The Prep News - Summer 2019

NEWS

S T. J O S E P H ’ S P R E PA R A T O R Y S C H O O L

PAST

PRESENT FUTURE

▲

INSIDE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF OUR RECOMMITMENT TO NORTH PHILADELPHIA

SUMMER 2019 ISSUE

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

PREP BUZZ SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT: REV. JOHN W. SWOPE, SJ ’72 PRINCIPAL: MR. ANDY CAVACOS CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER: BETSY COURTNEY P '08 '10

WHAT YOU’RE SAYING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMENTS FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: RICK SCANLAN "Even though he looks about 18!” Direct quote from the emcee yesterday on the runway at the St. Joe's Prep Fashion Show. Still got it!

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: BETH VANDER VENNET P '15 '17 SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND MINISTRY: REV. CHUCK FREDERICO, SJ SENIOR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES:

Dear Friends of St. Joseph’s Prep, This issue of The Prep News is close to my heart as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Society’s decision to re-commit ourselves to our North Philadelphia neighborhood after the fire. As a freshman that year, I was filled with awe at this new building, and I continue to feel blessed to be able to walk through its doors each day.

Attending St. Joseph’s Prep was a gift that my parents gave to me back in 1968. Coming to the Prep was a sacrifice for us and I am filled with gratitude to my mom and dad for giving me the opportunity to be a Prepper. Their decision set me on a course for a wonderful life filled with grace and fulfillment. When I see families touring the Prep, I always hope that they are able to envision the many possibilities that a Prep education can offer.

While the feature story looks back 50 years, this issue also peers over the horizon at our school’s future in two ways. First, you will learn a bit about For Others Forever: The Prep Campaign for the Future.

This transformational educational experience will change the physical landscape of our school while building our endowment.

The second glimpse into our future comes from colleague, alumnus and parent Dr. Stew Barbera ’86 P’17 ’20, as he offers the first of four perspectives into the Society of Jesus’ Universal Apostolic Preferences. Dr. Barbera examines the first preference for Discernment and the Spiritual Exercises and how it came to life in a recent service project. Rev. Chuck Frederico, SJ, Senior Director of Mission and Ministry and Superior of the Arrupe Jesuit Community, ensures that we are living these preferences through our students and colleagues.

Thank you for being a committed Prep Citizen and engaging with us through this magazine. We continue to count on your support for the Prep of yesterday, today and the future.

We are many, We are one, We are the Prep!

Sincerely,

JOE DOUGHERTY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2018-19 MS. M. SHAWN BORT P ’10, CHAIR DR. MARK C. REED ’92, VICE CHAIR MR. JEREMIAH J. BUCKLEY ’78

Feature Story 10 RECOMMITTING TO

NORTH PHILADELPHIA

Hats for my young guys! “There can be only one!” #theprep #thebesthighschool

MR. TERENCE J. CONNORS ’72 MR. BERNIE HALFPENNY ’62

TWITTER

MR. ANTHONY J. HAYDEN ’95 MRS. JOAN HILFERTY P ’14, ’16 PAUL J. JASKOT, ESQ. ’86 REV. DANIEL K. LAHART, SJ JOSEPH D. MANCANO, ESQ. ’72 REV. RICHARD S. MCCOUCH, SJ

PREP BUZZ

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#COLLEGESTARTSHERE

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SCHOOL NEWS

34 PERSPECTIVES

Notes

REV. THOMAS A. PESCI, SJ ’67

26 FACULTY/STAFF NOTES

MR. DEREK REDCROSS ’81 MRS. AUDREY SCHWENGER P ’16 The Strategy gaming Club and the Video Gaming Club are ready for their 24-hour Extra Life marathon to benefit @ChildrensPhila.

MR. JOHN J. SWANICK P ’07, ’12 REV. JOHN W. SWOPE, SJ ’72 CHRISTOPHER M. TRETTA, ESQ. ’71

THE PREP NEWS CREDITS

Three Prep sophomores competed in the Ignatian Social Justice Tournament at the UNE Province Office in New York City. The team – comprised of Nike Andah ’21, Aidan Connor ’21 and Andrew Kallmeyer ’21 – placed 3rd overall, earning a $10,000 donation for PAR-Recycle Works, the Organization they presented on.

EDITORS: BILL AVINGTON '90 P'18 '20 AND DESIGNER: SARAH SHAAK

A postcard depicting the Prep's entrance in the 1920s, a photo from today, and an architect's rendering of the future.

32 WEDDINGS

33 IN MEMORIAM

So happy to celebration #NationalPetDay with our #Pruppy Iggy! #WhoseAGoodBoy

AUDRA BRADY

28 CLASS NOTES

33 BABIES

FIND US ONLINE!

INSTAGRAM FOR A FULL LIST GO TO WWW.SJPREP.ORG/SOCIALMEDIA

ON THE COVER

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20 ADVANCING THE PREP

Look who’s back: #PrepLegend Jim O’Brien ’62 is teaching English while Mr. Whelan is on paternity leave. Welcome Back Mr. O’Brien!

MR. WILLIAM T. MCKERNAN ’87 P '22

PHOTOS BY: MELISSA KELLY AND FRANK RAFFA

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Sections

MICHAEL D. GAYDA, ESQ. ’72

REV. KEVIN WM. WILDES, SJ

Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72 President

While traveling in London, Prep Rugby Coach Tom Dugan ’78 stopped at “Passyunk Avenue” for a Cheesesteak… there are several US Dollar Bills with messages, and Coach Dugan spotted this Prep Football themed dollar! #GoPrep #PreppersAreEverywhere

#SJP2022 gathered late last night in the Gesu as part of their Freshman Retreat. #amdg

The St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks are State Champions!

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#COLLEGESTARTSHERE

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CLASS OF 2019 GRADS

who will be attending some of the FINEST colleges and universities in the world

LIAM GRUGAN ISAIAH FRANCO

WOFFORD COLLEGE DANIEL SCHOLARSHIP (FULL) “I chose Wofford College because of it's loving familial atmosphere and it's wonderful programs for studying abroad.

I look forward to studying International Relations in South Carolina and in many other countries around the world.”

RICKY WEIPZ

ARIZONA STATE “The amount of opportunities provided by the journalism school at Arizona State was better than any other school I explored. From the moment you step on campus, you get the tools you need to grow and succeed.”

"I feel so grateful to be going to Penn next year to study Biology as well as pursue a thousand other interests.

Penn offers top-tier academics in every field as well as our amazing city that I can't wait to explore even more.”

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ANDREW KOH

CAL BERKELEY "What I really like about Berkeley: it's in California which is exciting; it has a culture of academia but also a big sports scene. I will study chemical biology & their School of Chemistry is like attending a small school in a big University."

“I'll be attending Trinity College & Columbia University as part of the schools' new Dual Bachelors program. I want to personally thank Ms. Kelly McGlynn, my college counselor & friend, for guiding me to this unparalleled opportunity.”

SCOTT HIBBS

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP "I chose Fordham because of the opportunities that I will have over the next four years.

Being in New York City and at a school like Fordham opens many doors for me."

AIDAN BIRD

NYU SHANGHAI HALF-SCHOLARSHIP “I chose to pursue my studies at one of the most influential research universities, while also having the opportunity to live in one of the most vibrant cities in the world.”

JACK THORELL

STANFORD UNIVERSITY "I chose Stanford University because of their outstanding academics, collaborative environment, and dynamic and engaging student body. Oh, and the weather's not too bad, either."

DONG WANG

COLGATE UNIVERSITY JOE CAHILL

PEABODY CONSERVATORY JOHNS HOPKINS "I am going to the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins to major in Music For a New Media taught by Thomas Dolby, who is known to push the limits of music technology. I love Hopkins because of its multidimensional & collaborative environment.”

DAVID MCCABE

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY/ TRINITY COLLEGE IRELAND

CONNOR BARBERI

AIR FORCE ACADEMY

“I chose Colgate for its strong liberal arts traditions, great academic reputation and the tight bond within the community. Even before committing I had already felt much warmth and welcome from students there.”

"I chose Air Force Academy because of my desire to serve as an officer in the world's greatest air force & the many unique opportunities available to cadets. Big thanks to Mrs.Pinto and everyone else who has helped me achieve this dream!"

CARL WHITTINGTON

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP “I’m happy to be continuing my interests in Spanish & International Relations at Villanova. As a Presidential Scholar, I will be able to complete my studies as a member of the University’s Honors Program with a full ride scholarship!”

THE PREP PREP NEWS NEWS || SUMMER SUMMER 2019 2019 THE

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SCHOOL NEWS

NEW PRINCIPAL NAMED Andy Cavacos was named as the 26th Principal of St. Joseph’s Prep. He will join the Prep community on July 1, succeeding Jason Zazyczny ’90 who is finishing his second term as Principal.

“I am thrilled that Mr. Cavacos will join us as Principal,” says Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72, who along with Faculty Chair Scott Mullen ’99 helmed a search committee of eight colleagues that included faculty, staff, and administration, plus a member of the Board of Trustees. “Andy is well-versed in educational leadership and theory, and he is more than familiar with Jesuit education. It is clear to me that the ideals we value at the Prep are a vital part of his identity.”

