You are always on my mind. Whether your son is a freshman or a senior, whether you graduated in ’56 or ’99, whether you are a donor helping us fulfill our mission, you are all integral to Loyola and in my thoughts. That’s where the idea of the Alumni Issue came to be—the 16,000+ strong network that is Loyola’s bright lights throughout our city, country and the world.
We almost didn’t know where to start with this issue since we really do have a proverbial plethora of riches when it comes to alumni. Did you know that currently 37 alumni have returned to 1901 Venice Boulevard to give back? They are teachers, administrators, staff, counselors, coaches— sharing what they’ve learned and showing what it means to be a Cub to a new generation. Alumni are in many ways, helping us succeed.
Take for example Jamal Adams ’90 who will lead as Loyola’s new principal. The former director of our Department of Equity and Inclusion, he was also a Loyola faculty member and head basketball coach for 17 years. Most recently, Jamal served as the principal of LaSalle High School during the 2021 to 2023 academic years and will assume his new position at Loyola this summer.
Welcome back, Jamal; you’re home.
There is much in this issue that demonstrates what exciting and energizing times these are at Loyola. From William Jackson ’23’s thoughtful reflection on his Senior Service Project at the Catholic Worker to the groundbreaking French Academic Exchange Program to why Board member Rene LaVigne ’79 has endowed two scholarships at Loyola, we are at a wonderful crossroads as we move forward.
And did anyone mention the number 50? This was a big year for Interchange, celebrating half a century of raising funds for financial aid. Speaking of half a century, it was the Class of 1973’s 50th reunion, which happens to be my class. Two great weekends, full of Cubs on campus, remembering the past and looking forward to the future.
On another note, being a Jesuit and a lover of history, I was so inspired with America magazine’s story on the influence Jesuits had on the Dutch painter Vermeer, that I wanted to share it with you. Hopefully you’ll find it as fascinating as I.
This is Loyola today. Your school and my school. Here’s to its future as we chart its path together.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73
President, Loyola High School of Los Angeles
Editor: Maite Saralegui Berry
Design and Creative Direction: Charity Capili Ellis
Cover: Charity Capili Ellis
Photography: Archlenz Photography, Liz Chalmers, John Dlugolecki Photography, Keats Elliott, Cathy James and Josh Kaplan.
Contributors:
Loyola
alumni, parents and friends. For more information, please contact:
Loyola High School of Los Angeles 1901 Venice Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90006 213.381.5121 www.loyolahs.edu
High School of Los Angeles 3 LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES
03 A Letter From the President
05 Go Forth and Teach— Loyola Alumni at 1901 Venice Boulevard
08 The Search Is Over: Jamal Adams ’90 Is Loyola’s New Principal
By Jim Muyo09 Mike Gilhooly ‘88 Takes on New Position as Director of Alumni Giving
ByTracy
Edwards10 Counseling Showcases Alumni at Career Day for Juniors
By Tracy Edwards11 At the Vanguard of Loyola Football
By John Estrada ’86, Loyola Gridiron Vanguard President and Patrick Jacobs ’69, Loyola Gridiron Vanguard Co-Founder and Board Member
12 Class of 1973 Celebrates its 50th Back Home at Loyola
13 Silent Auction, Big Board, Live Auction— Oh, Interchange, Let Me Count the Ways
15 Uncovering the Jesuit influence on Vermeer, one of the Netherlands’ greatest painters
ByChristopher Parker
Reprinted with permission from America magazine
17 The Board Retreat: Discerning our Future Together
By Robert Stephan, Director, Office for Mission and Ann Holmquist, Ed.D., Vice President for Mission
18 Loyola Scholarships: Rene LaVigne ’79 Gives Back to his Alma Mater
By Jim Muyo19 Parlez-Vous Loyola?
French Academic Exchange Program Debuts
By Lori Crawford-Dixon, French Teacher and Cédric Ebiner, Department Chair, French, Latin
21 Senior Service Project: Finding Solutions
By William Jackson ’23
22 Loyola Swim Team Is Going for the Gold
Tracy Edwards
WHAT IS IT ABOUT LOYOLA that so many alumni come back to teach, to lead, to coach? What is the draw to this great school of ours?
There are currently 37 alumni helping to form Men for and With Others. We asked them what drew you back to your alma mater? What changes have you seen, innovations? What are you looking forward to in Loyola’s and your future? We received many, varied responses, but all had a recurring, central theme: it’s all about the mission and the boys. Here’s what they shared with us.
What drew me back to Loyola was the strong sense of community and belonging. Learning is not just about what takes place in the classroom, but also what takes place on retreats, service immersion trips and global learning experiences.
My goal is to educate our young men to become intelligent, compassionate and faithful citizens for our world. My favorite roles at Loyola include attending retreats, service trips and extracurricular activities in which my students participate. I want to support them in any way I can. They do appreciate it when teachers and staff support them outside the classroom!
We had to go to the faculty bulletin board each day to see announcements from the administration (There was no email.), while the biggest cheating scandals involved kids copying from the Encyclopedia Britannica (before Google, Wikipedia, or Chat GPT). Having been an assistant principal for 18 of my 30 years, I was able to personally witness how some of our most amazing faculty led the charge to innovation and have brought us to where we are today.
The other, even more compelling reason for me to come back to my alma mater was that by then I had a son, Alex ’09, and I wanted him to have the same high school experiences as I did. A few years later, his brother Michael ’13 was born. Now that they have both graduated, I am more grateful and deeply indebted to Loyola than ever before.
I came back to Loyola 30 years ago after serving on active duty in the Air Force. One of my jobs while in the Air Force was teaching in a military college. It was there that I developed a love for teaching and a desire to continue in such a career. At Loyola, Brother Robert McDermott ’37, SJ† had recently retired so there was a need for an earth science/chemistry teacher. Since I had been an avid member and president of Brother McDermott’s GeologyPaleontology Society while a student at Loyola, I was immediately drawn to continue in his footsteps. Over the past 30 years, Loyola has been revolutionized by technology. I still remember being covered in chalk at the end of each teaching day and using the single on-campus phone in the faculty lounge to call parents.
When I was first looking for teaching jobs, I was not living in LA, and I remember thinking, “if only I could find a school just like Loyola, but over here!” As an alum, I had very fond memories of my time here—the excellent teachers, my great friends, the Jesuit values that still shape how I live my life—so I knew I would enjoy teaching in a supportive environment where I could be part of that experience for future students. Not long after, the perfect set of circumstances lined up and I was in LA when Loyola had an opening in the subject area I am most passionate about.
Although I am still in my first year back, I have been constantly affirmed in my choice to return. It has
been surreal being welcomed by so many familiar and supportive faces from my time a decade ago (although a bit jarring at first to call them by their first names). And so far I have loved the creative, collaborative and sometimes messy and exhausting work of helping students learn and grow. I’m excited to continue to improve as an educator and deepen my roots in this community once again.
Many aspects of the school are comfortingly familiar and speak to the timeless values of Jesuit education. At the same time, I am glad to see that our community is moving forward to better serve the ever-changing needs of our students and community. For example, I think our recent commitments to diversity and building out the Office of Equity and Inclusion are an important visible and tangible affirmation that we value and wish to serve everyone who lives in the greater LA area.
I think we will continue to become a better place in the spirit of Magis, and that is exciting. I see a lot of exciting new talent in our faculty, staff and administration who I am confident will leverage our strong foundation to continue innovating and adapting the education we offer to best serve the students of today and the future. We cannot be certain what our students and the world will need in 10 years, 20 years, or 100, but the Jesuit disposition of listening, learning and finding ways to seek a greater expression of God’s love in all things will help our graduates meet those challenges and brighten the world around them.
I never really left. After I graduated in 1988, I started coaching swimming and water polo while I attended UCLA. It was a great college job. It kept me connected to Loyola and kept me involved in high school athletics.
In terms of innovations, the student-athletes are more skilled than when I attended Loyola. They specialize on one sport from an early age. There are advantages and disadvantages to that approach, but 9th graders are (on average) more skilled and stronger (work in the weight room) than 35 years ago.
