Scarlet & Grey - Spring 2018

Spring 2018

The Magazine for St. John’s College High School

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

22 ON THE COVER

Inside 3

Life at St. John’s

14

Cadet Culture

16

Sports at St. John’s

22

President’s Medal Celebration

30

Alumni Action

38

St. John’s Theatre Hall of Fame

46

Photo Gallery

54

Class Notes

55

Condolences

FROM THE PRESIDENT DEAR ST. JOHN’S COMMUNITY,

When John Baptist de La Salle formed the religious order of the Christian Brothers more than 300 years ago, he revolutionized the world of education. De La Salle knew that for the first Brothers to succeed, they needed to take the time to know their students and create a community of faith and trust in the classroom. He wanted them to touch hearts and minds.

Today, St. John’s continues the work of the early Brothers through the commitment and excellence of a faculty and staff who truly care for their students.

St. John’s is devoted to a student-centered mission that not only educates but also transforms lives – by touching the minds and hearts of our students. Our faculty do not simply teach – they reach our students where they are, so they can identify their own unique talents and fulfill their God-given potential.

The successes of our students, faculty and alumni you see in this magazine are possible because of our continued commitment to knowing our students and supporting them in every aspect of their lives. I am excited to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, we received more than 1,000 applications for the incoming freshman class. I truly believe that this overwhelming interest in SJC is because we have continued the work of the early Brothers in creating a culture of faith, kindness, intellectual curiosity and compassion.

We do not do this work alone! The alumni and greater community of St. John’s continues to support our efforts and without you, our students would not have these opportunities. As you read these stories, please know that the success of the students today is only possible because of the foundation that was built by the generations of students who came before them.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey W. Mancabelli | President

Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 | St. John’s College High School Jeffrey Mancabelli

Kathryn Zahner

Kathy Bagley

Christopher Themistos

Heather Long

Kathryn Zahner

PRESIDENT PRINCIPAL

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING

Michael Esten

Beth O’Connell

Mark Gibbs ’96

Lori Martin

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Tom Veith

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Kathy Bagley

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT SERVICES

Jean Morin

DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR

EDITOR

CONTRIBUTOR

Lawrence French, Kathy Bagley PHOTOGRAPHY

Linda Loughran ART DIRECTOR

St. John’s College High School 2607 Military Road, NW Chevy Chase, DC 20015 www.stjohnschs.org _______ Alumni and Development Office 202-364-0229 202-363-5091 | F kbagley@stjohnschs.org

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

Activism in Action: Riley Place and Generation E Like all juniors in the De La Salle Scholars Program, Riley Place ’18 needed a great idea for his Scholars Project, the independent study he would pursue throughout his senior year and present in the spring of 2018. He wanted something that would combine his passion for the environment with his growing interest in government policy and youth activism.

Unlike most students, Place formed a political action committee, Generation E, one of the only PACs in the country to focus on youth issues and be run entirely by high school students.

“Young people can’t vote, yet they’re very passionate about political issues – and a lot of those issues impact them disproportionately, like education and the environment.

I thought it would be good to create a vehicle that would allow them to work through the government and policy to spread awareness for these issues and advance their interests.”

The first challenge was organization – registering Generation E with the Federal Election Commission, setting up a bank account, building a website and putting into place an infrastructure to run the PAC. Place served as president, with Jorge Familiar ’18 as his vice president and

five other official members working on Generation E projects. Place also has to file reports with the government every three months reporting on the PAC’s activities.

travel to the National Mall together for the protest. “It was extraordinary. It was great to be there with my community, standing up for the action we want to see.”

Then in November, they held the Generation E Youth Festival at St. Bartholomew’s School in Bethesda, MD. Place recruited speakers from the Put a Price on It DC Coalition, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative. From his work organizing the youth festival, Place was offered a paid fellowship this spring with Our Climate, a nationwide, youth-led organization behind the Put a Price on It movement. Generation E is also a member of the Put a Price on It DC Coalition.

Generation E’s final campaign of the year is to register every eligible St. John’s student to vote, including any student who will be 18 in time for the elections this fall. Place and other volunteers will be registering people during lunch periods in May to vote in DC, Maryland and Virginia. “My goal is to leave knowing everyone is registered to vote. That’s the number-one way people can participate in the government. I want to make sure everyone has the potential to do it, and hopefully by registering them, it will be in their mind and they’ll most likely vote.”