Cavacos comes to the Prep after spending nearly his entire teaching career at the all-boys

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McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, NY, starting as a Math Teacher then serving as Dean of Students and Assistant Principal for Academics. His roots in Jesuit education began as a young man when he attended Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, MD, and earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Fordham University. Cavacos holds an M.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education from Iona College and a Catholic School Administrators Program Certification from the University of Rochester. He and his wife Karen have three children.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MR. CAVACOS 1. Starts every day with a run.

Has not missed a day of running in a very, very, very long time.

2. Served as a leader for the first Kairos retreat at McQuaid in the Fall of 1997 and has attended more than 70 Kairos since then.

3. Played lacrosse at Fordham and coached varsity, JV, and modified lacrosse at McQuaid for thirteen seasons. Has coached CYO girls basketball (grades 5-6 and 7-8) for 10 seasons.

4. Loves history, especially WWII, Cold War and 1960s civil rights/Vietnamera books and documentaries.

5. Remains lifelong Flyers fan having grown up rooting for the Broad Street "Bullies." (And he thinks bullying in hockey is like speeding at the Indy 500.) He is also currently rooting for the Phillies and 76ers (he is considering options for a pro football team.)

IGNATIAN IDENTITY WEEK The Prep community again anchored itself to the greater Jesuit world by celebrating Ignatian Identity Week. Each day offered insight into many different aspects of Jesuit mission, including a talk from Fr. Sean Carroll, SJ (below) on the Kino Border Initiative, a panel discussion featuring Fr. Carroll and Gesu School Assistant Principal Alana Lee at Old St. Joseph’s Parish, Jesuit Jeopardy featuring Prep students and their families, Ignatian Curriculum Day when teachers offered their own unique comments about Jesuits in their field or who were important in their lives, and Vocations Awareness Day when Fr. Rodolfo Casals, SJ, spoke to students and celebrated Mass for the Community.

At the end of the week, the entire Prep family, including several dozen Golden Hawks, celebrated with a Taste of Philly party featuring pretzels, ice cream and hot chocolate treats accompanied by entertainment by the famous Mummers (above right).

ST. JOSEPH SCHOLAR An-Khang Nguyen ‘23 (below center), from St. HelenaIncarnation School in Olney, was recognized as the top applicant for the incoming freshman class and will receive a full-tuition scholarship. Rev. John W. Swope, SJ '72, President, Howie Brown '99, Director of Admission, and Isaiah Franco '19 led a Prep contingent at an event at his school to celebrate his achievement.

The St. Joseph Scholarship, funded by a gift from the late Jim Agger '54 and his wife Pat, is awarded to the top academic

student in the applicant pool.

Nguyen scored a 99 on the test and had nearly perfect scores on his transcript, as well as outstanding recommendations from his teachers. He has scored in the top 5% of the nation for every Objective of the TerraNova test with a High Degree of Mastery as well as Proficient/ Advanced Performance on every Subtest. His activities include: Robotics, Spelling Bee, Table Tennis, Drawing/ Sketching and Reading Club.

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SCHOOL NEWS

TWO SLAPSTICK COMEDIES HIT THE PREP STAGE This year, the Cape and Sword Drama Society produced two hilarious shows: Murder at Ramsbottom Manor, with slapstick comedy from actors, stage crew and even the set, which collapsed around the poor cast each night; and Spamalot, a show that included scene after hilarious scene conceived by the legendary Monty Python.

YEAR OF CITIZENSHIP This school year, the Prep focused many activities on a theme of citizenship with speakers and other activities designed to highlight various ways to lead. Last summer, the school community read Mayor: The Best Job in Politics by former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter ’75, who kicked the year off as the first Taggart Lecture of the year. Other talks followed, including Col. (Ret.) Bill Gallagher ‘77, who is head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the South Sudan, and Mayor Jim Kenney ’76, who closed the year by focusing on social justice issues.

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ALUMNI/FATHER-SON COMMUNION BREAKFAST

In these photos Mayors Nutter (top) and Kenney (above) stand with St. Joseph’s Prep President Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72, Principal Jason Zazyczny ’90, and Student Council President Thomas Dintino ’19

Congratulations to those alumni and students honored at the annual Alumni/Father-Son Communion Breakfast. WIP Sportstalk host Joe DeCamara ’96 provided the keynote address, talking about the impact the Prep made on his life.

Joe Oakes ’60 was honored with the Alumnus of the Year Award for the incredible contributions he and his wife Lynne have made to education, including the Prep. Student awards were presented to Johnny Freeman ’19

(Sauter Award) and Chris Gutt ’20 (Man for Others Award). The honored men are pictured here with Prep President Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72: (l-r) DeCamara, Freeman, Oakes, Gutt.

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RECOMMITTING TO NORTH PHILADELPHIA

The front entrance in 1968 completed

“ THE PREP NEVER DIED...IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT, CONFUSION AND CONSTERNATION, THE PREP JUST GOT ON WITH THE JOB” After the fire of 1966 destroyed two-thirds of the Prep campus, there was a period of uncertainty and sacrifice for the men who ran the school and the students there.

In a sermon at the dedication of the main Prep building on December 8, 1968, Archbishop (then Monsignor) Francis Schulte ’45 referred to the building as a “dream materialized.”

“It is a time of pride, fulfillment and nostalgia,” Schulte

The "new" building under construction on 17th street

said. “Only determination and loyalty could have made so many bear so much. Spirit was incarnate as students began to move from the old to the new. That short span of time for the transition of old to new, from hardwood to carpets, from practicality to luxury, was our ‘exodus.’ Thus, we came to the culmination of a dream materialized. There is a new Prep, functioning with its students who hope to find not only education but also identity.”

That is the power that this “new” building had in 196869, literally rising from the ashes of the old building.

The Prep history book called it "a time of heroic silent suffering.” Rev. Frank Nash, SJ ’56, a regent at the time, said it was “a feeling, a pride in the school” that made it clear the Prep would survive.

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A JESUIT PERSPECTIVE

ALUMS REMEMBER THE TRANSITION

The night of January 30, 1966, Rev. Frank Nash, SJ ’56 (faculty member 1963-66, '72-74) lie sleeping in his room in the Jesuit Residence (now Jesuit Hall) when he was awakened by red flashing lights and sirens. Looking out his window, he saw a fireman climbing into the first floor window of the old Stiles Street building and heard him yell, “There is no floor here.” The space that used to occupy the renown Institute for Industrial Relations was destroyed, as was the auditorium above it. Before morning broke and scores of fire fighters had done their best, most of St. Joseph's Prep was destroyed...

“The adaptability...was incredible.

I’m not sure how they pulled it off.”

-Len DiPaul '68

THE PREP NEWS | WINTER 2017

“It was incredibly sad,” recalls Fr. Nash, who now works at LeMoyne University. Despite the treacherous road conditions and the dangers lurking at the site, he says that many Prep students and alumni came to view the debris, many of their faces marred by tears. “Many wondered what we would do next.”

Though he remembers “there was a lot of questioning of how to move forward,” he says there was unanimity among the Jesuits.

“We had no doubt. We were good for the neighborhood and our neighborhood was good for the Prep. We felt strongly that we had been there for a long time and we weren’t going to leave.”

Fr. Nash says the school reopened after just a week.

“Classes were crammed into everywhere you could think of,” he says, remembering the classroom floors being warped from water damage.

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“There was then, as there is now, an incredible love for the place,” Fr. Nash says. “There was just a feeling, a certain pride, that we would make it happen. We weren’t trapped by material things. We could have moved and had a green campus but we didn’t think of that at all. This is where we’ve been and where we will stay.”

Fr. Nash left in 1966 after one semester in the Thompson Street Building and didn’t return to the “new” Prep until 1972. “The building was beautiful at that time and it was wonderful to be able to go back and teach there,” he says. He, along with Fr. Frank Moan, SJ helped create the Prep Theatre, which was state-of-the-art in that era. “We had a wonderful theatre that stressed the Jesuits' commitment to the arts.”

There was great care in design.

Walking into the building's more prominent location, the first three most public areas are

the Chapel, the Library, and the Theatre, subliminally emphasizing the Jesuit educational tenet of “Mind, Body, Spirit.”

“Outside of the first-floor classrooms facing Girard Avenue, there was a ledge,” says Fr. Nash.

“I used to bring students out there and challenge them to sit there and observe what was happening and then come in and write about what they saw. The neighborhood and our location in it provided us with a reality that we had to deal with and respond.”

Cover of Mass program for the dedication of the new building

Here are some recollections of the fire, the rebuild, and moving into the “new” Prep from students who were there at the time: Len DiPaul ’68: It was a really cold night. My mother worked in the library and got a call from Fr. (Eugene) Rooney (SJ) but we didn’t know how extensive it was.

Rich Geschke ’69: With a little more life experience, you think “my God, that was just a horrendous event.” It had a significant impact on the priests, the students, the neighborhood.

We had heard that they wanted us to stay away and we were not encouraged to come down but plenty of us did go anyway just to take a look. It was a total wreck. To see the marble staircase,

In a pre-Internet world, it took awhile for the news to spread.