For me, Loyola has made an impact on my life that I never imagined when I was a student here. To come back and be a faculty member for almost 15 years is remarkable. During that time, I have had
the opportunity to teach, lead, research, collaborate, contribute, discover and further my education beyond Loyola’s walls. Not to mention, take care of my own family. Most recently as the English Department Chair, I have an eye on shaping some of Loyola’s programs into what I would want them to be for my own sons when they hopefully attend this school.
It has been exciting to see people come and go and various buildings and programs change over the last decade or so, but the mission of the school and what it stands for remains the same. That is what Loyola is all about.
DanielI always knew I would find my way back to Loyola. Loyola played such an integral role in my development, that I think I knew early on in my adult career that I would return to Loyola to continue the Jesuit tradition of developing Men for and With others. While I am amazed to return to campus to find so many familiar faces, it is also incredible to meet so many new, passionate faculty and staff as well as take in the new facility upgrades such as Caruso Hall. I am looking forward to reconnecting with the Loyola community in a new way so that I can support our students, faculty and staff to achieve their goals in the Loyola tradition.
I began my career right out of college, teaching at an Archdiocesan school and at a public high school. After five years, I felt called to return to Loyola because of its commitment to teach the whole person, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
There have been many significant changes to our Loyola including the Hannon Ardolf building with state-ofthe-art instructional space for science, counseling and more. With the new building, curriculum changes were made in the science department. It matched students’ cognitive growth from more concrete thinking in Physics 9 as freshmen to more abstract thinking in sophomore chemistry to application of both these physical sciences to biology with a focus on molecules, genes and the environment. Seniors have additional opportunities to
(Continued on page 7.)
pursue the sciences such as Oceanography, Honors Astronomy and Human Anatomy and Physiology.
On another note, the Kairos retreat program has put students in the roles of leadership to witness their experiences of life and the love of God.
Loyola has been a welcoming community in which I have had the pleasure of serving as a teacher in the Science department for 38 years. I have taught Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Global Science and Human Anatomy and Physiology. I have been moderator of several clubs including the Pre-Med Club. I also had the joy of accompanying my three sons, David ’01, Daniel ’20 and Mark ’22 during their high school experience at Loyola.
Initially I was drawn back to Loyola during my freshman year at LMU when my former coach at Loyola HS, Carlos Leon, offered me the opportunity to be the head freshman soccer coach. During my four years at LMU, I was the head freshman and JV coach, and ended up being the varsity assistant coach my last two years of college. It was during those experiences with the student athletes and coaches on campus that assured me that teaching and coaching were my calling. I was fortunate enough to get hired on as a full-time faculty member and coach in June 1998 and have been at Loyola since.
The Loyola High community is what brought me back here. My experience was very transformational, and I credit that to all the amazing faculty and staff. Being that I just graduated from LMU with my B.A. and teaching credentials last May, I knew that I wanted to be in a school environment where I could be part of the formation students experience into being Men for and With Others.
Though I only graduated in 2018, I can definitely say that I’ve seen many changes on campus. The first ones that come to mind are the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the fact that Loyola is now a 1-1 MacBook school. The First-Gen program is also something I’ve seen develop even further since graduating. I still remember when the First-Gen Student Association club was just an idea for a new club, and now I get to be the comoderator with Dr. Gina Liberotti.
I think one of the main things I’m looking forward to in Loyola’s future is seeing where Jamal Adams ’90 takes the school in his upcoming principal position. As an alumni first-year staff member, I truly believe that coming back has allowed me to reintroduce myself to Loyola as someone who has taken what I learned here and applied it to life outside of Loyola. My experience as a Loyola Cub allowed me to hear the call to come back and continue supporting the formation of our Cubs through service and justice.
Through my many roles as math teacher, soccer coach, activities director and asst. summer school director, what is consistent and what drives me every day are the students. I want the students to have an amazing experience so that when they look back at Loyola in 10, 20, 30 years it is a place that taught them more than just academics, it taught them how to be in relationships with their peers, their coaches/teachers and with God. I want them to look back and say that Loyola prepared them not only for college but for the real world after college.
I loved going to Loyola High School as a student. When I went out to teach in Los Angeles, I believed that I carried with me the mission of the school, “Be a person in service to others.” I returned in 2005 because I wanted to come back home to this amazing place. Often, I am asked by parents, thinking about sending their sons here, why this is the place for them. My answer, based upon the incredible experiences that I have had as a student and as a teacher, is this: Loyola wants to bring in all of the myriad, unique talents of individual students from the Los Angeles area. And, Loyola offers the opportunity for students to express themselves in the arts, athletics, speech and debate, robotics, theater and music.
But we, as teachers and members of this community, are called to be a part of a mission. We are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves. That is the mission of a Cub—being a Man for and With Others. And, to be always on the lookout to see what is needed from us. I know that is why so many of my friends and colleagues have left Loyola to go out and help others in need in our communities.
A FAMILIAR FACE is returning to Loyola to serve as its next principal, and he can’t wait to get started. Alumnus, past parent, teacher, coach, administrator and new principal Jamal Adams ’90 brings a wealth of experience and a deep-rooted appreciation for all that makes Loyola the unique and special place that it is.
“I struggle with the words to describe it and my level of excitement is hard to quantify. I am beyond thrilled,” Mr. Adams says about his return to Loyola. That affection has been built from his earliest experience when he entered Loyola as a 13-year-old freshman, though Mr. Adams admits to not being fully on board with the notion of attending Loyola.
“I came to Loyola kicking and screaming,” he says. “I was a public school kid and I didn’t know much about Loyola other than my dad said it was the best school in town and he wanted me to have the best education I could. In terms of my student time here, it was my first real experience with faith and my relationship with God.”
That relationship quickly deepened under Loyola Principal Fr. (now Bishop) Gordon Bennett, SJ ’64, and later Fr. Stephen Barber, SJ, who baptized Adams when he was an adult and led him on guided meditations, retreats and the annotated version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. “Those relationships really cemented in me the idea that being an educator was something that I really strove to be,” he says. For Mr. Adams and the many students he has taught and student-athletes he has coached, the experience has been transformational and it informs his vision for Loyola going forward.
“I’m trying to be careful not to come in and be prescriptive,” says Mr. Adams, whose Loyola body of work is extensive and includes stints as assistant varsity basketball coach (1997–2005), head varsity basketball coach and social science teacher (2005–2021), director of faculty (2018–2021) and the school’s first director of equity and inclusion (2015–2021). The success of Loyola’s basketball teams included many league titles, two CIF Division I-A titles and four top 25 national rankings. In 2022, he was inducted into the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
“I really believe that often times the best things that happen in your life happen in community. I want us to
not only be charitable, but I’d also like us to learn how to advocate for those folks to understand the systems that cause these different inequities and how we can be solution-oriented so that everybody feels like they have an opportunity to be their best selves, be it in Loyola or outside of our gates.”
Mr. Adams’ route back to Loyola was not direct. Upon his graduation in 1990, he was off to Columbia University to play basketball and earn his bachelor’s in economics. He then spent 12 years in finance working for Merrill Lynch and UBS. However, his younger brother, Kenan ’94 was diagnosed with brain cancer and later died at age 31. Mr. Adams returned to the LA area to be with his family and support Kenan. He joined Loyola as assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach. “It was during that five-year battle with cancer when I became disillusioned with working on Wall Street. At the time I was becoming more and more enamored with the opportunity to be in young men’s lives at Loyola on a permanent basis.”
“My hope and dream is to be a spark of inspiration, to hold the Loyola mission very close to my heart, to exude it in both words and actions, and to also have others think about the mission as they go about their daily business.”
—Jamal Adams ’90His new position as principal affords him the opportunity to be involved and instrumental in the lives of Loyola’s 1250-plus students.
“My hope and dream is to be a spark of inspiration, to hold the Loyola mission very close to my heart, to exude it in both words and actions, and to also have others think about the mission as they go about their daily business,” said Mr. Adams. “From how we teach classes to the way we offer our co-curriculars, the way we think about athletics, and the way we invite everyone in our community to think about practicing their Catholic faith, that is my goal.”
For Mr. Adams, his return to Loyola is much more than simply a new job. It’s coming back to an institution that has had a profound impact on his life. “Hopefully, I can continue to build on Loyola’s rich legacy in my new role. I’m really excited about being back at a place that feels very much like home.”