This spring, Place and Generation E were involved in planning the Washington, DC, student protest against gun violence on March 14, one month after the tragic shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School. Place attended meetings with Montgomery County Students for Gun Control, helping plan logistics for the event and securing speakers, including St. John’s own Christian Crawford ’18. He rallied more than 200 St. John’s students to attend the protest, with absences excused by their parents. The SJC group met at the Friendship Heights Metro Station to

Next year, Place will attend the University of Richmond to pursue a double major in environmental studies and politics, philosophy, economics and law. He hopes to recruit more high schoolers to join Generation E, to foster more engagement among young people and to eventually pass it on to the next generation. “I love the idea of young people trying to raise money and having a say in how it is spent. Young people need to represent their interests, and that money can give them the opportunity to represent themselves.”

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LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

Poverty Education Week 10 YEARS This year marks the 10th anniversary of St. John’s Poverty Education Week, an annual Lenten program focused on education, service and prayer. The inclusive program planned by the Department of Mission and Ministry, Signum Fidei and the Poverty Education Committee is designed to engage all community members – students, faculty, staff and SJC families – and run across all departments.

In the fall of 2008, Director of Mission Integration Tom Sipowicz, along with former Campus Minister Katie Kernich, began developing a week-long, schoolwide program, through which the St. John’s community would express its solidarity with the poor. Initially, the program consisted of students receiving poverty-centered lessons in different disciplines during the course of the week, which was accompanied by other events, such as a fundraiser for SJC’s sister school in Kenya, sandwich-making during lunch periods for Martha’s Table, poverty-themed prayer at the beginning and end of the day and logos and banners developed by the Fine Arts and Computer Science departments.

However, over the years, the program has taken on a life of its own and become one of the most important school events of the year. “Poverty Education Week began 10 years ago as a vehicle with the potential to increase students’ awareness of the issues

surrounding economic poverty. Because of a consistent increase in interest, effort and passion at all levels, it has grown to be a cornerstone of the SJC culture and educational experience,” said Sipowicz.

Poverty Education Week has developed into a unified expression of Lasallian activism with and on behalf of the poor.

Each and every individual on campus, as well as many St. John’s family members and alums, participate in one if not many aspects of the program, and all are inspired by the themes of social justice and solidarity with the poor, as well as the foundational message of hope. “Poverty Education Week is extremely valuable at St. John’s because it helps foster an awareness of the injustices of poverty and builds a desire for change in the world,” said Alex Toner ’19.

In addition to the fundraisers, department lessons, community service, daily prayer

“ Poverty Education Week is extremely valuable at St. John’s because it helps foster an awareness of the injustices of poverty and builds a desire for change in the world.”

ALEX TONER ’19 4

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

Speakers from the National Coalition for the Homeless shared their powerful stories with the junior class.

Students made sandwiches for Martha’s Table during this year’s Poverty Education Week.

and artistic expression throughout the campus, modified and new activities are introduced each year. For example, in 2013, the SJC Mothers’ Club began hosting the Hunger Banquet during all lunch periods. Based on the model of Oxfam, a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty, students were divided into low, middle and high economic categories and fed accordingly.

The students in the low-income majority ate only a bowl of rice while sitting on the floor. The middle-income students received rice and beans and ate sitting in chairs. The high-income students received the “golden ticket” and were served a three-course meal. This year, that program was modified so that all students participated in a Meal of Solidarity, during

Mary McCarthy ’12, Rev. David Street ’04 and Katherine DeStefano ’06 discussed careers in service with the Class of 2018.

which they sat on the floor and consumed a bowl of rice and beans while engaged in a faculty-led meditation. Also new this year was a school-wide technology fast – faculty and students abstained from the use of all technological devices, including iPads, smart phones, computers and audio/ visual equipment, for the day.

Over the years, many guest speakers have visited campus, including those who have experienced homelessness or who work on behalf of the homeless and those in need. Speakers from the National Coalition for the Homeless share their personal experiences with homelessness and advocacy with the junior classes, and SJC alumni who have chosen service-oriented careers encourage the seniors to

continue serving others after they graduate. Recent speakers have included Mary McCarthy ’12, Danny Wright ’11, Carlos Orbe ’10, Teresa Yao ’08, Mary O’Neil ’07, Katherine DeStefano ’06 and Rev. David Street ’04.

Through Poverty Education Week and their Lasallian mission-centered education, St. John’s graduates understand their role in promoting social justice through service to the poor. “One of my teachers said that ‘with birth, not only are we assigned certain elements, but also responsibility.’ My peers and I are responsible for helping those who are in need or who cannot help themselves. As humans, we all must work together to lift up everyone,” said Naomi Lester ’19.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 5

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

A Community Effort ALUMNI, PARENTS AND STUDENTS TEAM UP TO SUPPORT JAMAICA When the St. John’s community comes together, they accomplish remarkable things. One recent example of an outstanding SJC team effort is the work of the Davitt/Ruppert Mission in partnership with Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, the country’s largest charity organization that provides human relief services in the areas of housing, food, medical care, water, sanitation, education, agriculture, outreach and micro-enterprise.

