
TOM SEIGENTHALER INSPIRES WITH HIS ART AT O’MORE
2014 PFC JOE BALDINGER returned in November from a deployment
A suited and creative businessman by day and a brilliant artist by night, Tom Seigenthaler ’57 had a talent for a range of artistic endeavors from sculpture, paintings, pottery, carvings, sketches and poems. All this was only discovered by most Nashvillians after his death in 2004.
to Afghanistan after completing Army Basic and Airborne training. He is stationed in Ft. Carson, CO. Please keep Joe and all our active military in your prayers. 2015 JUAN JOSE RODRÍGUEZ , a sophomore at Notre Dame, is broad-
casting for the Irish soccer and baseball teams this spring. In addition to his classes and broadcasting duties, he is also the sports editor for Scholastic, the university’s monthly student magazine. 2016 KATIE JORDAN and SIUE’s soccer team won the OVC champion-
ship in November.
Over 40 years of works from Mr. Seigenthaler were recently on display at O’More College of Design in Franklin. The exhibition, “The Character of a Man,” opened September of 2016 and featured works in oil, watercolor, clay, pen and ink, and more.
LADY IRISH 1,000 POINT CLUB Adds New Member
At the basketball games vs. JPII, we saluted the members of the Lady Irish Basketball 1,000 Point Club, in honor of the club’s newest member AUDREY BURDGE ’17 who scored her 1,000th point this season. Pictured above is Audrey with fellow 1,000 point-club members KRISTIN ARCHIE BLANKENSHIP ’03, KATIE CARTER DOUGLAS ’99, DONNA HARRIS ’89, and TISH PILKERTON PICKLESIMER ’03.
Tom was always very outgoing in public, but he created art for the sheer joy of it and preferred to keep his work private, only for the eyes of family and close friends. He spent his free time in his converted garage studio behind his house, and his art remained there even after he died. “Those who knew my father knew that making art fed his soul and infused everything he touched,” explained his daughter, Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, President of DVL Seigenthaler, a Finn Partners Company. “His hands were always moving, as if tracking his incessant imagination. He could capture humanity with just a few simple pen strokes. We are extremely grateful to David Rosen and the team at O’More for giving us an unprecedented opportunity to finally share this intimate work with others who knew him, and many who didn’t. It is a poignant and exhilarating event for our family.”
SAVE THE DATE Friday, June 2, 2017 Lou Graham ’56 Alumni Golf Tournament Look for more information at fatherryan.org
You can view the works at www.tomseigenthaler.com
28
29
Weddings spring 2017
Births spring 2017
ELLIE BALDINGER ’13 and DANIEL GERRINGER were married on December 17, 2016, at St. Matthew Church in Franklin, TN. The couple lives in Freetown, IN, while Ellie pursues her undergraduate in business at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Columbus and coaches a 9th grade travel volleyball team.
Amelia Grace (Millie) to TAYLOR and ERIC CLEPPER ’03 , born on November 16, 2015.
JESSICA MOODY and ERIC BOLTON ’10 were married on September 24, 2016. The couple lives in Nashville.
Annie Kate to KATIE (WARREN) ’00 and JAY FRANKLIN , born
Mary Charles (MC) to AMANDA and BRENT ’99 FERNANDEZ (FACULTY) born
Anna Clare to REBECCA and ERIC FRANCISCO (FACULTY) born on January 7, 2017.
Jessica & Eric Bolton
Jenny & Dylan Lynch
JENNY DILBERT and DYLAN LYNCH ’03 were married on October 8, 2016.
July 11, 2016. Kate joins siblings Jaggar (2), Lauren (10), Jacob (13) and cousin Harper Dean Warren, Aunt Mary and Uncle Will Warren ’99 and Aunt Abbie (Warren) ’06 and Uncle Mike Hudson. Peggy (Shacklett) ’76 and Bill Warren are proud grandparents.
MELANIE ADAMS and ANDREW KELSO ’96 were married on July 2, 2016 at Wightman Chapel at ScarrittBennett Center. Joining the family is Garrett (14), Nolan (11) and Emma-Claire (10). The family is living in Petersburg, TN.
Anna Clare Francisco
Annie Kate Franklin
Jeffrey Hayes Hausman
Brooke Kennedy Hayden
Ignatius Francis McGee
Jett Matthew Norville
Stella June Powell
Duke Michael Wilson
born on August 17, 2016.
