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Why I Give: Bernie D’Andrea ‘57
Alumni News Why I Give Bernie D’Andrea ’57
In 1964, after graduating from Fordham University in 1961 where he served as Student Council President, Bernie D’Andrea ’57 married the love of his life, his wife Kathleen, and the couple has been blessed with four children and eleven grandchildren.
Bernie is the Director and Chairman of the Elite Beverage International Corporation and recently selected as Top Professional of the Year in Hospitality by the international Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP). From 1977 to 1985, he worked with investment and insurance companies on Wall Street, and in 1998, received both the Businessman of the Year Award and the Wharton School of Business Award for the best business plan for a family run business.
In 1950, he arrived at Delbarton as a seventh grader, a decision influenced by his parents’ relationship with Fr. Stephen Findlay and his family from the Oranges. “Because of that respect for Fr. Stephen, my parents decided to entrust my education to him.” Bernie threw himself into life at Delbarton and participated football and swimming, student government, glee club and many clubs. He also wrote articles for the Courier.
Bernie recalls a much simpler campus that included Old Main, a dorm house (known as the Brothers House), the Abbey, a chem lab in the woods, and a working dairy farm. “Old Main was our center of life. We ate, slept and went to classes there. We boarders were only 99 guys who knew everyone in the school by name.”
He has witnessed the many campus improvements since then. “Now there are first rate sports facilities. We used the boiler room to change in and had one locker room to share. To say the new campus is a dream come to life is an understatement.”
He credits the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey for their impact on his life, and appreciates his Delbarton education as building a foundation that lasts until today. Football Coach Bill Regan was a major influence, pushing Bernie to go the extra mile and be the best he could be and says, “It was a privilege to be part of his programs.”
D’Andrea has many fond memories of
Delbarton life and his classmates and teammates. “We are still to this day a family and very close to those of us who are still alive. We lost some good men but they are still remembered.” He donates to the School each year to acknowledge what Delbarton gave to him. “To me, it is supporting my family and helping others to experience what I had. If they embrace it the way I did, young men will benefit from an education that remains with them forever.”
To his fellow alumni thinking of supporting Delbarton financially, he says, “You could not make a better investment. The school has an educated so many men who have made such great contributions to others in all walks of life. They all make a difference to benefit this world.”
Photos courtesy of Delbarton Archives
Making Waves
Jack Schaeffer ’18 Wins Brown University Venture Prize
Each year, Brown University sponsors an entrepreneurial competition for the Brown Venture Prize, a program and competition that identifies and supports student startups at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design that have the potential to create ‘impact at scale’.
This year, the pharmaceutical redistribution company MediCircle co-founded by Delbarton alumnus Jack Schaeffer ’18 was the big winner, claiming the $25,000 first place prize, and mentorship and networking opportunities. Virtual event viewers also voted MediCircle the fan favorite.
Eight finalists were selected for the pitch night, an event that attracted more than 500 registrants. Founded by Schaeffer and fellow Brown junior Eliza Sternlicht, MediCircle repurposes unused cancer medication to address healthcare disparities by collecting leftover oral chemotherapeutics pills. MediCircle ensures medical quality, then redistributes the drugs to those in need.
“Patients need our medication since cancer costs are often unaffordable,” said Schaeffer during his pitch. “Forty-six percent of all American cancer patients are forced to make difficult decisions between life-saving medication and everyday essentials, and this makes sense when the average cost of cancer care is $150,000.”
MediCircle’s model allows patients to return unused medication to pharmacies that donate the drugs to MediCircle while earning tax credits. Schaeffer said the company’s lower-cost model will allow MediCircle to sell the medications to insurance companies for lower prices, while still being able to scale effectively and run profitably. Medical redistribution is legal in 39 states, and legislation is currently in progress to make it legal in the remaining U.S. states. Schaeffer estimates the company has a total addressable market of roughly $51 billion. MediCircle plans to use its Brown Venture Prize winnings to help pay for a pilot program that will ultimately redistribute needed medication to charitable clinics.
The Delbarton community salutes Jack Schaeffer ’18 and co-founder Eliza Sternlicht on their award-winning entrepreneurial pharmaceutical redistribution concept.
ENS Austin Westfield17 Receives Oath of Office from LCDR Mark Van Orden ’06
Austin Westfield
graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maine, Orono, on May 8, 2021, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also graduated with high honors from the University of Maine Honors College. On the same date, he received his commission as an officer in the United States Navy. ENS Westfield has been accepted into the Naval Aviation community and will be starting flight school in Pensacola, FL later this year.
Delbarton Alumnus Among First to be Vaccinated
In mid-December, Dr. Mark Conroy ’98, an emergency medicine physician and medical director of the Ohio State University Hospital emergency department, was one of the first in Ohio to receive the vaccine and his photo appeared in a New York Times story about the vaccine rollout.
The Delbarton community commends Dr. Conroy and other Delbarton frontline workers for their hard work and many sacrifices during the pandemic.