Dan Sherry ’68 remembers his parents hearing it on the radio.

Len DiPaul ’68 got the news from his mom, Josephine, who was the longtime Prep librarian.

However they heard it, for the students of the Classes of 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969, the news

was devastating: their beloved St. Joseph’s Prep had been nearly destroyed by fire. While the Jesuits and lay faculty debated the school’s future, these young men wrestled with their own fates.

Would they be able to stay at the Prep? Would there even be a Prep in the city as they had known it?”

that was the main entrance, the showcase welcome to the Prep was gone. I guess it was partially still there, but it was covered with ice and charred timbers.

Dan Sherry ’68: It was a very cold stretch and I remember seeing the streets were all ice covered from the fire trucks. It looked like an ice skating rink.

I don’t remember being able to get too close to the building.

LD: It was painful. We lost that marble entrance. God that was impressive. You walked in and knew this was a special place, you were part of this history.

Curt Cockenberg ’71: My class never got to experience that marble staircase; that made the Prep look so cool. It had class, history. We missed all of that.

Despite the destruction, somehow the Prep’s faculty and administration were able to get classes started just one week later.

LD: The adaptability of the faculty, staff and the students was incredible. I’m not sure how they pulled it off. When we saw the building -- the ice and debris -- we thought we wouldn’t open for two months.

They had us up and running within a week. There wasn’t a lot of complaining. We just assimilated to the new space. We no longer had a gym or theatre, and the cafeteria was smaller.

DS: Going into the building for that first day of class, I remember thinking, “Oh my God, what happened here.” The entire south side of the Prep was decimated.

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Prep administration had to get creative. Classrooms were created in cramped spaces meant for other uses.

DS: We were definitely jammed in. When I look back on it, the accommodations that were made in such a quick turnaround were remarkable.

RG: It is amazing, they cleared that debris out pretty quickly over the course of our first year. All of that was bulldozed out and cinders, dust and debris blew around.

LD: They shut down the pool at the time, the Smoking Room.

There were a lot of those things that we no longer had.

RG: Mine was one of the classes that went over to the Convent to complete the year. Our recess was to walk outside in the backyard of the nun’s convent. They didn’t want us crossing 17th Street. We ate lunch in the Convent, too, if I recall. Half a year was in a Convent classroom and then 2½ years in a single building.

CC: We ran up and down the hall for track training.

In and outs. High jumped in the swimming pool.

DS: The swimming pool became the band room.

The Senior Smoking Room became the cafeteria.

LD: My mom and Fr. Rooney took a lot of pride in building the old library. They had just gotten a “Book-a-mat” where Fr. Rooney put all of the books that the English Department

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needed, and that perished. It all perished. For the next few years, they were behind a piece of plastic, trying to recreate a library.

Losing it was a real setback.

Students frequently debated whether the Prep would remain in North Philadelphia.

To a person, each alum interviewed was pleased with the Jesuits’ decision to stay.

LD: I remember that decision, even as a sophomore, and I was proud of that decision for us to stay in the city. There were a lot of rumors going on about moving to The College (now Saint Joseph’s University). I can’t articulate why I felt good that we were staying in North Philadelphia, but it did.

They did a good job; they backed it up with a commitment to the community. It was impressive. I still think, to this day, it has been a beacon. It was a good move.

RG: That decision was stunning.

There was a real commitment at that time to stay down at 17th

and Girard. That’s where the Prep needed to be, where it belonged and where it should stay and be of the city. That is what sets the Prep apart, the commitment to the folks around us.

CC: There is a sense that the Prep has always been here. It’s more than a building, it is a culture.

I felt special. As a kid, I didn’t realize the significance of the Prep staying in North Philadelphia. I just knew that it was the place I wanted to go to school. It never occured to me the historical significance of it all. To me, even back then, because the Prep stayed in this area, we learned more about life. We grew up a lot coming to and from the Prep.

For the next two-plus years, construction was ongoing.

The campus moved one block south, to Girard Avenue.

CC: We played a lot of football in the old courtyard as freshmen, with the monstrosity

Geschke and his classmates were the first to graduate from the newly restored Prep, celebrated in the Multi-purpose Room (now the Sauter Dining Hall).

The band performing on the new stage after three years practicing in the pool.

of construction behind us. I remember when they were putting in the big steel girder that was being used for the gym, the trucks had to go the wrong way down 17th Street. One truck didn’t quite make the turn and it tied up traffic for a long while. It was amazing watching the building come together.

On the first day back to school in January 1969, the students helped move the Prep into the “new” building.

RG: You would think that day would really stand out, but it really doesn’t. What I recall most is finally having a cafeteria with food being served and a jukebox. Having a welcoming entrance was also memorable.

CC: There was way more room.

We had one hallway and now we had a “quad.” Also, the theatre was magic in a sense. It was state-of-the-art at the time. It was a wow.

RG: We had a little bit more freedom and some space to ramble and the Senior Smoking Room was back. We felt like we had earned it. I don’t remember us necessarily being happy because we were leaving the old building, but there was an elevated spirit that we were finally in this new place, that people had been constructing and working on. We had watched the building go up. It was a very positive, spirited moment.

Construction progress photo

RG: Our graduation was the day after senior prom. I’m not sure who thought that was a good idea. Being the first graduating class from the new building, maybe we were a little bit closer than otherwise because of the circumstances.

We didn’t know there were sacrifices, we just needed to do what needed to be done.

St. Joseph’s Prep owes a great deal to the students in the Classes of 1967, '68 and '69. These men perservered through cramped conditions as the entire Prep complex was crammed into 1/3 of the space it had previously occupied. From the History of St. Joseph’s Prep, “...the students, faculty, and administration showed their spirit and dedication by heroic silent suffering...but the Prep never left. The Prep never died. In the midst of conflict, confusion, and consternation, the Prep just got on with the job.”

DS: I have some really good memories. I am sure there were some day-to-day moments though, when I wished we had a gym or something like that; there were certainly inconveniences.

Overall, though, we all got through it and it was a great experience, a really special time.

We got through something and did pretty well afterwards. I am THE PREP NEWS | SUMMER 2019

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FEATURE STORY

proud of everyone for coming together and getting the Prep through that situation.

LD: There was something about the Jesuit charism that carried us through. That was a message in itself. We lost so much but it was amazing that it wasn’t as big of a deal then. They did a great job getting it built in just a few years. Maybe that was part of the lesson, though, that the Prep was more than a building-it was who was in the building.

That may have been the real gift, and the fire taught us that.

THROUGH THE YEARS, THE KELLY FAMILY REMAINS A CONSTANT When a fire destroyed two-thirds of the Prep’s physical plant in 1966, the administration had to scurry to make plans for a new Prep building. Though some insurance money supported those efforts, fundraising played a vital role in making the construction a reality...

The Jesuits in charge turned to Paul Kelly Sr. ’30 who helped secure donations from many corporations in the city, including a substantial gift from another Kelly (no relation) at a prominent local bank that enabled the school to make up a shortfall, leading to the naming of the old gym (now Kenney-Kelly Hall or the Multi-Purpose Room.)

Perhaps no family has made a deeper impact on St. Joseph’s Prep than the Kelly Family.

Since 1966, nearly all of the capital projects completed at the school have been supported by the Kellys, including a significant gift to the upcoming For Others Forever campaign from the Kelly Foundation.

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“The Prep has been the largest donee from the Kelly Foundation so that should say a lot,” says Paul Kelly Jr. ’66, the second of a four-generation Prep Family.

“My father said that he got a full scholarship to the Prep and never forgot it and we have continued to honor his memory.”

That’s not to say that Kelly doesn’t have his own fondness for the school. He served two terms on the Prep’s Board of Trustees, was co-chair of the 2000s Campaign for the Prep that brought Jesuit Hall and the Sauter Dining Hall to life, and graciously allowed the Prep to name the Fieldhouse in his family’s honor, “The only time we ever did something like that,” he remembers, giving

in after several months of requests from then President Rev. David A. Sauter, SJ.

school burned down,’” Kelly remembers. “I thought he was pulling my leg. I wish he was.”

As a senior, Kelly heard about the Prep fire while touring Georgetown University, where his sister was a freshman. “A friend of hers knew I was a Prep guy and he told me ‘your

With the help of Paul’s father, the “new” Prep arose at 17th and Girard. Over the past half century, the Kelly Family and the Kelly Foundation have donated millions of dollars to a place they love.

Paul Kelly Sr. '30 (right) Paul Kelly Jr. '66 (left)

There have been 13 sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons of Paul Kelly Sr. who have attended the Prep. The next generation continues to impact the school including John Shea ’89 who recently led the efforts to establish an LLC which provides funding for students

who demonstrate financial need.

Also, Paul’s niece Lisa Figge and her husband John P ’20 ’23 are the inaugural Chairs of the Villiger Executive Council and serve as Parent Chairs of our campaign, For Others Forever: The Prep Campaign for the Future.

“I am happy to hear that the quality of the students continues to be high,” he comments.

The fact that the Prep stayed in the city and continues to draw students from all over the Delaware Valley is a big reason why we have stayed involved all these years.”