SINCE STEPPING INTO HIS NEW ROLE as Director of Alumni Giving this past January, Mike Gilhooly ’88 has been laser focused on strengthening alumni engagement at Loyola High School, with new ideas and programming to create an ongoing energetic Cub spirit across multiple generations of alums.
One way Mr. Gilhooly is creating momentum for alumni involvement is through the reimagined Class Leaders program, what he considers the “backbone” of alumni connection.
“We have one of the strongest high school networks in the country,” explains Mr. Gilhooly. “Part of my job is to make sure the infrastructure connects everyone.”
The goal of the program is not only to encourage financial contributions to grow class funds as outlined in the long established Leavey Challenge, but to also develop community among alums by promoting participation in existing Loyola programs and events. Class Leaders will serve as point persons to disseminate relevant information to each class, i.e. reunion dates and class member milestones as well as updates on how their class funds have directly impacted current students through scholarship. This past year, alumni class funds gifted close to $6 million in financial aid to eligible Cubs.
A proud member of Loyola’s class of 1988, Mr. Gilhooly went on to study English and economics at UCLA, and play a season of Bruin football. After college graduation, he pursued a career in finance and wealth management, but continued to maintain a relationship with Loyola, serving on the Cubs’ football coaching staff for most of the past 34 seasons. In 2017, Mr. Gilhooly joined Loyola’s Advancement team as director of Planned Giving. The married father of two currently has a son in Loyola’s freshman class. His daughter is a junior at Sacred Heart High School. “I’m humbled and grateful that I get to do something I really care about,” emphasizes Mr. Gilhooly. “We have
a giant Cub family that includes over 16,000 alumni. Part of my job is to embrace them and build bonds that encourage a commitment to share their time, talent and treasure with our current Cubs.”
“Part of my job is to embrace them [alumni] and build bonds that encourage a commitment to share their time, talent and treasure with our current Cubs.”
Adds Loyola’s Vice President for Advancement Alexy Coughlin, “Loyola creates a lifelong foundation for our students and we are truly fortunate that Mike’s long history with our school and his passion for our mission give him a unique perspective on the incredible potential of our alumni programs.”
—Director of Alumni Giving Mike Gilhooly ’88
By Tracy Edwards
FIGURING OUT THE FUTURE was made a little easier for Loyola’s junior class on March 10 at Career Day. The conference-styled event themed, “Transforming Potential into Professionalism” was a team effort led by Dr. Evelyn Mabra and Carol Hampson of the Counseling department with assistance from Mike Gilhooly ’88 in Advancement.
Revamped from years past, 36 panels of professionals from various industries, including business, law, entertainment and politics, shared their career journeys and insights. Of the 85 men and women who participated, 65 were Loyola alums from classes spanning 1967 to 2019.
According to Dr. Mabra, the overall goal of the day was to create an opportunity for career exploration and to showcase the multiple pathways to arrive at a desired job.
“Our goal was to bring in different perspectives and journeys to a career. It is so important for our students to be able to hear that messaging,” explains Dr. Mabra.
Panel topics were decided based on survey data gathered from the junior class. For Dr. Mabra, “The best part of the process was coming to the table and brainstorming which alums and Loyola friends could serve as voices for the topics.” Mike Gilhooly, director of Alumni Giving, assisted with recruiting many high-profile alumni to participate.
Once the panels and speakers were set, juniors were sent an email document, drafted by Ms. Hampson, with descriptions of panels and biographies of each speaker. Students were asked to prioritize their top choices and were designated three of the one-hour panels to attend. Sessions started with each of the panelists introducing themselves and telling the background story of their career journey followed by a Q and A session. Loyola counselors served as moderators.
“Juniors are in that place in life where they are figuring out what they would like to do in their next chapter, so to hear experiences from alums is so important,” says Dr. Mabra.
Career Day attendee, Sean Mortimer ’24 concurred, “For me, it was really valuable to ask questions and hear information from people who were once Loyola students, to see where they are now and how they got there.”
“Juniors are in that place in life where they are figuring out what they would like to do in their next chapter, so to hear experiences from alums is so important”
—Dr. Evelyn Mabra
RANKED SIXTH on the all-time wins list in California prep football history, Loyola has long stood among the giants in the state’s prep football annals. The Cubs were crowned National Champions in 1975 after winning their third CIF Southern Section AAAA title. Loyola won five other CIF Large School championships (AAAA/Division I) in 1962, 1963, 1990, 2003 and 2005, making it to the CIF finals an additional seven times. Eleven former Cubs were tabbed as CIF Players-of-theYear. Countless former players distinguished themselves at the collegiate level and four alumni are currently on the roster of the NFL.
So, in the spring of 2015, three Loyola alums, Ben Baca ’78, Steve Shatynski ’78 and Patrick Jacobs ’69 got together to explore the formation of a support group for Loyola’s storied football program. Their collective passion for the unparalleled culture, rich tradition and historical success of Cub football was the foundation for what would become the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard.
The founders of the Vanguard drew inspiration from the fact that academic rigor has never been an impediment to high achievement on the gridiron at Loyola. It is this unique combination of unyielding academic standards and historically great football success that prompted the Vanguard’s formation and fuels its mission.
Academics, side by side with athletics, count at Loyola. Among the thousands of Cub alumni who have donned the hallowed blue helmets are scientists, physicians, CEOs, attorneys, educators and first responders as well as professional, industry and government leaders who all were motivated by the Jesuit value of the Magis: striving for excellence in all endeavors.
Since its formation in 2015, the Vanguard tackled its mission, raising funds to support the football program in a multitude of ways. Camp week meals, passing tournament fees, offseason nutritional supplements
and summer football camps are among the many areas in which the Vanguard has provided support. The Vanguard has also sponsored a number of wellattended events, including a celebration of Loyola’s six CIF football championships, a summer children’s football camp hosted by Anthony Barr ’10 (current Dallas Cowboy linebacker), home game Friday night tailgates and a special evening honoring Steve Grady ’63, the only man in state history to be named both California state Player-of-theYear (1962) and state Coach-ofthe-Year (2003).
Working alongside Coach Drew Casani ’91 and the Advancement team under the leadership of Alexy Coughlin, the Vanguard seeks to grow its membership and create more impact as an increasing number of alumni, parents as well as friends of Loyola and its legendary football program join the ranks every year.
The Vanguard Board has seen alums from various decades commit time and resources to its mission. They include Marlon Thompson ’79, the founder of the African American Alumni Society; Darrell Stewart ’78, a former member of Loyola’s Board of Directors; former All-CIF player and current coach Gifford Irvine ’82; as well as John Winnek ’87 and Rich Vanis ’88, whose sons have excelled recently on the gridiron.
The list of Cub parents who have served on the Vanguard board and contributed immensely to the Vanguard’s success include Matt and Cathy Sodl (son Patrick, class of 2022) and Claudius Wright (son Ceyair, class of 2021 and State DB of the Year). Vanguard Board members include Matt Klink ’85, Ty Carter ’80, Dan Thomason ’96 and the current president, John F. Estrada ’86.
The future is bright for our Loyola Cub gridders, and all levels of the program can count on the enthusiastic support of the Gridiron Vanguard.
THERE ARE MILESTONES and then, there are milestones. The Class of ’73 celebrated their 50th reunion in Loyola style, starting on Friday, May 5th with a party hosted by Rick Hernandez ’73. Just the alums were there, enjoying a Cinco de Mayo party, trading old and worn and so beloved stories from LHS, catching up on each other’s lives. The poolside, al fresco evening teed off the weekend for the festivities ahead.
Reunion night, Saturday, May 6th, began with Mass at Clougherty Chapel with more than 100 alumni, spouses and significant others attending. Presided by classmate, President Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73, he emphasized how Loyola alumni have and continue to make the world a better place, that they are an inspiration for today’s seniors who will be celebrating their 50th in 2073.
The big moment came when each member of the Class of 1973 received their golden diploma. Of course, there were comments such as, “I thought I had graduated. This is one tough school!” They all gladly came up— one alum, a former sprinter, ran up—for this unique and special presentation.