Sponsored by the Davitt/Ruppert Mission, a team of 45 students and adults traveled to Trelawny, Jamaica, over President’s Day weekend 2018 to help construct a new preschool. The school is sponsored by St. Michael’s, an Anglican church in Charles Town. The team included seven SJC students – Abby Dodge ’18, Matthew Donahue ’18, John Donatelli ’20, Daniel Stockmal ’18, Neil Stockmal ’18, Jacob Turner ’19 and Devin Whalen ’18 – as well as SJC family members and friends of the mission. This is the second consecutive year that Dodge, Donatelli and the Stockmal brothers have volunteered to serve FFP through the mission.

Over two days, the group constructed exterior walls, installed hurricane braces, primed the outer walls and window frames, plastered the foundation, installed windows, doors and locks, added a roof vent, painted the outer walls and installed the septic system of the building. The newly constructed St. Michael’s basic school (preschool) consists of 14 classrooms, sanitary conveniences, a sick bay and a principal’s office – a stark contrast to their current two-room schoolhouse with a chalkboard partition. Classes for the more than 100 students in the new school began after Easter. To help furnish the school, the mission group brought much-needed school and art supplies.

“This trip is so powerful. Being able to make challenging goals, meet those goals and build strong relationships is magical. Working with Food For The Poor is something you want to tell your grandkids when you get older because it is just that life-changing,” said Dodge.

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(From left) John Donatelli ’20, Jacob Turner ’19, Matthew Donahue ’18, Abby Dodge ’18, Neil Stockmal ’18, Devin Whalen ’18, and Daniel Stockmal ’18 participated in the 2018 mission trip.

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

The new school began providing classes for more than 100 children this spring.

This year’s trip concentrated on construction of a new preschool in Trelawny, a huge improvement from their previous two-room schoolhouse.

Over the years, the Davitt/Ruppert Mission group of family, friends and SJC community members has constructed more than 165 houses, a home for the elderly and as of April 2018, six schools.

Craig Ruppert ’71, current SJC board member, philanthropist and founder and CEO of Ruppert Landscape, and Chris Davitt, philanthropist and president of Ruppert Landscape, have been partnering with FFP Jamaica for more than 17 years on these housing projects. “The work of this organization and our students and parents is a living example of the Lasallian philosophy of ‘enter to learn and leave to serve.’ I am so grateful that our students have this opportunity,” said SJC President Jeff Mancabelli.

However, before the group began work on the new school, they visited a Mustard Seed Community in Spanish Town. The Mustard Seed Communities care for the most vulnerable populations in Jamaica, including the severely physically and mentally disabled, teen mothers and their babies, children affected by HIV and children and adults who have been abandoned by their families. The team spent time talking and interacting with the residents of the community and learning about their sustainment efforts, including their tilapia and chicken farms. They also had an opportunity to visit and learn about the operations of the FFP distribution center and warehouse, which serves 350,000 people each month.

“Devin and I hope to participate again in the future. It would be wonderful if more St. John’s students had the opportunity to experience the trip, see the acute poverty and need first hand, and learn what a difference we can make if we work together.

I encourage everyone to go out and volunteer,” said Jennifer Whalen P’18.

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LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

THE ARTS AT ST. JOHN’S

Best in Show 3D

Nick Zuppas ’19 & Julia Pennanen ’18

People’s Choice

Allie Wolfe ’18

Gallery Night Best in Show 2D

Tia Wilson ’20

Third Place

Anne Hagerty ’19

GALLERY NIGHT 2018 AWARD WINNERS

Second Place

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Sara Miller ’19

• Best in Show 2D – Tia Wilson ’20 • Best in Show 3D – Nick Zuppas ’19 and Julia Pennanen ’18 • Second Place – Sara Miller ’19 • Third Place – Anne Hagerty ’19 • People’s Choice – Allie Wolfe ’18 • Donatelli Art Award – Maggie Warnick ’18 • Honorable Mention – Abby Dodge ’18 • Honorable Mention – Caitlin Early ’19

• Honorable Mention – Sainphorine Ewale ’18 • Honorable Mention – Ashleigh Fultz ’18 • Honorable Mention – Frank Hernandez ’21 • Honorable Mention – Stephen Jasinski ’19 • Honorable Mention – Caroline Lander ’20 • Honorable Mention – Ebun Odusanya ’18 • Honorable Mention – Christian Ramirez ’19 • Honorable Mention – Diana Rodriguez ’18

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

THE ARTS AT ST. JOHN’S

The Dining Room Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2017

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LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

THE ARTS AT ST. JOHN’S

Emma!