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FEATURE STORY

FR. SWOPE ’72 REMEMBERS MOVING IN AND LOOKS FORWARD TO "PREP 3.0" As a young freshman, John W. Swope ’72 remembers the move vividly. "I’ll never forget coming back after Christmas break and all of us literally walking our desks down Thompson Street and around the corner to 18th Street and into the 'new' Prep,” he recalls. "There was such a charge when we walked in. The new building was really terrific.”

Laying of the cornerstone

in his first few months of high school. “The Prep had gotten through the devastating fire that year before, and we were so excited to move into the new building for second semester.

It had so much space."

Fr. Swope and his mother Kate after his graduation in 1972, in the "new" Prep

Now “Reverend” John W. Swope, SJ in his fourth year as President of his alma mater, he remembers fondly the transition into the new building in 1969 after he and his classmates spent one freshman semester in the cramped Thompson Street Building (now the Gesu School). “We had 800 boys packed into three floors in that building,” he notes. “We were bursting at the seams.”

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Fr. Swope talks about how the students remained in one room the entire day and the teachers moved. “There was no way to effectively move all of the students at the same time.”

The new building loomed large that fall as young John Swope began his Prep days. “It was THE major topic of conversation,” he remembers of the construction site which came to completion

Now, as President of St. Joseph’s Prep, Fr. Swope anticipates a new generation of Prep students having that same feeling as the school embarks on a campaign to transform the 50-year old campus building. “When we moved into this building in 1969, it was such an incredible, exciting feeling,” Fr. Swope comments. “We knew we were in a place that was special.

By the existence of this new, modern building, we knew there was a value to our education; that Prep alumni and friends had invested in us, and we were going to live up to that promise.”

draws inspiration from the leaders of the mid 1960s who made a courageous decision.

“When I reflect on that moment after the fire in 1966, I see now that there was an all-in bet on North Philadelphia,” he notes.

“The Jesuits at the time put all of their chips on 17th and Girard. They made a strategic decision to rebuild right here.

That remains a great legacy and a radical departure from what other schools, other institutions, were doing at the time (moving out to the suburbs). That unorthodox move--to go against conventional wisdom and stay in the city--turned out to be an outstanding decision, and a true institutional declaration.”

will again be awed, like he and his classmates were years ago, by a new building built exclusively for them. “After 50 years, our main Prep building needs an upgrade to become worthy of the incredibly high standards our teachers have for their students, as well as those our students have for themselves,” he says. “I want our students to feel the same way that my friends and I did in 1969, in awe of the transformed spaces. This time, that will

Fr. Swope envisions a not-sodistant future when Prep students

Though these spaces will be “new,” it really follows an old

include reimagined classrooms, a collaborative Learning Commons, a welcoming entryway, and the renaissance of a new theatre that matches the high-quality of our student performances.”

Prep formula, one that Fr. Swope is uniquely qualified to utilize.

As one of the few who was here then and now, he values the need to “modify, adapt and transform in order to continue the mission and make a St. Joseph’s Prep education available to as many young men as possible.”

According to Fr. Swope, “The planned building improvements are vital to the future of the school. Our facility serves as an instrument of education,” he explains. “While it is not the end goal, it is our responsibility as a Prep community to transform the educational experience of our students by all means possible... and that includes the physical campus. It must match the quality of instruction practiced, and I’d even say ‘perfected,’ within it.”

An artist rendering of the planned new entrance and plaza

In creating a vision for the next stage of physical improvements to the Prep (which he affectionately dubs “Prep 3.0”), Fr. Swope THE PREP NEWS | SUMMER 2019

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ENSURING OUR MISSION THE JOHN T. PAUL ’66 ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Jim Paul ’72 When John Paul ’66 passed away on July 4, 2018, after a bout with lung cancer, the Prep lost one of its greatest advocates. John had served on the St. Joseph’s Prep Board of Trustees, and co-chaired the Campaign for the Prep. He was Alumnus of the Year in 2006. Clearly, he made a tremendous impact on his alma mater.

So that John’s legacy lived on at the Prep, his brother and partner in the family business, Jim ’72, was also looking for a way to honor and express gratitude for all that the Prep had done for each of them. According to Jim Paul, “Our Prep experience had tremendous influence on John and me in our desire to be 'men for and with others.'"

A few months after John’s death, Jim met with his classmate, St. Joseph’s Prep President Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72, and Chief Development Officer Betsy Courtney and committed to a $250,000 scholarship to support an academically qualified student with demonstrated financial need who also has a strong record of service participation in his school, parish, or community.

“This scholarship underscores our belief that a willingness to serve is an important personality trait for all Prep students,” Jim states. “I want to support a prospective student who has already grasped this key aspect of our mission. It would be my expectation that he’ll embrace an even deeper desire to live a life of service during his four years at the Prep.”

Service to others would certainly describe the Paul family, a value passed down from their father Thomas. “My dad was a great example to his family and instrumental in creating a culture of giving back and caring for those less fortunate; he was generous beyond his means,” Jim recalls. “He taught us the gift of gratitude… to never, ever forget to give back to God, and your neighbor in thanks for our many blessings.”

Brothers Jim and John were co-principals in Thomas J. Paul, Inc., the family business their father founded in spring of 1972, the same year Jim graduated from the Prep. The Creative Marketing Services company serves clients in consumer-packaged goods and health care with a broad range of creative and marketing capabilities. The company has

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experienced consistent profitable growth over its 47-year history. “I was the ninth employee to join the small team in late 1978 and we now employ nearly 100 people. My brother and I had unique skills we brought to the work and we complemented one another very well,” Jim points out. “John was my brother for 64 years and a great business partner for 40 of those years. While the past year since his death has been difficult personally, I’ve made the necessary adjustments professionally to help ensure our continued growth and success.”

And that success has allowed the Paul family to continue to support so many good works that impact the lives of thousands throughout the Delaware Valley. “When John passed away, I was looking for a way to memorialize his life and good works for the Prep in a meaningful way and also to reconnect personally, especially given that Fr. Swope is one of my classmates,” Jim notes.

In addition to establishing an endowed scholarship in John’s name, he has also rekindled the War at the Shore, his brother’s passionate effort to have the Prep and La Salle alums square off in a friendly afternoon golf competition to support both schools. "War at the Shore is a perfect example of what John felt was important: breaking through barriers and bringing alumni together to support two great schools,” he says.

John’s son Chris attended LaSalle and John served on the LaSalle High School Board while Chris was there. John’s wife Judy, who passed away shortly after John, also served on LaSalle’s board. That’s yet another reason to bring folks together for the higher purpose of promoting support for independent, single-sex, Catholic education. “All of us who were so fortunate to have this high-quality educational experience know very well its inherent value. That’s why I’ve supported Mount St. Joseph Academy for 25 years, and that’s why our family supports the Prep.”

In addition, Jim continues the commitment and actively participates in many service and philanthropic endeavors beyond the Prep, including Holy Redeemer Health System and Mount St. Joseph Academy. Jim also serves as Vice Chair of the recently created board at Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School in Maple Glen.

Jim is especially proud of his work at Mount St. Joseph Academy, where his daughters Kate and Tina attended. He served as Board Chair from 2004-2007 and was a member of The Mount’s first presidential search committee which recommended the appointment of the late Sr. Kathleen Brabson SSJ, his good friend who died this past January. As a Director Emeritus, Jim is currently serving as Chair of the search committee for Sr. Kathleen’s successor, The Mount’s next president.

His work at Holy Redeemer was initially influenced by his father who also served on the early Board of Advisors. In the early ‘80s, when the Board was seeking young members, Tom Paul suggested they meet with his son, Jim. Since then, he has served in a variety of capacities, currently as a member of the Board of Trustees, and Chair of the Reliability and Performance Work Group (concerned with quality and safety across the system). He continues to deepen support of the mission and work of the Sisters of the Redeemer, and recently completed a sponsor formation program conducted over four bi-annual sessions by the Catholic Health Association in Chicago.

Jim hopes his family’s generosity will inspire others. “I really want to appeal to the Class of 1966, the Class of 1972, and all those whose lives were touched by John, to help build the endowment at the Prep because of what it stands for; it is what John stood for,” he adds. “I know the Prep’s endowment is a significant aspect of the current capital initiative, and I am grateful and proud to support it in John’s memory.”

Jim Paul ’72 (left) started a scholarship in memory of his brother John Paul ’66 (right).

GLORIA PORTFOLIO TRETTA SCHOLARSHIP Chris Tretta ’71 Anyone who meets Chris Tretta '71 for even a moment, knows his love for St. Joseph's Prep.

Since entering the Pre8th Program in 1966, he has been hooked. “There was never any great epiphany, I loved it from the start,” he says.

There are many things that Tretta loves about his alma mater but one area has gotten a noticeable bump thanks to his generosity. Recently, Tretta established a $100,000 scholarship to support an entering student who will join the Prep's famed Forensics Program. For Tretta, it is a way to give back to a school and a program that gave him so much.