The evening continued with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on Caruso Hall’s starlit Ahmanson balcony where war
stories continued to be traded. From there, everyone went down to dinner at Caruso which was resplendent in Loyola blue. Fr. Goethals gave the blessing and shared that the Class of 1973 pillar at Caruso Hall was almost funded due to the generosity of his fellow Cubs. It was a great night at 1901 Venice Boulevard, a great weekend in Los Angeles, a great Loyola reunion.
AS THE DOORS OPENED ONTO INTERCHANGE 50 in Caruso Hall, one of the many reasons that the state-of-the-art building was built became more than apparent. Not only could it host our most important fundraiser and social event of the year, it would do so spectacularly.
The three bays were transformed with a lighting extravaganza that showcased the Loyola crest and the Interchange 50 logo while multiple screens served as a backdrop for our hosts, Loyola President Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73 and Good Day LA and Extra anchor Melvin Robert ’01. Dappled light decorated the walls and more than 50 tables were draped, in of course, Loyola blue, offset with crest-inspired flowers and highlighted with Chiavari-style gold chairs.
More than 400 friends of Loyola took part in this magical evening that began with Mass at Clougherty Chapel, celebrated by Fr. Goethals. Guests then walked
down the Ruppert Hall front steps to Hayden Circle to be greeted by cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the many coveted silent auction items.
The silent auction included sought-after wines, concerts and plays with favorite artists as well as one-of-a-kind jewelry. The Big Board took you to Balboa for a cruise if you were the highest bidder as well as enjoying Pie and Burger with your party of 25.
Once seated, guests fine dined as the night reached a crescendo with Last Cub Standing and the Live Auction. Highlights included a Champagne Dinner With Fr. Goethals, a stay in Cabo, a lab puppy and a Hawaii vacation.
Finally, dancing went into the night to the music of the Tijuana Dogs. The evening was a fundraising success for Cub financial aid, with everyone bidding high, bidding often…bidding for Loyola.
leap off the canvas as light streams in from an unseen window to illuminate a woman, her hand on her chest and her foot atop a globe. In the foreground, a bleeding serpent lies crushed under a cornerstone. Behind it all hangs a painting-withina-painting depicting the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer has been called the “undisputed master of light.” And when considering his painting “Allegory of the Catholic Faith,” the reason why is clear. Though Vermeer was not prolific—just 37 oil paintings are attributed to the artist, who died at 43—his groundbreaking style of precise lighting and focus in painting continues to delight museum goers around the world.
For a long time, art historians have debated how the Catholic Church might have influenced the subjects of Vermeer’s paintings. But a new book from the head of fine arts at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum asks instead: Did the Catholic Church, and specifically the Jesuit order, also shape Vermeer’s distinctive use of light?
A new book from the head of fine arts at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum asks: Did the Catholic Church, and specifically the Jesuit order, also shape Vermeer’s distinctive use of light?
Gregor J. M. Weber published Johannes Vermeer: Faith, Light, and Reflection ahead of February’s Vermeer exhibit at the Rijksmuseum, aptly named “Vermeer.” In the book, Mr. Weber describes the fierce religious conflicts in Vermeer’s home city of Delft just before the artist’s birth. The newly Calvinist Netherlands had forced Catholics underground, barring them from holding office and prohibiting gatherings for Mass.
Yet the hostilities also prompted a missionary effort from the Jesuits, who moved into the same Delft neighborhood where Vermeer would live.
Born in 1632 to Calvinist parents, Vermeer would end up marrying into a Catholic family. Mr. Weber believes that a Jesuit priest probably presided over the marriage. Historians agree that Vermeer likely converted.
“We have no definitive documents where we can read that on a particular day he was baptized Catholic,” Mr. Weber said in an interview with America. “But if you marry a Catholic woman, and then you live in the papal quarter in Delft, then you must have been Catholic.”
In this new spiritual landscape, Vermeer probably came face-to-face with an invention that was sweeping through Jesuit circles: the camera obscura. It consisted
of a darkened room and a small lens that took light from outside the room and projected it on the wall, creating an image of whatever lay outside.
In this new spiritual landscape, Vermeer probably came face-to-face with an invention that was sweeping through Jesuit circles: the camera obscura.
The invention took hold of the Jesuit imagination for its clear metaphorical power, said Mr. Weber. “The dark room was a symbol for mankind on Earth. We are in the darkness, and we cannot look into the sun because the sun is God. But in the dark room, we have a little light. And with that light, you can imagine something of His great Godness.”
According to Mr. Weber’s book, “The first mention of the camera obscura in a treatise on painting does not appear until 1678 and was—of all things—the result of a visit to Jesuits [by] Samuel van Hoogstraten,” a celebrated Dutch Baroque painter.
Mr. Weber’s book details Jesuit treatises and devotional literature from around Europe that focused on light and optics as a way of understanding God. It also notes how other artists in Delft had a “heightened interest” in optics. There aren’t enough records about Vermeer to confirm without a doubt the influence of the camera obscura on him, though most agree that Vermeer experimented with one. But there are other intriguing connections between Vermeer and the Jesuits. Dutch Jesuit historian Paul Begheyn, S.J., who sparked Mr. Weber’s interest in the connection, found evidence in 2008 that Vermeer had studied under a Jesuit.
“This is the biggest show on Vermeer paintings ever, and I think also for the next 100 years, because all of these paintings are the highlights of the museums which are lending them.”
“Nobody knew anything about the teacher of Vermeer until I came up with this artist, Isaac van de Mije,” Father Begheyn told America. The painter-turned-priest worked on art for the Jesuit church across the street from Vermeer’s home, and the two almost certainly moved in the same professional circles in Delft. A sketch by van de Mije indicates a similar fixation on light and focus—possibly a result of a camera obscura used by the Jesuits.
Imagery that Vermeer uses in his “Allegory” painting comes from a key Jesuit writing on spirituality and optics. In 1975, Dutch historian Eddy de Jongh uncovered that a prominent glass ball painted in the “Allegory” was in fact a veiled reference to a 1636 Jesuit text on optics.
The exhibit in the Rijksmuseum will feature 28 of Vermeer’s works—the largest collection ever shown in one place.
“This is the biggest show on Vermeer paintings ever, and I think also for the next 100 years, because all of these paintings are the highlights of the museums which are lending them. It is a big task to get all these paintings together,” Mr. Weber said.
The painter’s renowned use of light may have been more than just an artistic statement; it seems likely it was a spiritual one, as well.
Although the exhibit itself focuses on Vermeer’s whole life and career, viewing the artist’s paintings through this new context provides insights into his formation. Mr. Weber points to religious symbolism that Vermeer included in his later paintings, which depicted scenes from everyday life like women in their homes. The painter’s renowned use of light may have been more than just an artistic statement; it seems likely it was a spiritual one, as well.
Like subtle shading, the influence of Jesuit spirituality adds texture to our understanding of the artist’s career. According to Father Begheyn, this influence has been long ignored.
“Art historians tend to forget the Catholic connections of the artists in the Netherlands. They only look at a Protestant people and themes,” he said. Meanwhile, “Vermeer” provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the works of the famous Dutch artist in conversation with each other. Mr. Weber praised the spirit of cooperation and trust that allowed the exhibit to take place.
“I’m very, very happy that the enthusiastic colleagues of the whole world were ready to give us 28 of his 37,” he said.
“Loyola exists to give students of all faiths a profound, life-changing experience of God’s unconditional love and a deeper understanding of themselves as persons of faith.”
THESE WORDS FROM LOYOLA’S CORE VALUES capture a fundamental experience at the heart of our institution. Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73 consistently calls our community to live out this commitment to love. The Loyola Board of Directors spent two days away on retreat this January, reflecting and sharing on the meaning of this call in the life of our school today.
This year’s retreat theme, “Seeing with the Heart: Discerning Our Future Together,” was designed to deepen the Board’s experience of the central themes of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, at the core of which is God’s unconditional love.
We began with a prayer experience led by Board member Fr. Jack Dennis, SJ on naming our great desires. This was followed with a session on centering our work in prayer and discernment with an emphasis on love in three forms: paying attention, prayer and listening. In response, Board member and class of 1998 alum Russell Silvers described the retreat as a “very special time” that helped develop “a much greater sense of belonging, community and closeness with the other Board members.”