A POP MUSICAL April 12-14, 2018

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LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

SJC religion teacher Kenneth “Coop” Cooper and his wife, Jacalyn Kalin, self-published their first book, Where Heaven and the Bronx Met, a story written for teenagers and adults that explores the spiritual battle between good and evil, the presence of angels on earth and the call to holiness – theology in action in today’s world.

Many have been inspired by the book’s message, including Marguerite Saunders ’19. “Where Heaven and the Bronx Met frames the story of the Christian challenge to act with love in a refreshingly exciting and captivating way, even for the teenage reader.

The book’s plot centers around angels, but not the perfect angels of scripture, who may often feel distant. Instead, the story focuses on ordinary angels: humble people dedicated to spreading love and recognizing human dignity as best they can. Reading this uplifting, fun and relatable story has inspired me to look for the metaphorical angels in my own life and has guided me further in my spiritual journey.”

and Jacalyn on Long Island and as adults inspired our writing. My background includes growing up in an Irish section of the Bronx with numerous friends – yes, there are stories to tell – and I relied on these memories when writing. Jacalyn grew up in a household where peace and justice issues were instilled in her. So, events that involve her character in the book have a peace and justice theme. We both are teachers, and education plays a big part in the book. The information was taken from real-life classroom experiences. Most of all, the spiritual component of the book is definitely drawn from our own faith journeys and our efforts to live out our faith.

With characters based on current and past colleagues, friends and family, Cooper and Kalin have crafted a relevant novel that incorporates Cooper’s Bronx upbringing and a lifetime of teaching experiences with the Catholic faith.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM WRITING THIS BOOK?

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME AN AUTHOR?

The book makes The Word come alive in daily actions and in classroom teaching. Doc Nighan, a longtime English teacher at SJC, commented that the book blends “the tragic, the sublime, the ‘real-world’ experiences with gospel values in a way that’s absolutely authentic; nothing fake or contrived. The kids would get a lot out of it.” The book includes church history, morality and how to pray. It offers suggestions for how to act as a Christian in daily life. It provides an opportunity for students to embrace religion, not through a textbook, but through a book with a moving story and memorable characters.

During the course of my teaching career, I came to the realization that there are very few Catholic novels to “hook” students on the Gospel and church teachings. So, with my wife Jacalyn’s encouragement and support, I set out to rectify that by writing a Catholic novel with her. Our hopeful goal was to write a book that pushed readers a little closer in the journey to God. WHAT REAL-LIFE INSPIRATIONS DID YOU DRAW FROM?

We are both native New Yorkers. We drew on our love of New York to write tidbits of NY historical information. Of course, our experiences as young people living in New York, me in the Bronx

God is everywhere. Even in the Bronx!

IS THERE A MESSAGE IN YOUR NOVEL THAT YOU HOPE READERS WILL GRASP?

Where Heaven and the Bronx Met can be purchased at St. John’s bookstore and at Politics and Prose in Washington, DC. SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 11

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

ADVENTURE AWAITS:

Sister Catherine This June, St. John’s will say farewell to longtime faculty member Sr. Mary Catherine Mindling, RSM. After 33 years at St. John’s, and 50 years in education overall, Sr. Catherine is ready to move on to her next adventure.

Moves on from St. John’s

C

oming into the 2017-2018 school year, she had a growing feeling that this would be her last year at St. John’s – an “icing on the cake” year. Through conversations with her leadership at the Sisters of Mercy, she came to realize it was time to focus her energy in a different direction – to “redirect, redesign and redefine” her service within her community. “There’s never a right time to retire. I feel like I’m at the top of my game, and I have a lot of energy. I feel like it’s a good time for me to invest a little more fully in the energy of the Sisters of Mercy.”

Faith has always been a very special part of Sr. Catherine’s life, even at a very young age. “I felt in my earliest years a real relationship with Jesus forming within me – an invitation that I responded to. And as I responded, it grew.”

She attended a high school run by the Ursuline Sisters in Louisville, KY, and after graduation, she chose to join the Sisters of Mercy in New Jersey, a community referred to as the Walking Sisters because they were always out among the people.

In 1963, Sr. Catherine formally joined the Sisters. She completed her freshman year of college, followed by a novitiate year and then sophomore year. As a junior, she transferred to Georgian Court University to earn her bachelor’s degree in French, graduating in 1968. In 1971, she made her final vows.

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Sr. Catherine’s other great passion has always been education. In fourth grade, a school psychologist asked her to work with a new student who did not speak English, an experience that left a strong impression. As she continued her education and volunteered her summers as a teacher’s helper, she grew more certain that education was her professional calling.