Brooke Kennedy Hayden to JUSTIN ’02 and STEPHANIE (LEW-
born on September 8, 2016. Big brother Connor (2 1/2) loves his new little sister! Ignatius Francis to KATE (FACULTY) and JONATHAN ’99 (FACAndrew & Melanie Kelso
Joseph & Kristen Whitney
born on November 20, 2016. Ignatius joins big
sister Dede. Jett Matthew to KIMBERLY (LINDSEY) ’96 and MATTHEW NORVILLE ,
born on March 6, 2016. He joins older brothers Christian and Jaxon. The family lives in Augusta, GA, where Kimberly is a Career Transitions Counselor at Fort Gordon Army installation as well as a Guidance Counselor for Evans Christian Academy. Stella June to ERICA JUNE MURPHY and RYAN POWELL ’06 ,
born October 8, 2016. She will be a 5th generation student (2035), following her great-great-grandfather James A. Curley, Sr. ’28, great-grandfather Thomas Nolan Curley ’61, grandmother Jan Marie Curley ’81, and dad James Ryan Powell ’06. Michael & Cristina Weeks
Duke Michael to HEATHER and MICHAEL WILSON ’00 (STAFF),
born on October 9, 2016.
CORRECTION: In the summer issue, Maria Rose Cortesi’s name was misspelled. We regret the error. Maria is the daughter of Kelly (Nolan) ’01 and Shane Cortesi.
30
Mary Charles Fernandez
IS) ’02 HAYDEN
ULTY) McGEE ,
CRISTINA BEASLEY ’98 and MICHAEL WEEKS were married on June 4, 2016, at her uncle’s farm in Franklin. Cristina and Mike live on a houseboat in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where she works as the European Retail Business Director for Nike. Mike is an independent video photographer for Nike and various real estate and commercial businesses. Several alumni are in the photo at right including (left to right) Steven Beasley ’69, Ben Beasley ’06, Mike Weeks, Cristina ’98, Laura Beasley (22-year retired teacher), Mike Beasley and John Beasley ’72.
Amelia Grace Clepper
Jeffrey Hayes to MARGARET (MORGAN) ’06 and MICHAEL HAUSMAN ’06 ,
KRISTEN VOGT ’06 and JOSEPH WHITNEY were married on July 2, 2016, at Christ the King Church, officiated by Father Dexter Brewer. Kristen works for Target Corporation as an Executive Team Lead in Human Resources, and Joseph works for Cybera, Inc. The Whitneys live in Spring Hill, TN.
on February 17, 2017.
31
In Memoriam spring 2017
of Mark Cesnik, Melinda Graddy ’77, Nancy Locke ’79, Jeanne Stejskal ’80 BRANTZ A. BATEY: Brother of Judy (Bill ’79), and Joe Cesnik ’83 (Sonya Mills, Barbara, Stephen, Bubba ’54 Sturges ’83). (deceased), James (deceased), and John NEIL A. CIANGI: Father of Terry Ritter (deceased) Batey. and Neil Ciangi ’80.
PAUL T. GILMER, SR.: Father of Stephanie Johnson, Julia Marsh, Paulette Beaty, Susan Harbaugh, Barbara GilmerSmith ’79, Paul Gilmer, Jr. and Robert Gilmer ’82.
Mother of Thomas ’66, Terrance, WALTER F. “RICK” CLEPPER III ’73: Robert, Charles, Nancy Lou (deceased) Brother of Tim ’67 (deceased), Mike ’70, Pat ’72, John ’75, Mary Ann Burns ’75 and Kathy Beneke. (deceased), Paul ’78 (deceased), Tom ’80 DAVID M. BLAIR: Former Staff and Golf and Teresa ’80 Clepper, Janis Jaffe, and Coach. Christie Scherrer.
FRANKLIN D. GONZALES: Father of
DONALD G. ADAMS ’50.
ROBERTA
BENEKE
BLANKENSHIP:
KERRY GREEN BRADLEY: Wife of Pat Bradley ’72; mother of April ’91, Michelle ’92, Kaleigh ’01, Kevin ’06 and Caitlin ’07; daughter of Robert Green ’47; and sister of Bobby Green ’70 and Chris Green ’83.
JEFF GISH ’82.
Margaret Royal, Troy Gonzales ’80, Frank Gonzales, Jessica Humbles and Linda Petty. WILLIAM C. “BILL” GREGORY: Father
of Tom ’79 and Tim ’82 Gregory.
JOHNNY E. BURNS ’56: Brother of Martin ’46, William ’51 (deceased), James ’56, and Mary Catherine Burns.