“The Prep Forensics teams enjoyed a great reputation and were always a force to be reckoned with back in those days, and I am gratified to know that today’s Prep students continue to enhance this legacy,” says Tretta. “To me, Speech and Debate is a classic example of the Jesuit emphasis on preparation, intellectual rigor and competition.”

Chris Tretta ’71 (standing, far right) has served his alma mater in many ways since graduation, including two terms on the Board of Trustees.

Above, he is with other Trustees at this year's President’s Reception.

Tretta, who competed in Debate, Extemporaneous Speech, and Student Congress while at the Prep, says that the activity is an important manifestation of the Jesuit educational ideals.

“Rhetoric has been a part of the Ratio Studiorum for centuries,” he says, referring to the Jesuit document from the 16th Century that laid down the plan of studies for all Jesuit schools. “Part of the motivation for the Jesuits has always been to teach students to master the material, argue with persuasion and adapt to different audiences.”

“The Prep Jesuit moderators developed in us the skills needed to be good debaters. They expected long hours of research and strategic, analytical writing and challenged us to think on our feet,” he says. These skills, Tretta adds, are vital even more today. “The ability to persuade with facts is crucial in any profession.”

The scholarship is named in memory of his mother, Gloria Portfolio Tretta. According to Tretta, his mom “sent three sons to the Prep and deeply believed in the Jesuit hallmark of Eloquentia Perfecta.” When thinking about how to direct his gift, Tretta had many options but decided on supporting Speech and Debate. “I continue to derive immeasurable benefit from my involvement in Prep Forensics and from the dedicated Jesuits who demanded clarity and precision in speech and thought,” says Tretta. “I am hopeful that the Gloria Portfolio Tretta Scholarship will bolster and advance that cherished tradition.”

And he again is stepping up to support a place that he calls home. “I will always be proud to say that I am a graduate of St. Joseph's Prep,” Tretta says, “where life’s lessons were well learned and lifetime friendships forged.”

CLASS OF 1989 SCHOLARSHIP Jim McHugh ’89 Jim McHugh ’89 loves being a graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep and a member of the Class of 1989, which still gets together regularly each year.

“I can directly attribute my success to all that I learned at the Prep,” says McHugh, whose family owns and operates a variety of manufacturing companies that do business locally, regionally and internationally. “This one single place had such a positive impact on my work career, my personal life. It would be irresponsible not to give back.”

Give back he has. Recently, McHugh donated the necessary funds to establish a Class of 1989 Scholarship to support one student for four years. He hopes that his classmates join in and fund at whatever level they can with an eventual goal of funding four students each year so there will be a Class of 1989 Scholarship recipient in each grade level.

“The Prep is an incredibly unique place. I have had a chance to watch my own children as well as my friends’ children in many different high schools (public, parochial and private) and the Prep stands different, blending a city, urban culture with an extremely challenging academic environment which sets you up for life. The work ethic that the Prep demanded had a pronounced effect on my life and it drove me to my success.”

McHugh’s financial support for the Prep began with the EITC/OSTC state tax credit program, which allows individuals to pay their Pennsylvania state taxes to charitable organizations. “It is far and away the simplest method that anyone can give back to the Prep,” says McHugh who has served as an advocate for the program. You know you are

going to pay state taxes, you know roughly what amount you will have to pay, and there is little work involved. There really is no excuse to not be involved; it doesn’t cost any money and it is money you are going to spend either way. I recommend a simple formula: find the average of three years you have paid in state taxes and pledge at least 80% of that. The Prep helps with the paperwork.”

He hopes that his philanthropy to the Prep encourages others, especially his classmates and those from around his time at the Prep. “The more that I have been involved with the Prep, I have come to see that the Prep really needs the financial support of all of us who have been lucky enough to go there,” says McHugh. “Despite what many people think, there is not an unlimited source of money there.”

Jim McHugh ’89 and Trish Markell at the President’s Reception with St. Joseph’s Prep President Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72 and Board Chair M. Shawn Bort P ’10. Markell’s son Jack will be part of the Prep Class of 2023.

“My goal was to use this gift as a foundation, an avenue where my classmates can also support the Prep,” says McHugh, who is a second generation Prepper (father George III was Class of 1947).

“I wanted it to be more encompassing.”

McHugh’s professional career has a lot of tangible Prep ties: the partner for his first company was a classmate, Tom O’Connor, and nearly all of the vendors he uses are Prep graduates or parents.

But it is in the intangibles where McHugh says the Prep made the biggest difference.

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ADVANCING THE PREP

LEADERSHIP COUNCIL CHAIRS MIKE AND CAROL LILLEY P ’20 ’22 Chairs, Villiger Executive Council (VEC) For many parents, involvement in their children’s schools ends when the kids enter high school. Though some might stay involved in parents’ clubs it is often not the same.

That realization hit Carol and Mike Lilley when their oldest, Joe ’20, entered the Prep soon followed by Frank ’22. Carol had been active at the grade school and they both knew most of the other parents and teachers. At a school like the Prep, the geography of the student body makes that more difficult and the Lilleys were searching for a way to connect more with the school when a call from the Development Office’s Conor McCabe ’08 gave them a possible solution.

“When Conor reached out to us, it was perfect as an entry point,” Mike Lilley says. "Within the first six months, when we walked in the doors, we found that we actually knew people: faculty, administration, other parents. It helps us feel a little more involved.”

Carol agreed. “It has been a great way to get to know other parents from other parts of the Delaware Valley,” she says. “For me, it was a nice alternative.

We have younger children so I was still involved at the grade school but the Villiger Executive Council was something that we could commit to and would work with our family as a whole.”

MATT STEFANSKI ’03 Chair, Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC) Matt Stefanski '03 understands the power of the Prep. It is strong in his family and most of his friends today remain those from his high school days. That connection is the reason he happily accepted the opportunity to serve as Chair of the Young Alumni Leadership Council.

“I am extremely proud to be an alumnus of St. Joe’s Prep and to be the current Chair of the Young Alumni Leadership Council,” says Stefanski. “That pride stems from the fact that the Jesuit mission of developing young men to truly be ‘men for others’ is as prevalent at the Prep as anywhere I have seen. I have witnessed firsthand – through family, friends, and colleagues – that the Prep lives its mission to the fullest and develops some of the great leaders in business, education, and politics within our community.”

Like many parents who are paying tuitions, the Lilleys have many demands on their finances.

Still, they support the Prep as one of their main philanthropic interests, something that Carol says they “plan to do for the long term,” even beyond their sons’ time at the school.

“The Prep is obviously important to us,” Mike says.

“We’ve entrusted it with an important part of our sons’ development in life and we want to be involved there as much as we can. The academic rigor is high and we have seen how it has prepared others for college. When we see these results, it has encouraged us to want to support it financially, meet other parents and be a part of the community.”

Their son Joe earned an academic scholarship as well as a music scholarship. To Carol, seeing the school honor him and support him has been a highlight and a reason why she supports the school.

“It is really nice for the students to be recognized for their merit,” she says. “The Prep works with and supports all of the students. Seeing that made me feel like I wanted to give back to the Prep.”

As for VEC, they hope to add new parents to the council, expanding it to meet new people united in their support of the Prep. They also hope that VEC members will continue to be called upon to serve the school like many were on the recent principal search. “Being included in that was amazing for us and we were so glad to be able to serve in that capacity,” Carol says.

JIM KANE ’80 P ’17 Chair, President’s Advisory Council (PAC) When Jim Kane ’80 moved from Chicago back to Philadelphia in 2014, he knew he wanted his son Austin to transfer into St. Joseph’s Prep as a sophomore, to become the third generation of Kanes to attend the Prep. Still, he worried that distance and lack of connection to his alma mater might not help in the admissions process.

“Honestly, though, it felt like it was June of 1980 and I hadn’t skipped a beat,” Kane says. “The people at the Prep helped me find a home for Austin and treated me as one of their own even though I had been disconnected for a bit. I will never forget that.”

Just a few weeks into the school year, he saw a former teacher in the halls who remembered him and told him that Austin already seemed like he knew everyone. “That meant so much to me,” Kane states.

“Austin hadn’t always felt comfortable at his old school so we were happy to know that he had found a home at the Prep. He came home one day and was so excited. He said, ‘I can’t believe that we found a school where there is a building full of people like me.’ It made all the difference in the world.”

Kane knew then that he wanted to support the Prep in any way he could. After meeting with Betsy Courtney, Chief Development Officer, he was convinced to help with a large financial contribution as well as giving of his time.

there existed a false sense of security among Prep alums that the school was flush with endowment and that there wasn’t a need. We discussed how the Prep needed to engage people better around fundraising. That clarity meant a lot to me.”

That mission, fueled by a community where the adults in the building care deeply for the welfare of their students, is what continues to push Stefanski to stay active.

“I have greatly benefited from this mission and the helping hand of so many Prep teachers, coaches, students and alumni,” he says. “The Prep is so much more than a school, it is a community of great people that share values and are always willing to support others. That willingness of so many inspires me to serve others the best way I know how.”

The Young Alumni Leadership Council was created to offer the Prep’s most recent graduates a chance to interact with their alma mater in a different way. These alumni support the school and serve as ambassadors throughout the Prep community, the Philadelphia Region and beyond.