After college, she taught French in New Jersey at St. Mary’s High School (Perth Amboy) and Mount Saint Mary Academy (Watchung) and religion at Notre Dame High School (Lawrenceville) and St. Mary’s High School (South Amboy). Concurrently, she taught summer sessions in French at Georgian Court University and served one year as the college’s assistant director of admissions. She also earned a master’s degree in religious studies from Villanova University.

Beginning in 1970, she directed vocation and formation ministry for the new members of the Sisters of Mercy, including planning 35 awareness

LIFE AT ST. JOHN’S

Sr. Catherine frames a house during an SJC service trip to Kentucky in 2006.

Sr. Catherine and SJC President Jeff Mancabelli celebrate her 25th year at St. John’s during graduation 2010.

“ It’s not easy to say this is my last year, because I love it here – I’ve had much joy here. But I know it’s right. I don’t like to have it come, but it’s the right time, and I’m embracing it that way. And I have a lot of adventures still to come!” retreats for young people exploring their vocation. She also served as a director of religious education for a local parish. “And yet, each one of those was also a form of education.”

In 1984, Sr. Catherine was granted a yearlong sabbatical to travel to Washington, DC, and study Spanish at the University of Maryland. She also taught GED classes for Spanish-speakers at the Spanish Catholic Center. When the year was up, she requested to stay in the DC area. There were a few projects she hadn’t quite finished, and she felt one more year would allow her to see them through. But she didn’t expect to stay on sabbatical; she’d find a local teaching job for the second year.

In 1985, Sr. Catherine took a position at St. John’s to teach French and Spanish for just one year. After a year at St. John’s, she examined the other teaching opportunities available to her, and none of them were the right fit; so, she stayed for another year.

Thirty-three years later, she is still a pillar of the St. John’s faculty.

“One year rolled into two, and then so many more. This has been a place where I’ve really been able to bloom as a teacher.”

During that time, she spent 26 years as chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department, taught 12 different courses and moderated the Spanish Club, French Club, Spanish Honor Society and Prayer and Meditation Club. She led a group of students on a spring break trip to Mexico in 1992, and then took a yearlong sabbatical from SJC to teach in Mexico and Southern California. Always a role model for her students, “Hermana” was the first to bungee jump on the school trip to Costa Rica in 2006 – after that, all of the students had to take the plunge, too!

She was also instrumental in establishing St. John’s partnership with Amigos de las Américas, an organization through which high school students spend their summers performing service work in Latin American countries. Over the last 15 years, 57 students have undergone rigorous training and completed these life-changing trips – many of them two or three times. Three more students are currently preparing for their Amigos experiences this summer.

Sr. Catherine has always enjoyed the synergy between the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy. She studied the ways the Brothers’ 12 Virtues overlapped with the tenets of her order, and the similarities were many. “Embracing both missions was not in any conflict for me.” In 2010, she wrote a piece titled “Mercy at La Salle” for De La Salle Today commemorating and celebrating their partnership in education in honor of her 25th year at St. John’s.

Throughout the years, she has mentored many of St. John’s young teachers, including Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs Shannon O’Laughlin, who started as a Spanish teacher at St. John’s in 2008. “Sr. Catherine’s kind, compassionate and supportive presence amongst both students and faculty is one of a kind. Starting my career at SJC under the guidance of Sr. Catherine has always been a true blessing to me. Sister’s guidance, mentoring and friendship have developed invaluable leadership skills and life lessons within me. Her honest and gentle approach will surely be missed by all!”

Though it’s hard for her to leave the community at St. John’s, Sr. Catherine is eager to see what adventures lie ahead. Since 1990, she has used her language skills for her order, translating a book and numerous documents and serving as an interpreter. She traveled to Peru to interpret for a team of doctors in 2012 and retirement from teaching will offer her the opportunity for more service, including travel to Central and South America, where the Sisters of Mercy already serve the community. Sr. Catherine also plans to become more involved with the Journey of Oneness process in her order, which will bring together communities from 11 countries and one U.S. territory to form one Sisters of Mercy of the Americas by 2023. Looking ahead, the possibilities are endless.

“It’s not easy to say this is my last year, because I love it here – I’ve had much joy here. But I know it’s right. I don’t like to have it come, but it’s the right time, and I’m embracing it that way.

And I have a lot of adventures still to come!”

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CADET CULTURE Outside the classroom, St. John’s students are involved with a wide variety of activities!

FRENCH EXCHANGE STUDENTS VISIT LA SALLE’S BIRTHPLACE PARTNERING FOR THE PLANET The Eco Club teamed up with the S.J.Sea Club (aka Shark Club) for an Earth Weekthemed lunchtime trivia contest.

On April 4, our French exchange group had the opportunity to visit St. John Baptist de La Salle’s birthplace and first home in Reims, France.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN MISSISSIPPI

The Freshman Mission Committee spent the year drafting their class’s unique mission statement, which was signed by each ninth-grader at their class Mass this April.