EUGENE F. COOGAN: Father of Jimmy Coogan ’76, Elizabeth Leonard ’77, and BARBARA HIGGINS: Mother of Erin Higgins ’97, Megan Sturdevant ’99 and Danny Coogan ’81. Mandy Peirick ’01. MARY KEOGH COOGAN: Mother of Jimmy Coogan ’76, Elizabeth Leonard MARY PATRICIA MOGAN HIGHTOWER: Mother of Thomas, Jr. ’76 (deceased), ’77, and Danny Coogan ’81. Paddy ’72, Susan ’74, Kevin ’78, Joseph, ALLIE E. “BETTY” CORSINI: Wife of and Melissa Mogan. the late Pat Corsini ’39 (Former Faculty) and mother of Claudia Batson, Anita ROBERT D. HOLLINGSWORTH ’89. Monohan, Andy Corsini ’67 and Ricky JOSEPH “JOE JOE” HOSTETTLER ’85: Corsini ’70. Father of Emily Hostettler (Junior) and AGNES DORTCH DIXON: Sister of Jean son of Joe A. Hostettler, Sr. ’54. Drennan, David ’44 (deceased) and BERNADINE CHEEK HUGHES: Wife William ’49 (deceased) Dortch. of Joe Hughes ’51 and mother of Ann EDMOND “ED” DOUGLAS: Father of Holder ’83 and Christopher Hughes ’90. Alex and Nick ’15 Douglas. CECIL CHARLENE JEMISON: Mother of VIRGINIA DOWD: Wife of the late Jack Robert ’84 and Rod ’87 Jemison. Dowd ’48 and mother of Brenda Hayes, JAMES “JIMMY” T. KEMP ’65: Father of John Dowd III ’77 and Janet Crabtree Kirby Gardner ’89 and Kelly Kemp ’92. ’81.
DAVID CAIN ’84: Brother of Christina
MARY CLAY KENNER ’91: Sister of
RODERIC W. BRONAUGH: Brother of
Rufus Bronaugh ’70. ROBERT BROWN: Father of Sam Brown, Faculty (Bridget Stangline ’83). MICHAEL F. BRUCE ’64: Brother of
Patrick (deceased), Charles ’71 (deceased) Bruce, Theresa Shinn (deceased), Anita Marbois, Akara Stern, Bill Bruce ’65, Kathleen Hayes, Vicky Jackson, and Tom Bruce. EDWARD P. BRUNNER, JR. ’45.
JOHN “JEFF” DUKEHART: Father of Cain-Swope ’86, Julie Lummus ’87, and Jordan Dukehart ’11. Steve Cain ’89. GARY EVANS: Father of Maggie Helland MARY VELTRI CAMPBELL: Sister (Freshman). of Frank ’31 (deceased) and Joseph RICHARD A. FRANCIS ’72: Brother of (deceased) ’35 Veltri. Diane Denney ’86, Darlene Robertson, JERRY A. CARNEY ’61: Brother of Denise Evans and Lee Evans. Nelson Carney ’58, Janice Martin and ALMA FURGESS: Wife of John Furgess Elaine Economou. ’61, and mother of Amy Brown ’90, DANIEL F. “DAN” CATIGNANI ’74: Mary Catherine Conrad ’93, and Melissa Father of Britton Catignani ’09; brother Springs. of Andy ’68, Jay ’69, Bob ’71 and Chris ’77 Catignani; and son of the late Jay ELIZABETH “LIBBY” GEIGER: Mother of Kacey (Hicks) Wilcoxson ‘96, Catignani ’37. Cinnamon Bitzer and James Geiger. MARGARET “MAGGY” CESNIK: Mother
32
Michael Kenner and William Kenner IV ’85. PATRICIA KEOGH KENNING: Mother of
Thomas and John ’82 Kenning. Bryan, Timothy and David Kurtz and Mary Bream. MARY SUE LA HAIE: Mother of Teresa La Haie, Jeanette Wright, Cathy Ching, Diane Turner, Michael La Haie (Administration) and Joan Wren. A.
LACROSSE
Theodore Lenox, MD ’69 and Michelle Lenox ’75. GEORGE LUNN: Father of Buddy and
Jay Lunn ’75. GERTRUDE HENARD LUTHER: Mother of Dorsey Luther ’03, and sister of Dorsey Hamby and Doug Henard ’71.
Father of Monica Caton, Monice Hostettler, Sean Madden ’78, Mischelle Hopfinger, and Deirdre Hood ’83.
JOHN MADDEN:
MARGARET “PEGGY” HIMMELBERG MCALEER ’75: Mother of Evan McAleer
’08, and sister of Michael, Steve ’78 and Don Himmelberg, Janet Shaffer, Linda Jordan, Mary Price and Patty Leah Himmelberg. FRANCIS V. “CHIP” NOLAN III: Son of
Frank Nolan ’73. KATHY OSSI: Mother of Eddie ’99 and
Elena ’09 Ossi. ALBERTA PERRY: Mother of Tim ’67
Perry, Michele Hall, and Michael Perry ’71. EUNICE PICKNEY: Mother of Mike
’71:
Brother of Phillip LaCrosse ’65 and Roberta Miller.