The afternoon continued to draw from our Ignatian, Jesuit tradition with time for communal discernment grounded in our shared mission. The sharing in small and large groups was a meaningful time of personal connection. Board member and alumni parent Michelle Maravich said the retreat “deepened my relationships with the other Board members and allowed me to reflect upon my purpose on the Board.” The day concluded with a Mass at sunset with Fr. Goethals and a reiteration of the theme of the transformative power of love.
Strengthened by this time of prayer and connection, we turned our attention the next morning to the way that this love is alive at Loyola. Echoing many of the themes from the previous day, we listened to the conclusion of last year’s valedictory address. Jared Aimone, Class of 2022, posed the question, “How does Loyola do it? How does this school manage this feat of creating friendships that last 40 years rather than four?” His answer resonated with our collective experience on the retreat. He said that the answer is abundantly clear, “It’s love. The love we have for each other.”
The annual Board retreat is a time for directors to step away from the demands of daily life so as to deepen their mutual understanding and practice of Loyola’s Ignatian ways; it is a time for building trust and deepening bonds through personal reflection and sharing. Thanks to Fr. Goethals’ vision, the enthusiasm and support of former Board Chair Rick Caruso and the priority set by current Board Chair Robert Foster, the retreat has evolved over the years from a one-day gathering into an overnight experience that allows for the elements of retreat to take hold in hearts and minds. As this year’s retreat drew to a close, Fr. Goethals gave thanks for the graces of the time together, commenting that it has been his dream to have the Board engage in true Ignatian retreats. He marveled that the Board members were talking about, and reveling in God’s unconditional love.
By Jim Muyo
Rene LaVigne ’79 knows the value of financial aid, so much so that he started not one but two scholarships at Loyola. For Mr. LaVigne, the amount of financial aid he received pales in comparison to that of today’s recipients.
Annual tuition when he was a senior at Loyola was about $1,300 a year. Still, the tuition support that came his way helped him not only to graduate but to extend his education well beyond his classroom experience.
“It wasn’t just being prepared for college,” said Mr. LaVigne, who went on to graduate from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) with a bachelor’s in accounting. “It was being prepared for the world, being prepared for society at large and learning how to navigate through that space and differentiate myself to pursue opportunities for leadership. Loyola was the centerpiece of my career growth and development.”
Mr. LaVigne’s career growth has been impressive by any standard. Upon his graduation from LMU, he quickly joined Ernst and Whinney (today Ernst and Young), one of the largest accounting firms in the world. His 10 years there served as a springboard to senior vice president and president at Sylvest Management Systems/FDC/ Northrop Grumman, from 1993–2003; president and COO of Apptis and now president and CEO of his own firm, Iron Bow Technologies.
Mr. LaVigne’s first scholarship found its roots in his desire to honor Albert Sanford III ’76 “who was like a big brother to me. He had been very giving of himself and I just remember him being an outstanding senior leader when I was a freshman.” He set up that scholarship anonymously and it was designed to help one student per year through an annual gift. His second scholarship is fully endowed to provide quarter-tuition awards to four African American students for their high school years at Loyola. The scholarships are awarded to two merit applicants and two need-based applicants. As each recipient graduates, new students will be chosen. To endow a scholarship at that level, Mr. LaVigne, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, contributed in excess of $500,000.
“It was being prepared for the world, being prepared for society at large and learning how to navigate through that space and differentiate myself to pursue opportunities for leadership. Loyola was the centerpiece of my career growth and development.”
—Rene LaVigne ’79“I know there’s a need out there,” Mr. LaVigne says. “There’s a young African American boy that has the tools to matriculate but maybe does not have the financial support. If I can help a kid make it through Loyola and set themselves up for great opportunity in life, I’m happy to do that.”
Mr. LaVigne remains steadfast on how Loyola affected him and can help others today and beyond. “Loyola had everything to do with me excelling in my career, maybe even beyond my dreams.”
In the spring of 2018, Madame Sophie Breme, an English teacher at a Jesuit college-preparatory K-12 school in Reims, France, sent a blast email to similar high schools in the United States, inquiring if any would be interested in partnering with her to take students on exchange trips. Cédric Ebiner, long-time French and Latin teacher at Loyola High School of Los Angeles, forwarded the email to Lori Crawford-Dixon who had just accepted a French teaching position at LHS. From there a fruitful collaboration was born that, four-and-a-half years later, culminated in a rich and life-changing experience for 32 French and American high school students.
The first step to making the dream a reality was garnering administrative support. With the helpful guidance of Director of the Office for Global Education Dan Annarelli, whose vision and expertise were a keystone to the success of the program, Mr. Ebiner and Ms. Crawford-Dixon presented a proposal outlining the program objectives: to provide a transformative intercultural experience for LHS students of French by establishing a sustainable academic exchange program.
Aligned with the vision and mission of Jesuit Secondary Education and embedded in the Grad-at-Grad* objectives, the academic component is the distinguishing feature of the program. “Our vision is for the guest student and host brother to select a topic of common interest related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals that they investigate jointly on both sides of the exchange and co-author a presentation.”
By researching an issue of global import on both sides of the Atlantic, the student pairs have the opportunity to reflect on the practices and perspectives of their home countries, compare how their countries address the
I have a good understanding of French cultural practices in their homes and schools. (16 responses)
I have a good understanding of French cultural practices in their homes and schools.
I have a good understanding of French cultural practices in their homes and schools.
“Our vision is for the guest student and host brother to select a topic of common interest related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals that they investigate jointly on both sides of the exchange and co-author a presentation.”
—Proposal, Page 6
issue, and then offer a combined solution, the product of which could be a letter written to elected officials. Student outcomes would be abundant: increased globalmindedness, intercultural consciousness and linguistic competency, forged relationships between our schools and countries and friendships that will last a lifetime.
The total cultural and linguistic immersion of students is another distinctive component of the program. After a brief orientation in Paris, LHS students took a 45-minute train ride to Reims, a city to the northeast of the capital, where their French host families were waiting. From there the Cubs attended classes at the high school, participated in afternoon excursions and lived in French households or the on-campus dormitory.
The excursions included a tour of a former Jesuit college and a trip to the Four à Bois, a premier boulangerie in the heart of the city where the Cubs learned how to make croissants and bake baguettes. The exchange was reciprocated on February 6, when all 16 French students and their chaperones accompanied the Cubs back to the United States.
For an additional two weeks, the French students lived with the families of their American brothers, attended classes at LHS and became acquainted with the City of Los Angeles, from Griffith Park to Universal Studios. Per one grateful student, “L’entièreté de mon séjour était incroyable.” (The entirety of my trip was incredible.)
The success of this program, from its inception to its implementation, was a communal effort grounded in the culture of Magis at Loyola High School. It is a flagship program that offers students the opportunity to develop as globally-minded leaders with cultural and linguistic capabilities they will carry forward to their careers and society.
We are grateful to the entire LHS community, to our alumni who contribute to the summer professional development funds, to the Offices of Advancement, Admissions and Global Education who support our initiative, and to our generous administrators and colleagues who guest lectured, helped chaperone, drove school vans and opened their classrooms and homes to our guests. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
Jack Paris ’23, headed to MIT: I’m grateful for being able to experience an authentic French teenager’s life and to do so many fun things while also improving my French skills. I would love to study abroad in France in college because I have had such a good time here. I’m very grateful to everyone who helped plan/organize this exchange program. It has been one of the most fun, interesting and all-around amazing experiences I’ve ever had.
Anthony Cruz ’23, headed to USC: The technique for making croissants at the bakery was quite involved. One of our Cubs didn’t do it correctly and needed help from the baker to scrape the dough off of his hand with a special tool!
Sylvan Maggiotto ’24: We traveled on our own to get to a steak and fries dinner/restaurant. I asked for medium rare. Never doing that again in France. Cultural observation: life is slower in France.
AS A SENIOR AT LOYOLA, I have spent my last two years deeply engaged with the Center for Service and Justice (CSJ). Through my work with the CSJ, I have had the opportunity to engage in activities that have ignited my passion for service and advocacy to find solutions to the most difficult issues in our society. The Matthew 25 trips, the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. and my Senior Service Project have had the biggest impact.