During spring break, students traveled to Walls, MS, to serve with Sacred Heart Southern Missions, a Catholic ministry in the Diocese of Jackson, MS. The SJC contingent helped with a variety of projects, including roofing, gardening and carpentry.

CADETS ABROAD

DIPLOMACY IN ACTION

FRESHMEN ON A MISSION

During their spring break trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua, students visited the Rincón de la Vieja National Park.

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In January, St. John’s Model UN delegates participated in the Ivy League Model UN Conference in Philadelphia.

While there, they also had a chance to visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

CADET CULTURE

CHORAL STUDENTS IN NYC In March, the Advanced Vocal Studies ensemble was invited to travel to New York City and sing at Carnegie Hall as part of a combined honor choir under the direction of Greg Gilpin.

PERFORMING ARTS TRIP TO NASHVILLE Our performing arts students traveled to Tennessee this spring to compete at the Nashville Heritage Festival, where they had a very strong showing! They also had a chance to tour the city, including the Parthenon in Centennial Park.

ACADEMIC VICTORY Our It’s Academic team of Thomas Canary ’18 (captain), Matthew Musselman ’18 and Nathan Kim ’19 advanced to the playoffs this winter.

ALAHNA SABBAKHAN POSTS FASTEST US TIME On Jan. 27, Alahna Sabbakhan ’19 ran the nation’s fastest time for 600m at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge held at the Armory in New York City. She finished second behind a race winner from Canada, but her runner-up time of 1:31.89 ranked her #1 overall in the United States in the event.

THE SCHOLARS GO TO WASHINGTON In February, our sophomore Scholars headed off campus for a visit to the Capitol, which included a tour and a discussion with fellow Cadet Tommy Nguyen ’00 on the legislative process.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE This year, 16 St. John’s seniors were recognized by the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program for their performance on the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

NEW CADET COMMAND STUDENT-LED PRAYER SERVICE On March 14, students organized a school-wide prayer and memorial service that allowed the SJC community to join with other schools across the nation to pray for peace and safety one month after the tragic shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.

Congratulations to next year’s regiment leaders! Front row: Reese Smith ’19 (Regimental CSM), John Kavanagh ’19 (Lieutenant Colonel), Jason Lerner ’19 (Colonel), Peter Goodwin ’19 (Battalion CSM) and Isabelle Heintz ’19 (Major); back row: Nolan Coronado ’19 (Battalion CSM) and Michael Penafiel ’19 (Lieutenant Colonel). Not pictured: Maria Shepp ’19 (Lieutenant Colonel).

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION Our Peer Ministers and SGA greeted our new students with smiling faces at Freshman Orientation in August!

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SPORTS AT ST. JOHN’S

SPORTS

Fall 2017

Season HIGHLIGHTS

WCAC COACHES OF THE YEAR

Joe Casamento, Football Corey Kelly, Field Hockey DC COACH OF THE YEAR

Bill Pribac, Volleyball

ALL-MET PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kevin Doyle ’18, Football Maliah Morris ’19, Girls’ Soccer

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DC GATORADE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Kevin Doyle ’18, Football Rebecca Frye ’18, Volleyball

WCAC Team Titles FIELD HOCKEY

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All-Met Players of the Year

Cady Hyde ’20 won the WCAC girls’ varsity race for the second year in a row and led the team to win St. John’s firstever girls’ varsity WCAC team championship, as well as the DCSAA state title.

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First Team All-WCAC Players

The field hockey team defeated Good Counsel 2-0 to win their third consecutive WCAC championship. The Cadets lost only one regular season game and finished the season with 14 shutouts, allowing their opponents to score only four goals during the entire season. The team ended the season ranked #4 overall in The Washington Post.

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CROSS COUNTRY

SPORTS AT ST. JOHN’S

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GIRLS’ SOCCER

The girls’ soccer team defeated Paul VI in penalty kicks to win the 2017 WCAC championship, the school’s first since 2011. Going into the tournament, the Cadets had a perfect 8-0 record in WCAC play.

The team also repeated as DCSAA champions and was ranked #1 overall in The Washington Post and #14 nationally by USA TODAY.

DC Championships FOOTBALL

St. John’s defeated Gonzaga 30-7 to win the 2017 WCAC football championship. They went undefeated in the league for the first time since 1976 and won the school’s first football conference championship since 1989. This year’s team is also the only St. John’s football team to ever defeat both DeMatha and Gonzaga twice in the same season. The team finished their season ranked #2 overall in The Washington Post and #17 nationally in USA TODAY.