Rowland; sister of John, Paul ’80 and Philip ’75 Hostettler; and daughter of the late Phil Hostettler ’43. NANCY BURNS RUSH: Mother of Stephanie Rush ’89 and Jeff Rush. WALTER F. SCHATZ ’51. DAVID SCHULTZ: Father of Adam ’89
and Andy ’92 Schultz. JERRY RAY SCOTT, SR.: Father of Jerry
Scott, Jr. ’85, Ty Scott ’87, Leigh Bain and Cati Basile. JERRY E. SCOTT ’70. CHARLIE SCRUGGS: Father of Chuck ’69, Jonathon ’70, Mark ’75, Donald ’77, Bob ’81, and Philip Scruggs, and Elaine Erickson. MARY JO SHARBLE: Mother of Mark
Sharble ’82. RON SHEFI: Husband of Dr. Sabrina Chin-Shefi (Faculty). HAROLD P. SMITH: Father of Stephanie
WILLIE PITTMAN: Mother of Michelle
Tracy Kyle ’73.
ELIZABETH RAY: Mother of Anthony RONALD REGENSBURG: Father of Veronica Regensburg ’81, Diane Regensburg ’89, and Joanne Zampino ’95. MARY ROBERGE: Mother of Kenneth
Roberge ’61, Lorna Sullins, Brian Roberge ’67, Susan Jett and Sharon Brady. BARBARA HOSTETTLER ROWLAND:
Mother of Bart ’93 and Rachael ’99
Susanne Caldwell ’76, and Leonard Suter III ’77; and sister of Mary Jo Beavin (deceased), Dorothy Williams, Bill ’43 (deceased), Paul (deceased) ’40, Hugh ’47, Tom ’51, Fr. Joe Pat ’54 and Fr. Philip (deceased) ’57 Breen. JAMES E. TOHILL: Father of Mary Sharp,
Anna Colley, Tim ’70, Joan McGee, John ’74, Pat ’75, Laura Fellrath ’76, Susie Gilles ’81, and Theresa Stepanek ’84. TOGUE I. UCHIDA: Father of Karen Beyer, Paul David II, Ross, Missy, and Tom ’90 Uchida. DONALD J. VESTAL ’58: Brother of the
late Gerald Vestal ’60. DANIEL P. WALKER ’60: Brother of the late Matthew Walker, Jr. ’59.
Father of Coneale Bethurum ‘95, Vaile Strauss ‘99, and Grace Wallace ‘00.
DAVID WALLACE:
TIMOTHY J. WHITE ’60: Brother of
Larry White ’63 and Pat Hollister.
MICHAEL W. SPRAY ’63. WILLIAM M. “MATT” SPURLOCK ’99:
Pittman–Betserai ’81, Raquel Pittman, Karen Pittman, Kristianna Fredenburg, Noel Pittman, Anita Pittman, and Jack Pittman ’84.
ANN BREEN TREADWAY: Mother of
Shafer, Sybil Cohn ’95, and Sarah Johnson ’00.
Pickney ’74 (deceased), Cynthia Akersloot ’75, Cheryl Edwards ’77, Patrick Pickney ’79 (deceased) and Monica Bostelman ’81.
’89 and Tonnie ’91 Ray.
JOHN M. KURTZ: Father of John ’76,
CHRISTOPHER
ANNE TALLEY LENOX: Mother of
Brother of Charlie and Steve Spurlock ’95, Jackie Miller and Valerie Cox. DREW J. SULLIVAN ’76: Brother of NOLEEN SULLIVAN: Mother of Mike
Sullivan ’77, Laura Sullivan ’80, Lawrence Sullivan and Julie Fortune ’82; and sister of Pat Sharbel ’56, Lorease Stangline, Joe-T Hendry and Helen Sharbel. Deceased siblings: Louis ’36, Kelly ’42, Nolen, and Abie ’49 Sharbel, Lucy Harmon, Barbara Douglas, Malachie Delcoto, and Catherine Francis. YVONNE M. SULLIVAN: Wife of the late
John M. Sullivan ’49, and sister of Ann Marie Votta (deceased), Joyce Baxter, Charlotte Baker, Chuck McDowell III ’69, and Molly Heber. AGNES SYLTE: Mother of Ruth ’78 and
Mark ’79 Sylte.
The news and announcements in the Class Notes, Births, Weddings and In Memoriam sections include information through Febuary 28, 2017. News after that date will be included in the next Irish Ayes. Thank you for your submissions, and please send any news for these sections to millsa@fatherryan.org.
33
770 Norwood Drive Nashville, TN 37204 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Hundreds of Reasons to Come Back for Reunions 2017 June 2-4, 2017
You may want to see what your classmates are up to. They may want to find out the same about you. But whether it’s seeing old friends or celebrating our Irish traditions, Reunion Weekend 2017 gives you plenty of reasons to return. Check out all the changes to the campus. Talk to a favorite teacher. Meet U.S. Open Champion Lou Graham ’56 at our annual golf tournament. And celebrate the Class of 1967 as they join the ranks of Golden Grads.
Look for details coming soon. And save the date for a weekend of Irish pride.