The Matthew 25 trips are overnight weekend service trips usually on or around Skid Row. I’ve now been on four of these trips, three as a student leader, and I still feel heartbroken to see people living on the street. Their stories demonstrate that they were once not so different from you and me. When we bring other Loyola students for the first time, they are usually surprised at how nice and welcoming most people are on Skid Row. From serving food to passing out water and other basic necessities on the street, I hope we are able to make a difference in their day. But I know what they really need is so much more.
On one trip, I encountered a woman hauling trash bags with her son in the park who looked no older than eight. I offered her water which she initially refused but the boy came up to me and started tugging on my pants, begging for water. It was roughly 6:00 p.m. and I knew, unless they had some form of permanent housing, it was probably too late to get a shelter bed, meaning they were likely to sleep on the street.
It baffles me how in the richest country in the world, we allow children to sleep on the street. For me, it’s quite simple—housing should be a right.
With my growing commitment to addressing the issue of homelessness, I volunteered at the Los Angeles Catholic Worker (LACW) for my Senior Service Project,* which included living there. LACW community members live together in a house in Boyle Heights with formerly unhoused individuals, operating a soup kitchen and service center in Skid Row. The LACW’s primary focus is “to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” or as one of my fellow volunteers said, “They are the hands and feet of Jesus putting his words into action—literally.”
One resident in particular at LACW had a huge impact on me. Previously homeless on Skid Row, he had been living at the Catholic Worker for 30 years. He had stage 4 lung cancer with very little time left to live. But, it didn’t kill his spirit. He was the house champion at dominoes and chess, and he loved music. If the LACW hadn’t taken him in, he likely would have died on the streets years ago.
One of the many themes of the Center for Service and Justice is that service is important but we also must address why people are hungry and unhoused—that is where justice comes in. Several other Loyola students and I were able to participate in the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. and soon I will be joining students at the state capital in Sacramento. We have direct access to talk to politicians and their staff, to be a voice for those who are forgotten and not listened to.
These life-changing experiences have helped me decide to be a political science major and invoke change in the world.
*A three-week service project where students put away their books and work full time at homes for battered women, shelters, schools, hospitals and other institutions.
“When we bring other Loyola students for the first time, they are usually surprised at how nice and welcoming most people are on Skid Row.”
—William Jackson ’23
THE LOYOLA SWIM TEAM has built a legacy of success. The reigning CIF State champions have finished in the top three since 2007, but they take nothing for granted. The team’s impressive record has been built on a solid foundation of commitment and accountability. “The boys are not only swimming for themselves, they swim for their teammates and Loyola,” explains Varsity Head Coach Kevin Mann. “I think the secret sauce is that we have created an atmosphere of camaraderie and tradition.”
Another factor to the team’s success: incredibly talented athletes. Leading the pack, is an elite group of powerhouse seniors, many who have been recruited to Division 1 schools, including team captains Rex Maurer ’23 and Max Cahill ’23. “We have a special senior class,” says Coach Mann. “Rex is probably the best high school swimmer in the country. He leads by example, works hard and gets good grades. Rex is going to Stanford, Max is going to Indiana and Zach Larrick ’23 is going to UVA—they were all intensely recruited. It’s a very unique situation to have so much talent.
For many high school swim programs, coach turnover is commonplace, not so on Loyola’s Conn Pool deck
where consistency is key. This is due in large part to the committed coaching staff of eight, which includes several alums. “The culture and DNA of the team starts from Kevin who has coached here since 2001 and Chris Gibson who has been here since 2007,” says JV Head Coach James Banks ’04, who joined the coaching staff in 2005 while still a student at USC. “All of us know a lot about swimming and we all truly enjoy it, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”
“The boys are not only swimming for themselves, they swim for their teammates and Loyola.”
—Varsity Head Coach Kevin Mann
As they gear up to face rival Santa Margarita at CIF sectionals in May, Coach Mann emphasizes the need for balance, which includes doing well academically as well as being a good person and teammate. “Big picture, I want the kids to stay healthy and give everything they have. They all have their own goals and we want to help them get there.”
Charles L. Sorrentino ’46
How many still standing in the Class of ’46?
Ronald Baisley ’49
I graduated in 1949 and I miss Loyola.
Thomas E. Hall ’49
My wife Cynthia and I have enjoyed 60 happy years in Reno where we raised four daughters and I practiced pathology. We had a great time at our “49ers” 60th reunion and campus tour. The Loyola Magazine is tops!
1950s
John Valenzuela ’54
Loyola High School 1958, USC PharmacyDoctor Degree 1962. Retired in 1970. Thanks to Jesuits, still alive at the age of 86.
Richard Coppola ’56
Keep up the good work!! Sorry I could not make Mass on 09/06/2022. I think it is a great idea to have Mass & then lunch after. God Bless.
Steven A. Balch ’57
Retired after 50 years of medical practice. The foundation for this career was absolutely set up for me at Loyola.
Luis A. Uranga ’61
Growing old but still enjoying life with my wife Marilyn of 54 years.
Robert Gannon ’62
Started teaching physics, physio and theology in 1969. Retired in 2017. Also worked in fraud at AT&T. Love teaching. Now elder at Newman Center, UC Berkeley, CA.
David B. Davis ’63
Lawyer from Loyola SOL, graduated in 1970, developer and real estate broker. I live in Genoa in Northern Nevada and I run a 700-acre cattle ranch in Markleeville, CA.
Harold “Skip” V. Conde ’66
Just got back from Mosul, Iraq as part of human rights team, educating the teachers of the children of Isis and meeting with Catholic Church leaders about the religious freedom situation of Christians there in Northern Iraq.
Doug M. Fioresi ’66
Living happily in La Quinta, CA, just had our 11th grandchild and staying busy.
Mark R. Ramirez ’72
I’m teaching English as a second language, and my wife is now retired.
Robert Campos ’74
My new eBook just came out in April 2023, a product of research since 1996. Alert: For The Times, Book of Secrets. My wonderful website, a treasure trove of information which has won several digital awards, is https://www.castlesof-themind.com.
Vincent M. Campos ’75
Keep up the great work!
Vincent S. Cronin ’75
I retired from Baylor University as an emeritus professor of geoscience in May 2022. My wife Cindy and I then moved to a new house that we designed in Tyler, TX to be closer to her family. Our daughter earned a masters in data analytics from Notre Dame and is based in Chicago, while our son earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at the University of Portland, and now rehabs houses in that area.
Manuel A. Chacon ’77
Enjoying retirement for the last two years!
Paul D. Dazé ’80
I’m a proud “Papa” to five grandchildren. Nicole and I are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in 2023. Looking forward to another 40 years. Go Cubs!
William D. Gould ’81
Proud Loyola widow, mom and aunt wrote in: In appreciation for the gift Loyola High School has been to our entire family: my husband William ’56†, and sons, William ’81, Kenney ’85, Patrick ’88 and Gregory ’94 and nephew, David Claypool ’79.
Robert Schwinn ’81
Recently retired from a 38-year career at UPS. Happily married to wife Stephanie, 39 years, three kids: son Nicholas recently retired from US Army (20 yrs.), son Dylan is a two-time Purple Heart recipient and daughter, Shelby is a vet tech.
Rodrigo J.T. Pena ’84
Recently accepted a job at TATCHA, a Japanese-inspired skincare company. I’m now Tatcha’s Visual Manager for AsiaPacific. I relocated from New York City to San Francisco after 30+ years on the east coast. Happy to be back in California.
Rich F. Briones ’86
After 21 years of clinical anesthesia practice, I’ve accepted the appointment of Chief Medical Officer at Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose, CA. The encore career affords me the opportunity to continue my service to my local Silicon Valley community on a broader system level. My three daughters, each with college behind them, are embarking on their own separate journeys while my wife
For all who enjoyed the Winter 2020 Loyola Magazine story on Jim Mahoney “The Fixer,” his book Get Mahoney is finally out with famous/infamous tales of the Golden Age of Hollywood. “Get Mahoney” refers to the phrase that was used when stars knew trouble was brewing and Mahoney could “fix” it. Though Jim was expelled from Loyola, he later received an honorary graduation certificate from Loyola President Fr. Pat Cahalan, SJ† for all he did for Loyola and the Jesuit community. He made sure his three sons went here: Jim Jr. ’73, Sean ’77 and Michael.
of 29 years, and a prior Loyola High School science teacher, continues her communications work for the Los Gatos School District. Team Briones sends their warm wishes to the Loyola Family for health and joy this holiday season.