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1

WCAC Individual Title First Team All-Met Players

VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team cemented their DC dynasty by defeating top-seeded Wilson High School to win their fifth consecutive DCSAA championship.

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SPORTS AT ST. JOHN’S

SPORTS

Winter 2017-18

Season HIGHLIGHTS WCAC COACH OF THE YEAR

Cam Watkins, Wrestling

DC COACHES OF THE YEAR

Azzi Fudd ’21, Girls’ Basketball

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DC GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Azzi Fudd ’21, Girls’ Basketball DCSAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Azzi Fudd ’21, Girls’ Basketball

Azzi Fudd ’21, Girls’ Basketball

DC Championships

WRESTLING

The Cadets won the school’s first WCAC wrestling championship in 37 years during the 2017 season, and now they have cemented their status as a premier program with a second consecutive title.

In addition to the team’s overall championship, four wrestlers also earned individual titles in their weight classes: Aidan Rocha ’19, Seamus Selmi ’19, Mikey Keen ’21 and Jalen Dickerson ’18.

The team finished the season ranked #8 in The Washington Post.

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4

WCAC Individual Titles

WCAC Team Titles

WCAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Desmond Dunham, Indoor Track and Field Jonathan Scribner, Girls’ Basketball ALL-MET PLAYER OF THE YEAR

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First Team All-WCAC Players

SPORTS AT ST. JOHN’S

BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

St. John’s boys’ indoor track and field team also won the 2018 DCSAA state title. Highlights from the state meet include Mordecai McDaniel ’20, Brandon Booker ’18, Cooper May ’21 and David Jefferson ’21 recording the fastest 4x200m relay of the day, and Brandon Osazuwa ’18 dominating the field with a first-place finish in the high jump.

PHOTO CREDIT: CORY ROYSTER

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

The girls’ basketball team finished an outstanding season with a 32-2 record, repeated as WCAC champions and won a third consecutive DCSAA title. Azzi Fudd ’21 also made history as the first freshman to be selected as All-Met Player of the Year and WCAC Player of the Year.

The team finished with a #1 ranking in The Washington Post and ended up ranked #3 nationally by USA TODAY.

GIRLS’ INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

1

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First Team All-Met Players

Alahna Sabbakhan ’19 led St. John’s girls’ indoor track and field team to its first DCSAA championship; she scored 26 points over her four events, the most garnered by any individual girl in this year’s state meet, won the 800m and set a new state record, finishing with a time of 2:20. Other notable performances include Nicole Taylor ’20 capturing first place in the high jump and Aliya Williams ’18, Nayantara Anders ’21, Maggie Loughran ’21 and Brenda Aleman ’19 finishing first in the 4x800m relay.

All-Met Player of the Year

PHOTO CREDIT: CORY ROYSTER

SPORTS AT ST. JOHN’S

SPORTS

Class of 2018

This year, 32 seniors have committed to continue their careers at the collegiate level. Congratulations to these dedicated student-athletes!

College SIGNINGS

• Cooper Adams – University of Maryland,

Baltimore County (Baseball) • Zoe Barnes – Villanova University (Crew) • Charles Briscoe – University of New Hampshire (Football) • Molly Brock – Jacksonville University (Lacrosse) • DJ Brown – University of Notre Dame (Football) • Michael Campbell – Salisbury University (Baseball) • Jaylin Carodine – James Madison University (Basketball) • Rafael Checa – Pennsylvania State University (Football) • Beth Cornelius – Jacksonville University (Lacrosse) • Miguel Davis – Howard University (Swimming)

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• Kevin Doyle – University of Arizona (Football) • Rebecca Frye – James Madison University (Volleyball) • Ashleigh Fultz – Brandeis University (Softball) • Jamal Gay – Towson University (Football) • Cam Goode – Virginia Tech (Football) • Katie Gray – University of Mary Washington (Soccer) • Virgil Isola – La Salle University (Crew) • Josh Jefferson – University of Massachusetts (Football)

• Kelliann Jenkins – St. Mary’s College (Baseball) • Peter Kalinski – Washington & Jefferson College (Baseball)

• Paige Merz – Gettysburg College (Soccer)

• Richard Njoku – United States Naval Academy (Basketball)

• Caleb Okechukwu – Syracuse University (Football) • Nick Rachlin – Rhodes College (Baseball) • Chase Reed – Loyola Marymount University (Baseball) • Robert Reynolds – Denison College (Baseball) • Bella Ronca – Catholic University (Softball) • Asha Scott – University of Vermont (Basketball) • Zach Tsakounis – College of William & Mary (Baseball)

• Grace Walsh – Purdue University (Soccer) • Sydney Wood –Northwestern University (Basketball) • Tre Wood – University of Massachusetts (Basketball)

TH

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BANQUET AND INDUCTION CEREMONY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2 To see the full list of St. John’s athletes, coaches and teams that have already been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame, visit www.stjohnschs.org/sjchalloffame.