“Being involved in the Young Alumni Leadership Council affords me the opportunity to work with so many great people on continually reinforcing the Jesuit mission,” states Stefanski. “YALC affords the younger alumni the ability to give back to the Prep in a multitude of ways, not just monetary. I feel this involvement and the momentum that our group has created will only further strengthen the proud foundation that prior Prep generations have helped establish.

I am lucky to play a small role in something that I believe will have a lasting impact.”

The honesty he heard at that meeting, plus the energy and passion he saw in Courtney, helped Kane to become more involved. The love of the Prep runs deep in his family: his father Cornelius Sr. was Class of 1943, he had an uncle who is a Prep grad as well as his two brothers Cornelius Jr ’70 and Kevin ’81. Jim tells a story about his dad that summarizes that love.

“My dad’s family didn’t have enough money for tuition so he took a year off, worked six days a week at an ice factory and then came back to finish at the Prep,” Kane remembers.

“That shows you what he thought of the Prep and then he sent me and my two brothers. That was a huge sacrifice for him and my mom.”

As Chair of PAC, Kane hopes to engage others the way he has been engaged. “I was supported by financial aid and, in a big family with a brother right behind me, the Prep was not guaranteed,” he states. “My family made it happen, with support from the Prep, and I believe that you have to pay it forward, pass along what has been given to you. That message came through loud and clear. As alumni and parents of alumni, we have a responsibility to ensure the Prep’s mission continues for new students and families.”

“The first sessions of PAC that I attended, the conversation was candid and forthright,” Kane states. “There was a conversation about how

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ALUMNI KEEPING PREP TIES STRONG ACROSS THE COUNTRY The loyalty of St. Joseph’s Prep alumni is legendary. Looking around at a football game, Cape and Sword production or at an Alumni Association meeting, you can see the pride that alumni feel in the school and how they desire to support their alma mater, both by their presence as well as financially.

But what about graduates living outside of the Philadelphia

Gifts Peter Boyer. Harron and Lyons have teamed up several times over the years to support Prep events in the windy city.

A bit closer to home, alumni who live in and around New York City have been gathering for many years now. They recently formalized as the New York Council, holding regular meetings and organizing mentoring opportunities.

“When I heard the Prep was coming to Lower Manhattan, I jumped all over the chance to help,” states Wood. region? Well, Prep alumni in several cities across the country work hard to ensure that the Prep ties stay strong, even hundreds (or thousands) of miles away.

In Chicago this spring, Jay Harron ’89 and Sean Lyons ’93 hosted alumni for an event to welcome the Prep Lacrosse Team to play several games in the area. Harron and Lyons sponsored a dinner where the team and coaches met with the alums, who were also greeted by President Rev. John W. Swope, SJ '72, Chief Development Officer Betsy Courtney, and Director of Major

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This winter, one member of the Council, Paul Wood ’98, welcomed students to Citigroup where he is an Equities Trader.

“When I heard the Prep was coming to Lower Manhattan, I jumped all over the chance to help,” states Wood. “It was great when the students arrived--some of them were seniors wearing

their Prep sweaters and it was so cool to see them representing my school.” Wood showed them Citi’s state-of-the-art trading floor and gave them a sense of what each group around the floor did. “They asked a ton of questions and it was great; they wanted to learn about a day in the life of a trader, and what skills and experiences they should be building now to help them along.”

He appreciates the chance to be involved at the Prep. After college, Wood spent eight years living in Europe. He says the distance was hard and made him feel disconnected to the Prep. “When I got back to New York in 2010 the first thing I did was reach out to my Prep buddies,” he remembers. “It was no surprise that many of them were hanging out together in NYC, with some even commuting up from Philly. That network was still there and I was able to slot myself right back in.”

Prep events in (l-r) California, Chicago, DC and New York City.

“Going to the Prep was the most significant academic event of my life," says Murray.

Wood is also happy to be a part of the New York Alumni Council.

“When I heard about the Council, I was definitely interested in joining,” he states. “It has been great meeting these men, who are interesting, successful and willing to support fellow Prep grads.”

Wood can consider himself among that group as he has done that as well, introducing younger alumni to some of his contacts and also hosting the Prep students.

Alumnus Dan Murray ’73 also supports the school in many ways. For decades he has lived in Arlington, VA and serves now as the Deputy Chief of Police.

He recently gave a significant donation to support the Prep and also joined with other alumni in the DC area to hold a dinner for Prep students who were in the city for a JSA National Conference.

“I am distant from Philadelphia, but I value the experience I had at the Prep and I want others to have that opportunity,” says Murray. “Going to the Prep was the most significant academic event of my life. It formulated a lot of the ways that I see things, the way that I think, and a lot of the ways that I do analysis.”

Like Wood, he appreciates the chance to reconnect with fellow alums and with Prep students. “I don’t think any of us down here are as involved as much as we would like to be because we all have so many demands on our time,” he notes, “but it is so nice to have a commonality, where you originated, what your values are, share the same experiences.”

As for his recent gift of hosting Prep students, he is grateful for the opportunity. "I was glad to have a chance to pay it forward," Murray says. "When I was younger, I was supported by a caring group of parents, teachers, and priests, especially at the Prep, so I am happy to do it for the next generation.”

On the other coast, despite being 3,000 miles away, Jamie O’Hara ’84 stays pretty connected with his alma mater. He values the chance to follow Prep activities and sports via email and other communications and has also stayed connected via the Alumni/ Development Office and through communications with Fr. Swope.

“It’s just the ethos of the place and the experience that I had, especially the great and diverse

student body,” says O’Hara, who recently established a generous scholarship to the Prep. “I loved the fact that so many of my friends were from the city--that opened up my world quite a bit.”

He stays in touch with Prep classmates, many of whom have continued to stay connected to the school, and also keeps in contact with some Preppers in California, where he lives in Marin County. He laughs about finding out that a friend, Joe Sweeney ’73, was a fellow Prep alum.

“There’s an understanding of a common value system and a common experience in the most formative years of your life,” he says.

O’Hara has also happily mentored Prep students and alums, even from afar. “I’ve taken calls from Prep grads who are in or interested in investment banking or investing and happy if my expertise can help someone,” shares O’Hara, who hopes to be back east more in the coming years to continue strengthening his involvement at a school that means so much to him.

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FACULTY / STAFF NOTES

FACULTY & STAFF NOTES Audra Brady (Marketing/ Communications) was inducted into the Allentown Central Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Audra was part of two state championship volleyball teams. ▼

Conners has also been selected as an NEH Summer Scholar to attend a threeweek summer institute on “Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad” at Colgate University supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Endowment is a federal agency that, each summer, supports these enrichment opportunities at colleges, universities, and cultural institutions, so faculty can work in collaboration and study with experts in humanities disciplines.

Dennis Hart ’95 (Athletics) attended the annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Meeting in Hershey.

Rev. Chuck Frederico, SJ and Tim Poole (Mission and Ministry) led a group of three sophomores to attend the Jesuit Northeast Province Social Justice Competition in New York City. ▼

Teresa Hoffman (Computer Science) and her husband John welcomed their third child, Joseph ▼ Gerald, born on September 23.

Brady is also engaged to be married to Prep alum Chris Dougherty ’10. Their wedding is set for February 2020.

Brian McCloskey ’91 (Admissions) attended the Jesuit Schools Network Conference in Baltimore, MD.

Curt Cockenberg ’71 (Athletics) is a proud grandfather of Tye Christian born on Feb 5, 2019 the day before the birthday of his father Taylor Cockenberg.

▼

Bill Conners ’80 and Leo Vaccaro ’05 (History) will lead 11 Prep men for a two-week German Exchange to Collegium Josephinum Bonn, a Redemptorist high school in Bonn, Germany. The group will spend an additional four nights in the Bastogne region of Belgium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

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Corinne Logan (College Counseling) presented at the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC) Conference in June including once while wearing her then newborn baby Emma! Mrs. Logan presented two sessions: “Expanding Your Counseling Toolbox: Activities and Resources to Engage Students in the College Process” and “Event Planning: ▼ Dos, Don'ts, Tips & Stories.”

Mr. Oldham also has a new granddaughter, Cora Jean Odilia Peterman, born to his daughter ▼ Colette and her spouse, Dave.

Frank Raffa (Modern Language) participated in a Middle States evaluation at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx and will be attending the Jesuit Schools Network Colloquium in Chicago with three other colleagues at the end of June. Pictured: Mr. Raffa at Hayes HS with former student and ASC colleague Mr. Brendan Coffey, SJ, ’04 who was working ▼ with students at the school.

Andrew Whelan (English), his wife Katelyn, and their son Oscar welcomed Evelyn Nancy to their family on March 22.

STAFF NEWS Dr. Chris Rupertus (English) received his Ph.D. in English from Temple University. The chair of Rupertus’ dissertation committee was Dr. Roland L. Williams, Jr., Prep Class of 1971 and ▼ an English Professor at Temple.

Speedy Morris (Athletics) caught up with former Prep player Anto Keshgegian '16 after a Temple ▼ basketball game this season.