Keeping it Light During a Pandemic
Kevin Hubschmann ’09 (pictured here), founder of Laugh.Events, and Jake McIntrye ’09, owner of WineKey, teamed up over the 2020 holiday season to promote their collaboration Virtual Wine Tasting paired with Laughter. What’s better than two Delbarton Alumni partnering together...let's make it three! Michael Somerville’ 90 worked with Kevin and Laugh.Events as one of the platform’s featured comedians who performed stand-up comedy after the virtual wine tasting.
On December 18, Alumnus Joe Albarelli ’01 and his company Amloid delivered a truckload of toys at Morristown Medical Center Goryeb Children’s Hospital. He was joined by fellow Delbarton alums including, from left, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Craig Paris ’82, Alumni Association President Chris Bury ’91, Joe Albarelli ’01, Tom Graziano ’97 and Reade Seigmann ’04. Amloid is also remarkably generous to the School’s Gift Drive each year. We thank Amloid and the Albarelli family for their generosity, both to Delbarton and to Goryeb Children’s Hospital.
Brendan Brown ’88 Answers Ten Questions
DelbartonAthletics.com periodically features a series of ten question interviews with current student athletes and, occasionally, an alumnus. On March 23, in a new 10 Questions article, Knicks Radio Analyst Brendan Brown ’88 spoke about his love of Delbarton, his game play-byplay preparation, and his favorite cities. Access his 10 Questions interview online at delbartonathletics.org.
On February 26, West Point cadet Teryon Lowery ’15 returned to share his experiences with his younger brothers at Delbarton. Motivated by his desire to serve, Teryon moved from US Army enlisted soldier/nurse to the physical, academic and military challenges at West Point. History Department Chair John Thompson later said, “The boys were particularly fascinated by his journey to being in the service. Teryon freely admitted that this was not part of any original master plan but that now he had found a true calling.”
Making Waves
Oscar James ’99 Speaks in Freshman English Classes
In February, Oscar James ’99 helped Delbarton celebrate Black History Month by speaking in six Delbarton freshman English classes about his experiences with brotherhood at Delbarton, and his years studying at Peck School and Villanova. In 2006, James was elected Newark City Councilman, becoming the youngest elected official in the city’s 170-year history. Currently a licensed broker for a commercial real estate firm, next year he plans to run for elective office in Newark.
Jordan Hubbard ’17 is Guest Speaker in Senior Psychology Class
On February 10, in Rick Cimino’s Psychology class, Jordan Hubbard ’17 spoke to Delbarton seniors about his experiences and aspirations. Jordan is in his final year at Drew University where he majors in Psychology. The event was part of a DAP initiative to bring more grads of color back to Delbarton. Hubbard returns to Delbarton during the 2021-2022 school year as one of three Alumni Teaching Fellows.
Chuck Smith ’63 Speaks Virtually to Senior Leadership Class
On February 18, Chuck Ruebling 79, P’10’s Leadership class, which is a required course for Delbarton seniors, heard from Chuck Smith ’63 who spoke about his leadership style. Reputedly the first black student (Jamaican heritage) at Delbarton, Chuck emphasized how warmly he was welcomed at the School. He spoke to the caliber of the education, the intellect of the faculty (mostly monks in the 1960s), the leadership of Fr. Stephen Findlay and the influence that Coach Bill Regan had on him as an athlete and young man. His love and gratitude for Delbarton was evident in his class presentation, and Ruebling was grateful to him for taking the time to share his guidance with members of the Class of 2021
Myles Tintle
Two Delbarton Alumni Drafted in 2021 Premier Lacrosse League
John Strosacker
On April 26, two Delbarton alumni were drafted in the first two rounds of the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) draft. With the 7th overall pick in the first round, the defending champion Whipsnakes selected Connor Kirst ’15 who currently plays for Rutgers University. Kirst is only the second ever Rutgers men’s lacrosse player to be a first round pick. He joins fellow Delbarton alum TJ Comizio ’15 on the Whipsnakes roster next season. In the second round, Jack Kielty ’16 was drafted 9th overall by the Canons. Kielty has been a lockdown defender this season for Notre Dame and one of just 25 men’s players to be named Tewaaraton Nominees this season. With the addition of Kielty and Kirst, Delbarton Lacrosse now has four alums currently playing in the PLL, including Ned Crotty ’05 playing for Chrome LC.
Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics
Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter ’19 Pitches No Hitter
On March 20, Delbarton alumnus and Vanderbilt Baseball recruit Jack Leiter ’19 pitched the University’s first regular season no-hitter since 1971, defeating South Carolina 5-0. Leiter had an almost perfect game, walking his first batter of the game, and shutting down the Gamecocks for the rest of the game, setting down 27 straight South Carolina hitters. Leiter also struck out a career-high 16 batters in the game. Leiter has been one of the top performing pitchers in NCAA Division I baseball this season, and is predicted to be a high draft pick in the MLB draft this summer.
Anthony Volpe ’19 Makes Tampa Tarpons Debut
On May 4, Anthony Volpe ’19 opened the 2021 season with the Tampa Tarpons, the Low-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. Volpe, the Yankees first-round pick in 2019, began his first season with the Tarpons leading-off and playing shortstop. In his first five games, Volpe hit .318 with four doubles, a triple, seven runs batted in and four stolen bases. We wish him the best of luck this season as he begins his quest to play in the Bronx one day!