Anthony E. Mansour, Jr. ’89
Thanks to all at Loyola for their support this year 2022!
Gregory A. Ellis ’92
I got married in April. My wife Gloria and I travel back and forth between her hometown of Albuquerque and Los Angeles, where I work at Winston & Strawn as Counsel in the complex commercial litigation department.
John J. Grant ’94
Proud parents wrote in: John lives in McKinney, TX and works for Toyota Corporation, and married Lan, in 2010. They have two children, Alexander (nine) and Sophia (seven).
Karl K.H. Kwok ’97
I was interviewed by CBS2/KCAL9, for colorectal cancer awareness, after the passing of actress Kirstie Alley.
Donald R. Wilson ’99
Living the dream in hopes that my two nephews get into Loyola!
2000s
Eduardo Quintana ’03
Wrote an episode of the ABC sitcom
Not Dead Yet, featuring the guest star Tony Plana ’70.
Francisco E. Suarez ’04
I attended Loyola High School and graduated in 2004. I’m an oral and maxillofacial surgeon serving the population of Sacramento.
Stuart Z. McClave ’06
Proud dad and former faculty member wrote in: Congratulations, Director Stuart McClave (@szmcclave) on the world premiere of On The Line: The Richard Williams Story! The audience response was phenomenal. People are so moved by seeing a different side of Richard Williams. His story truly changed the face of tennis and sports and paved the way for BIPOC athletes. The film premiered on June 12, 2022, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The film will be featured in five upcoming film festivals.
Eric B. Andersen ’09
I married my wife Jasmine on July 20, 2022, in Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Teresa “Peppy” Agnew
Mother of Chris ’83 and David ’83
Elnora Allen
Mother of Durrell ’90
Yvonne R. Almeida
Mother of Bryan ’82
Michael V. Barboza ’98
Irene E. Barlough
Mother of Jeffrey ’71 and Gary ’77
Robert “Bob” D. Barry ’72
Brother of Ted ’69
James B. Bertero ’57
Son of John ’21†; father of James ’81 and Thomas ’85†; brother of John ’50 †; nephew of Jules ’21†
Ethan I. Bonilla ’18
Thomas P. Boyle ’72
Mary Brow
Mother of Mark ’84
Jean-Marie Burns
Mother of George ’70, Eugene ’72 and Stephan ’74
Marcia Ann Murphy Carbone
Mother of Paul ’92
Patrick J. Casey ’63
Uncle of Jeff Nisen ’05
James Cence ’51
Delia Cevallos
Grandmother of John Bilac ’95
Ray J. Chavez
Father of Robert ’86; grandfather of Cameron ’18, Carson ’23 and Caden ’25
John A. Woodward V ’09
I married Claire Nordstrom on October 08, 2022, in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Kevin R. Rodriguez ’11
Our first born Augustine just turned two and everyday has been an amazing blessing. I aim to start “The Five First Saturdays Devotion” as my resolution.
Matthew J. Schwartz ’11
The best damn high school in Los Angeles. I love you guys!
Roy “Calvin” Laughlin III ’20
I’m in my junior year at Stanford, studying artificial intelligence and art history. Just recently concluded my term as vice president of Stanford Kappa Alpha Order and will be returning soon to campus after spending a quarter studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Was able to find fellow Cubs Liam Hook ’20 and Michael Maloney ’20 in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day! Go Cubs.
Oliver H. Cudrigh ’21
I just completed my first year at Indiana University. I have joined a bunch of clubs, but the one I am enjoying the most is the soccer club.
Thomas W. Cherry, Sr. ’57
William M. Clines ’64
Donna F. Conn
Mother of Walter ’85† and Patrick ’87; sister-in-law of James ’55
Walter F. Conn ’85
Brother of Patrick ’87; nephew of James ’55
Daniel T. Cooney ’72
Son of Dick ’49†; brother of Richard ’78†; nephew of Gerald “Jerry” Cooney ’46 and Fr. Richard Hill, SJ ’46†
Ann S. Crawford
Mother of Lori Crawford-Dixon, current Loyola faculty member
Leonard B. Csiszar
Father of Jeff ’81, Jim ’83 and John ’86; grandfather of Patrick ’25
David “Tim” Dazé ’67
Son of David ’41†; grandson of William 1907†; brother of Dennis ’70, William “Rock” ’72 and Paul ’80; father of David ’01 and Timothy ’01; nephew of Joseph Gioia ’45† and Patrick Fitzpatrick ’46†; cousin of James ’66 and Thomas ’69 Dazé, Patrick ’74 and Peter Fitzpatrick ’77; uncle of Joseph Baratta ’96, Jeffry Niedermeyer ’04; Nicholas ’02, Christopher ’07, and Andrew ’14 Dazé; David Tassone ’12 and Will Floyd ’14
(Continued on page 25.)
Gregory P. Delia ’68
Brother of Denis ’70, Ronald ’71 and Timothy ’73
Dianne Dell’Amico
Mother of Keven ’90; mother-in-law of Loyola mathematics teacher and Director of Summer Session Judy Dell’Amico; grandmother of Michael ’12 and James ’25; cousin of Theo ’00
Wynn Develle
Mother of Robert ’86; grandmother of Ryan ’11 and Matthew ’17
Robert Q. Doll ’57
Anne Doud
Mother of Robert ’80, Thomas ’83 and James “Patrick” ’86; mother-in-law of John Harris ’78, former Loyola staff member and Joshua Leopold ’91; grandmother of Patrick Harris ’16 and Michael Doud ’17
Carmencita Dungca
Mother of Larnoe ’81
Robert J. Flynn ’43
Father of Robert ’68; brother of Harry ’38† and John ’41†
Michael P. Fortier
Father of Luc ’12
Arthur W. Francis, Jr. ’59
Brother of James ’52†
Joseph C. Fry ’65
Manny Funtanilla
Father of Carlo ’99 and Clarence ’03
Ross Goodman
Grandfather of Alexander ’16
David C. Grant ’65
Michael E. Grego ’75
Former Loyola faculty member
John Harkins ’60
Agnes Henderson
Mother of Andy ’78
John H. Heslin ’58
Brother of Joseph ’56
Joseph A. Hickey ’41
Father of Gregory ’68
Jack F. Hogan ’50
Judith D. Howard
Wife of Patrick “Pat” ’58; sister-in-law of Michael ’56
Arthur C. Johnson III ’66
George Kovats ’60
Wayne D. Kurtz ’65
Joseph E. Lenihan ’81
Son of James “Dink” ’55; uncle of William Maners ’12; cousin of Frank Rorie ’95
Katherine “Kay” C. Lehne
Mother of John ’79; grandmother of John ’17
Robert “Bob” F. Lass ’49
Father of Mark ’73 and Christian ’87; grandfather of Thomas ’02 and Ryan ’05 Lynch
Terence “Terry” D. Lynch ’59
Grandfather of Stender Sweeney ’25
Thomas A. McIntyre ’70
Brother of Robert ’72
Gregory Y. McLaughlin ’77
Son of Harry ’52; brother of Chris ’79, Scott ’82 and Tracy ’85
Sandra Mansour
Mother of Jack ’85 and Anthony ’89; grandmother of Jack ’19 and Elias ’21
Dennis Marquardt
Brother-in-law of Tom ’52† and Charles ’56 Collins; uncle of Thomas ’82, Stephen ’83, Paul ’85 and Michael ’90 Collins, Jack Mansour ’85; great uncle of Jack Mansour ’19
Carlos O. Martinez ’10
Mario M. Martini ’42
Father of Fr. Richard ’72, James ’77 and Joe ’81; grandfather of Vincent Gonzales ’94
Yves J. Melanson, Jr. ’61
James “Jim” F. Merget ’63
Brother of John ’60† and William ’65
John J. Merget ’60
Brother of Jim ’63† and William ’65
Antonio Miera
Father of Anthony ’79 and Paul ’81; grandfather of Anthony “A.J.” ’21
Ricardo Nicol ’47
Jeane M. Nutt
Mother of Keith ’67 and Brian ’76†
Arnold M. Palmer
Father of David ’81
Ronald L. Parker ’55
Brother-in-law of David Harrell ’55†
Mark F. Peyrot ’66
Brother of Anthony ’75; uncle of Anthony ’15
Rodger T. Powers ’60
Joe Presepe
Father of Max ’25
Nick N. Rasic
Father of Michael ’84, Mark ’87 and James ’91; brother of Walter ’47†, John ’51† and Pete ’52†; uncle of John ’82, Anthony ’88 and Matthew ’90; great uncle of Anthony Addis ’05, John Rasic ’11, Charles Dunkin ’16, Thomas Gonzalez ’19 and Nathan Savarese ’23
William I. Rumer
Father of Robert ’76; stepfather of Sean ’71 and Timothy ’75 Burke; stepgrandfather of John Burke ’17
Liza Samuelson
Mother of Hunter ’20, Jackson ’20 and Magnus ’20
Richard J. Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles, passed away on April 19, 2023. He was 92 years old. His tenure in the mayoral office began in 1993 and lasted eight years. During his time leading Los Angeles, he focused on creating a better business climate and a cleaner, safer city. Prior to becoming mayor, Mr. Riordan was a very successful investment broker and lawyer. He generously shared his wealth both in political as well as civic circles. Born in New Rochelle, NY, Mr. Riordan was educated by the Jesuits. “Dick was a wonderful friend of Loyola and a very generous donor,” said Loyola President Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73. “To quote him, he was a ‘problem solver’ who took charge of many projects that helped raise the profile of Los Angeles as well as bettering it. He will be missed by all who knew him.”