Courtney Pinto (College Counseling) recently toured several colleges, including Arizona State and Marquette University where she met up with alums ▼ Simon Williams ’18 and Dan Avington ’18 respectively.

▼

Kate Ambrose (History) and her husband Joe are expecting their first child in July.

Steve Oldham (Religious Studies) attended the 5th annual Ethics of War and Peace Conference held at Villanova University in concert with the cadets of West Point and the students of Villanova. This year the keynote address on the issue of "Leaving Afghanistan: Pro and Con" was presented by Fr. Ken Himes, OFM who is a Franciscan academic teaching at Boston College School of Theology, with a response by Villanova professor, Eugene McCarraher.

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CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI NEWS As of 4/11/19

1950 / 60s Cyril Gamber ’55 has been a resident of Florida for 33 years and was in attendance last year when SJP football team beat Jesuit HS in Tampa.

Len Aquilino ’60 is proud that his grandson Andreas Dimitriou is a member of the Prep Class of 2022.

Deacon Patrick Diamond ’63 was inducted into the Maternity B.V.M. Hall of Fame. Pat was ordained a Deacon in May of 2009 and is currently serving at St. Cecilia Parish.

Philadelphia City Councilmen Brian O'Neill ’67 and Bill Greenlee ’71 joined City Commissioner Lisa Deeley for a talk to Prep students on the importance ▼ of voting and elections.

Rev. Thomas McCoog, SJ ’65 met up with 3 other fellow classmates for lunch in Washington DC. Pictured:

Joe Cartwright, Fr. McCoog, ▼ George Ullrich, Ed Gough

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Some members of the Prep Class of 1974 (and guests) gathered for an annual dinner ▼ at Popi's this spring.

Joseph Theranger ’64 has written two books: Can we Obey our way into Heaven? and What are we then to do?

Jeff Schneider ’60 hosted a get-together in Florida with classmates Joe Mayer ’60, Don Montanaro ’60, and John Manning ’60. ▼

Dr. Roy Reese ’60 received the Inaugural Bakari Trailblazer Award, created to recognize men of color who have made significant contributions to society and the Prep by charting new territory and/or being the first to mark an achievement at the Prep. Reese was one of the first African Americans to graduate from St. Joseph’s Prep. ▼

William Culleton ’67 retired in June from a "second career" as a special education hearing officer for the state of PA.

Dr. Lawrence Ricci ’65 authored a new book, What Happened in the Woodshed: the Secret Lives of Battered Children and the Profession Protecting Them, the story of the development and growth of the newest pediatric specialty: child abuse pediatrics. It is the story of Dr. Ricci's career as a founder of the field of child abuse pediatrics. It is also the story of 30 child abuse pediatricians who describe their very personal experiences working in this field by looking at the devastation of child abuse through the eyes of these pediatricians.

1970s / 80s / 90s Joe Mancano ’72 and his law partner Mark Cedrone were honored with the Cesare Beccaria Award by the Justinian Society and the Philadelphia Bar Association at a ceremony and reception on November 28, 2018 at the Mayor's Reception Room in City Hall.

Armand DellaPorta ’73 is excited to announce his first grandchild, Micah J. Hejlek, to his daughter Aimee and her husband Joe Hejlek.

Dr. Ernest Bonaparte ’74, a Clinical Psychologist based in Brooklyn, was invited by the Prep’s Black and Latino Culture Club and Prep Med Group to speak about his career and offer advice ▼ to students.

Walter Finnerty ’74 is the current bass player for Christian Smooth Jazz artist Michelle Danette and Remnant Sounds, currently in the studio recording for her upcoming CD. He is also the bassist for the Platinum Sounds Band out of PA and will be playing an extensive summer and fall schedule with them. Additionally, Walt is a session bassist for Tight Mike Productions in Philadelphia, creators of background music for corporate events, expos, and commercials.

ALUMNI NEWS

Colonel (Ret.) Bill Gallagher ’77 is heading the multinational organization monitoring the ceasefire and peace treaty implementation to end the five-year civil war in South Sudan. Bill leads ongoing negotiations with leaders from the nine warring parties on disengagement and reunification of the various military factions in the country.

He recently spoke at the Prep as part of the school’s Year of Citizenship. ▼

John Matthews ’80 and The Ride Hard Breathe Easy Team did a second bike ride in honor of his late mother and to raise money and awareness for lung cancer. He and his team launched ▼ their 1,850-mile ride at the Prep.

Vincent Thompson ’84, Stanley Jaskiewicz '78 was recently recognized on the Donor Wall at North Penn Commons for his service as a member of the board of directors of Manna on Main Street that approved formation of North Penn Commons.

a reporter for WURD Radio, won Broadcast Newscaster of the Year and Politics and Government Reporter of the Year from the Philadelphia Pen and Pencil Club for his work at the only African American owned and operated talk radio ▼ station in Pennsylvania.

HL Ratliff ’78 received the Inaugural Bakari Diversity and Inclusion Medal of Excellence, which recognizes an individual who has left a lasting impact on diversifying the Prep Community and making it more inclusive. ▼

The Class of 1985 held their annual dinner this spring ▼ at Chima Philadelphia.

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CLASS NOTES

Justin Bristow ’91 graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA with a Master's Degree in National Security Studies in December 2017. He served as the Director of Border Security, National Security Council staff at the White House in August 2017.

Fran Chardo ’86 was sworn in as Dauphin County District Attorney.

Fran has been with the office for 24 years, and, as District Attorney, is the chief law enforcement officer for the county and oversees an office of 31 prosecutors and 12 detectives.

Fran's wife Christine, daughters Catie and Sophie, as well as his parents, Frank ’61 and Ann, were present for ▼ the swearing in ceremony.

Tim McCloskey ’86 had his photo "Stay Down!" named the 2017 Photo of the Year at the 11th Annual Briscoe Awards. McCloskey's winning shot depicted rising welterweight star Jaron Ennis waiting in a neutral corner while referee Blair Talmadge counts out a fallen George Sosa, in a bout that took place at South Philly's 2300 Arena.

John Hennigan ’87 was inducted into the World Series of Poker Hall of Fame.

Ron Piccolo ’89 and Gabriel Barreneche ’92 were honored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro Orlando and Prospera USA for their outstanding community leadership.

THE PREP NEWS | SUMMER 2019

Ryan Kirlin ’05, who was in the Prep’s national championship lightweight eight, was inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame. Ryan was a two-time Dad Vail Champion at Fordham (lightweight 4 in 2007 and lightweight 8 in 2008) and has competed internationally for the US Rowing Team.

Ryan Kurtz ’06 is currently serving as Law Clerk to the Hon. Christopher F. Droney, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Ryan and his wife Geraldine reside in Jersey City, NJ.

Matt Dwyer ’93, Chip O’Connell ’02, and Matt Stefanski ’03 spoke to students during the Prep’s ▼ Leadership Week.

Michael Glynn ’04 is a Naval Aviator and a Lieutenant in the USN. He is currently stationed at NAS Bahrain. Mike is pictured here visiting the Church of the Gesu in Rome at New Year's. ▼

Sean Lyons ’93 wrote an article on investing in student housing that appeared on Forbes.com. Lyons is a Founding Partner at Triad Real Estate Partners with 15 years of experience selling investment real estate around the country.

Nick Morinigo '97 works for PNC Bank in Philadelphia as in-house counsel.

2000s / 2010s

David DeMaria ’05 is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a second year fellow in Cardiology at the Medical Center of the University of South Carolina at Charleston.

Kevin Lojewski ’17 is a member of the Florida Southern University eSports team, in its third season. ▼ Phil Pasquariello ’11 recently won the "Top Gun" Award from Baylor University Law School after winning a prestigious tournament there. Phil was selected from among the best individual advocates from top law schools who then compete in a 1-on-1 trial. Pasquariello will begin ▼ his law career at Saul Ewing.

Jordan Mrazik ’06 received the Young Architect Award, presented

by AIA Philadelphia's Steering Committee of Fellows, which seeks to recognize a registered architect between the ages of 25 and 39 for their contribution to the categories of leadership, practice, and service.

Perry Russom ’09 won a Boston/New England Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Reporter-General Assignment. Perry works at NBC10 in Boston. ▼

Warren Shieh ’95 executes acquisitions for Deloitte & Touche in the US.

Jamai Robinson ’00 was named the YMCA Volunteer of the Year for Delaware.

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Mark Zoller ’03, a stand out basketball player both at the Prep and Penn, was inducted into the Big Five Hall of Fame on April 15.

Dan Avington ’18, a freshman at Marquette University, won four awards from the Midwest Journalism Broadcasting Association for his work for the Marquette Wire. One of the awards was for Dan’s work as the play-by-play broadcaster for the group’s NCAA Tournament broadcasts of Women’s Volleyball. ▼ Philip Riehl ’11 and his dad, Phil Riehl ’80, a Lieutenant in the Homicide Unit with the Philadelphia Police Department, celebrated Philip's Police Academy graduation. Phil also ▼ has a BA from West Chester.

Tyler Tynes ’11 recently wrote a retrospective of the life of Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks for History.com.