Nelson Rising, known for his real estate projects in California and running Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley’s political campaign, passed away at 81 at his home in Pasadena.
Mr. Rising was a Loyola High School emeritus board member and father of Chris ’87, former Loyola faculty member, and Matt ’03. In Los Angeles, he led the development of the U.S. Bank Tower and Playa Vista.
In San Francisco, he oversaw one of the largest mixed-use developments with the revitalization of Mission Bay.
“Nelson was a visionary. Loyola was very fortunate to have him on our Board, sharing his astute acumen with us. We will miss him and are grateful that he shared his many gifts with us,” said Loyola President Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73.
Catherine “Kate” V. Saporito
Wife of Peter ’59†
Albert L. Sassoe, Jr. ’75
John A. Schrillo ’84
Brother of Paul ’82
William J. Scully III ’61
Brother of Steve ’74 and former Loyola staff member Fr. Michael Scully, SJ
John F. Shea
Father of John ’77; grandfather of Joe ’22 and Francis ’24 Knoll; uncle of Gilbert ’82, Timothy ’82 and Michael ’90; cousin of Edmund ’47†, Peter ’53 and Edmund III ’79 Shea
James H. Short
Father of Matt ’86
Floyd J. Sichi ’53
Father of John ’88; grandfather of Jack ’18 and Leo ’22
James A. Smith ’48
Eileen Soreghan
Mother of Michael ’81 and Brian ’83
Richard Stember III ’54
J. Thiel Sullivan ’50
Brother of Donn ’51† and Robert ’53†
Thomas P. Swartz ’69
Son of Walter ’27†; brother of William ’61 and Don ’64; great uncle of Maxwell Browning ’26
David W. Takata ’78
Ryan C. Times ’23
William H. Vandling ’60
Brother of Larry ’63†
Carl W. Verheyen, Jr. ’47
Samuel F. Vilgiate
Father of Nico ’88
Susie Wagner
Wife of James ’60
Mariana Gantus Wall
Sister of Brandon ’97 and John ’06
Jeannie Whittington
Wife of Walter ’51†
Walter R. Whittington ’51
Lawrence Williams ’48
Mary Frances Witteman
Mother of Chris ’71 and Anthony ’77; mother-inlaw of William Buckingham ’79†; grandmother of Charles ’12 and James ’14 Taylor
Fr. William P. Wolfe ’62
Clyde O. Wood, Jr.
Father of Clyde ’94
Sally S. Wood
Mother of Phelps ’79, Warren ’82 and Joseph ’85
John W. Zimmerman ’74
Son of William ’40†; brother of Gary ’72
Mrs. Mollie Baumer
Fr. Billy Biegler, SJ
Mr. Andy Camacho ’58
Fr. Jack Dennis, SJ
Mrs. Kathleen Duncan
Ms. Cara Esposito
Mr. Tim Flynn ’90
Fr. Ted Gabrielli, SJ
Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73
Mr. Victor Hawley ’77
Ms. Ellen K. Laughlin
Robert Foster, Chairman Kevin Bender ’91, Secretary Jim Scilacci, Treasurer
Mr. Rene LaVigne ’79
Ms. Michelle Maravich
Mr. Michael McCracken ’86
Mr. Michael O’Brien ’83
Mr. Chris O’Donnell
Dr. Brandi Odom Lucas
Mr. Drew Planting ’77
Fr. Mario Prietto, SJ ’62
Mr. Jaime Rojas ’91
Ms. Reon Roski
Ms. Maria Salinas
Fr. Robert Scholla, SJ ’70
Mr. Russell Silvers ’98
Mr. William A. Smith II
Mrs. Mari Snyder Johnson
Dr. Timothy Law Snyder
Mr. Ritchie Tuazon ’96
Dr. Bevanne BeanMayberry Upperman
Mr. Thomas Von Der Ahe, Jr.
Mr. Anthony Williams ’69
Mr. Christopher Ramirez ’82, President, Alumni Association
Consultants to the Board
Mrs. Alexy Coughlin, Vice President for Advancement
Dr. Ann Holmquist, Vice President for Mission
Mr. Frank Kozakowski, Principal
Mr. Steven Tolbert, Vice President of Finance and Administration
Liaison for the Board of Directors
Mrs. Melinda Wiggins, Executive Assistant to the President
Mr. John Ariail, Board Assistant
Directors Emeritus
Mrs. Cheryl Baker
Mr. Tom Barrack, Jr. ’65
Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ ’72
Mr. Rick Caruso
Mr. Kevin Clifford
Mr. Barry Connell
Mr. Michael Enright ’54
Mr. Jim Hannon ’80
Mr. Pat Graham
Mr. Phil Hawley
Mr. Enrique Hernandez, Jr. ’73
Mr. William McMorrow ’65
Mr. O’Malley Miller ’69
Mr. Edward P. Roski, Jr. ’57
Mr. Robert A. Smith III ’59
Mr. William Wardlaw
President’s Cabinet
Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ ’73
Mrs. Alexy Coughlin, Vice President for Advancement
Dr. Ann Holmquist, Vice President for Mission
Mrs. Kerry Katz, Director of Human Resources
Mr. Frank Kozakowski, Principal
Mr. Michael McDermott, Senior Director of Facilities Management
Mr. Terence Stephenson, Director of Information Technology
Mr. Steven Tolbert, Vice President of Finance and Administration
Jesuit Superior
Fr. Billy Biegler, SJ
Ex-Officio Member Administrators and Directors
Mr. Daniel Annarelli Director of Faculty; Director of Global Education
Mr. Michael W. Boehle ’84 Director of Business Operations, Financial Aid
Mr. Douglas Brown Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Mrs. Judy Dell’Amico Director of Summer Session
Mr. Robb Gorr Assistant Principal for Academics
Mrs. April Hannah Director of Academic Information Resources
Dr. Paul D. Jordan ’88 Assistant Principal for Student Life; Director of Counseling
Mrs. Teri Kawamata Director of Faculty
Dr. Daniel J. O’Connell ’95 Assistant Principal for Faculty Development
Mr. Christopher J. O’Donnell ’88 Athletic Director
Ms. Angela Reno Director of Admissions
Dr. Jesse Rodriguez Director, Center for Service and Justice
Mr. Matthew Schaeffer Director of Campus Ministry
Mr. Heath B. Utley
Dean of Men
Mr. Chris T. Walter ’93 Director of Student Activities