Greg Bradbury ’17 won the 2018 News Rookie of the Year award from Syracuse University's Citrus TV. ▼

Duncan Waite ’18 has been nominated to the Hall of Honor at the Philadelphia Historic Martial Arts Society annual Hall of Fame Banquet.

The Hall of Honor was created for those who have less than 25 years of training but who have noteworthy achievements and good character.

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WEDDINGS, BABIES, IN MEMORIAM WEDDINGS

BABIES

Warren Shieh ’95 and Carrie Xu

Kevin Stolarski ’06 and Caroline McGeehan

Will Connor ’04 and Taleen Sarkissian

Groomsmen included

Brendan Steppke ’04 and Allie Gerhard

Tom Tully ’08 and Courtney Glashow

Joseph Boyle ’94

Mike Arcidiacono ’09 and Meg Schmidt ▼

J. Kyle Sweeney ’06 and Steve Harrington ’06 ▼

In the wedding party was alumnus

Michael Morell '04, 2nd groomsman from right ▼

Mark Gannon ’09 Joe Cirucci ’07 and Gina Chiarelli

and Charlotte Keating ▼

Quinn Violet to Laura and ▼ Timothy Murphy ’95 Matthew Zachary to Leslie and

Matt Fanning ’98 Elizabeth Alexandria to Denise and Eugene Haas ’99

Shannon Sweeney ’04 and Maureen Campbell Alan Guffanti ’05 and Michelle Wilson ▼

Louis Nelson to Alexandra and

Michaelangelo Ilagan ’02

Nick Mooney ’08 and Roxanne Gross

Rome Elizabeth to Sara and

Ryan Pierce ’08, Ernie Menold ’08, Colin McShane ’08, Nick Mooney ’08, Dan Rowley ’08, Sean Robinson ▼ ’08, Mike Conaboy

Ryan Kurtz ’06 and Geraldine Lesieur Ryan's Groomsmen included Prep Alumni (l to r) Andrew Molchan

’06; David Wilson ’06; Anthony Franchetti ’06; Geraldine & Ryan, and Best Man Daniel Kurtz ’10 ▼

Greg Tomezsko ’02 John Lake "Jack" to Moira and

Sean Barker ’05

Hank Mushinski ’08 and Isabel Krome

Lillian to Kelley and Dan Voss ’05

Left to right: Tom McCabe ’07,

John M. III to Jeanine Simone and John DeFeo, Jr. ’10

Paul McCabe '80, Vince McLaughlin ’08, groom Hank Mushinski with bride Isabel Krome, and ’08 alums Ray McCreavy, Vince Quinn, best man John McCabe, Jason Walsh, Kevin Kennedy and Mike White

Andrew Michael to Margy and

Andrew Fabry (Math) Emma Sue to Stephen and Corrine Logan (College Counseling)

▼

Matthew Rafferty ’05 and Christine May

WEDDINGS

IN MEMORIAM

Joseph IV to Maribeth and John H. Hines '42 Lawrence B. Judge '42 Thomas M. Garrity '44 John M. Cavanaugh '45 Vincent P. Harris '45 James E. Mortimer '45 George L. Murphy '45 Francis X. D. Reese '45 Ignatius W. Adams '46 Robert K. Allen '46 John R. Carroll '46 William H. Hemp '46 Paul E. Niedringhaus '46 Joseph F. Byers '47 Raymond J. McCormick '47 William F. McFadden '47 Charles L. Currie '48 Laurence G. Esmonde '48 William J. Farnon '48 Walter F. Tiernan '48 David J. Torpey '48 Joseph I. Tunney '48 James J. Clark '49 Robert J. Graham '49 Michael J. Leary '49 Edmund J. McGurk '49 Joseph R. Nagy '49 John J. Nevins '49 Richard W. Zaengle '49 Raymond R. Thompson '49 John F. Gahran '50 Stephen J. McEwen '50 Anthony F. Wassel '50 Robert B. Burns '51 Thomas R. DiIenno '51

James T. Downey '51 William J. Flanagan '51 James W. Greenlee '51 Joseph J. Kollmer '51 Gerald M. Lafferty '51 Hobart B. Sullivan '51 Aaron W. Bennett '52 David J. Kuhn '52 Leon A. Mankowski '52 Edward M. Churchill '53 James A. Murphy '53 Floyd T. Nasuti '53 Joseph E. Slawek '53 Kenneth E. Smith '53 Charles J. Stehli '53 Albin E. Yodis '53 Joseph W. Curran '53 James H. Agger '54 Andrew J. Soltys '54 William N. Wiley '54 James E. Currie ’55 Vincent F. Garrity '55 Donald J. McBride '55 Gavin W. Muir '55 John M. McAluney '56 Ernest E. Flegel '57 Bernard F. Thompson '57 Charles J. Benz '58 Joseph L. Brogan '58 John J. Darrah '58 Richard M. DiMonte '58 James A. Moran '60 James M. Morris '60 Richard P. Riillo '60 Michael F. Stapleton '60 John P. Campbell '61 Joseph H. Contole '61 Paul D. Dolgert '61

James V. Mackell '61 Robert M. Scott '61 Joseph A. Cronin '62 Arthur C. Fruncillo '62 J. A. Hayden '62 Joseph D. McClatchy '63 Dale R. Allen '64 Joseph M. Pitone '64 Michael V. Fratini '66 John T. Paul '66 Walter G. Scheuerman '66 Raymond F. Theilacker '66 Edward M. Flannery '67 Francis J. Hanssens '68 Thomas J. Klemick '68 Robert T. Salwach '68 Joseph F. Lawless '69 Robert W. Prybella '70 Patrick J. Irwin '72 Edward M. Sullivan '72 Thomas M. Pié '73 James J. Kattner '74 R. Bruce Morrison '74 William J. Boiston '76 Gary A. Kupniewski '79 Angelo J. Salandra '81 Sean P. Barrett '86 Samuel D. Miller '89 Brendan B. Lafferty '03 Kevin B. Furey '06 Christopher A. Behounek '08 Conor P. Devlin '10 Salvatore G. DiNubile ’19

As of 4/11/19

TELL US YOUR NEWS! EMAIL US AT HAWK@SJPREP.ORG

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PERSPECTIVES

THE JESUITS' UNIVERSAL APOSTOLIC PREFERENCES Earlier this year, Most Rev. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, announced the Society’s Universal Apostolic Preferences, the areas where the Jesuits would focus their energies over the next few decades. The four preferences are: Discernment and Spiritual Exercises, Walking with the Excluded, Caring for Our Common Home, and Journeying with Youth.

Over the next four issues of The Prep News, we will hear perspectives from members of the St. Joseph’s Prep community on each of these preferences. These perspectives will examine how we are working currently in each area and also what we may be doing moving forward. The first of these is from Dr. Stew Barbara ’86 P ’17 ’20 from the Counseling Department who will be looking at Discernment and the Spiritual Exercises through the lens of a recent Father-Son Service Trip that he coordinated.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are the wellspring of the Prep. Through the graces of the Spiritual Exercises we encounter Jesus Christ in a profoundly personal way. This encounter enables us to receive God’s unconditional love and to deepen our understanding of ourselves as loved sinners called to join with Christ in His mission of building a more caring and compassionate world.

Last month, leading up to the Feast of St. Joseph, I had a unique experience of the Spiritual Exercises when my son Matt '20 and I participated in the FatherSon day of service sponsored by Campus Minister Tim Poole and the Mission and Ministry Office.

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Along with a diverse group of Prep fathers and sons, we began our day rooted in the Eucharist as Fr. Chuck Frederico, SJ celebrated Mass. During mass we prayed to receive three graces - namely that we might be able to open our hearts so that we can receive God’s unconditional love, that we might open our eyes so that we can recognize Jesus in those who we would meet and the communities we would visit that day, and lastly that we might open our hands and in so doing, to become an instrument of God’s love.

After Mass, one group headed off to Camden while the group I was with went to Old St. Joseph’s Church in Old City to serve a

three-course lunch to those on the margins. Later that afternoon we returned to the Prep to reflect on our experiences.

For me, the most meaningful part of that day wasn’t the service we did or the meal that we helped to prepare but the conversations we had. Like the other volunteers, Matt and I ate lunch with three men who came to the Food, Faith and Friends that day. We listened to their stories of overcoming adversity and homelessness and we were moved by their resiliency, their faith and how generous they were in sharing what little they had with others. When we were talking with these gentlemen — whether it was about sports, the news of the day or about

ourselves—I came to recognize more deeply just how similar we are. Through our conversation I realized that it was these men who were ministering to me and teaching me what is truly important in life. I understood more clearly that we are all one.

Those few hours spent at the Father-Son Day of Service were a tremendous gift for me. Not only was it a unique experience for Matt and me, but it helped me to experience the graces of the Spiritual Exercises. I received the graces that we prayed for at mass through the conversations that Matt and I had with those gentlemen at Old St. Joe’s.

Through our conversations I did experience God’s love for me and

for our world through their words and witness; through our time together I got a glimpse of God’s face in those men and realized more fully just how similar we all are; and by meeting those men I was filled with a deep sense of gratitude that left me more joyful and loving that day.

THE PREP NEWS | SUMMER 2019

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