From left: Christopher Stevens ’70, Norah O’Donnell (accepting on behalf of her sister, MAJ Mary O’Donnell ’02, MD), St. John’s President Jeff Mancabelli, Brendan Quinn ’89 and Michael Harper ’71.

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FEATURE

The President’s Medal Celebration 2017 On Nov. 3, St. John’s honored four outstanding alumni with the President’s Medal, awarded to distinguished alumni and friends of the school who have given extraordinary service to St. John’s or to the world community. The 2017 awardees were Michael Harper ’71, Brendan Quinn ’89, Christopher Stevens ’70 and MAJ Mary O’Donnell ’02, MD.

O

’Donnell is the first female graduate to receive the medal, which is especially fitting as St. John’s celebrated the 25th anniversary of its first female graduates in 2017. She was deployed with the Army and unable to attend the celebration, but her sister Norah O’Donnell, co-anchor of CBS This Morning, accepted the medal on Mary’s behalf.

“Tonight, we honor the St. John’s tradition that began in 1965 as we recognize four alumni who took their God-given talents and gave back to St. John’s, who gave of themselves to their families and communities and are making a difference in our world,” said St. John’s President Jeff Mancabelli. “From the very beginning, the Brothers knew that it was together and by association with others that the mission would thrive at St. John’s. We recognize these honorees and publicly express our gratitude not only for what they have given to St. John’s, but also for their commitment to so many other organizations. I want to thank each of you for all you have done and continue to do for St. John’s and the greater community. Because of your efforts, St. John’s is a vibrant learning community, a school stronger than it has ever been, filled with students who appreciate the efforts and support of the greater St. John’s community for all they have been given.”

Read on to learn more about this year’s four outstanding alumni honorees.

To see videos and photos from the President’s Medal Celebration, visit www.stjohnschs.org/presidentsmedal.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 23

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

BRENDAN QUINN ’89

B

y age 8, Brendan Quinn had his future planned out. His father, Ed ’59, had been bringing him to St. John’s events all his life, and he loved the school – so that’s where he’d go to high school. He wanted to be a sports broadcaster, and he watched or listened to every Notre Dame game – so that’s where he’d go to college.

When the time came, he refused to apply to any other high school, starting at St. John’s just after brother Kevin ’82 graduated. Here, Quinn made friends for life and internalized values that have served him well, personally and professionally.

Working as a team, developing a unit mentality and being prepared and disciplined enough to start “work” at 8:05 a.m. each day were all critical lessons. “The most successful St. John’s grads I know are always the first ones into the office.”

He also learned how to think critically at St. John’s. Quinn has a photographic memory, which made school fairly easy.

However, teachers like Doc Nighan challenged him to think instead of just regurgitating information. “Understanding the subject and teaching somebody how to think are much more important than teaching somebody to do well on a standardized test.”

Quinn always had an entrepreneurial spirit.

His father was a turn-around specialist who worked with small businesses in distress to make them profitable and successful again.

The family would talk business strategy at home, and Quinn soaked in the knowledge. “My business school was my dining room table.”

He began by organizing school events, like a basketball tournament to raise money for senior events. Then, as a student at Notre Dame, he began to think bigger.

Once Quinn moved off campus, he and his roommates threw two keg parties each week during their junior and senior years.

Selling cups for those parties made enough money to pay their utility bills and provide the boys with spending money. “I turned everything into a business. If there was any opportunity that could make a little money, I was engaged in it.”

After graduation, he worked for Continental Bank in Chicago, in the bank’s leveraged finance and private equity division. He said it was an amazing experience for the first eight months, during which he learned about banking and financing companies. Then Bank of America bought them out, and work slowed to a crawl.

In the fall of 1994, Quinn decided to return to the DC area and work with his father. In

“Because I’ve had a passion for the school my whole life, it doesn’t really feel like a job. The transformation of the campus has been fantastic, and the kids deserve it, but the character of the school hasn’t changed.”

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1995, the Maier family contacted Ed Quinn for his help in turning around their company, Ernest Maier, Inc. Already engaged in another project, he suggested they work with his son instead. “My dad told them, ‘He’s only 23, but he really thinks he knows everything – so, maybe he’ll fix this place.’”

And Quinn did fix their business. At 23, he moved into Ernest Maier’s offices and behind the same desk he sits at today. The company was essentially bankrupt when he came on as interim CEO, and Quinn was forced to cut the staff from 33 to 15. He set up repayment plans with vendors, cut costs, negotiated with tax authorities, secured receivables financing and focused the firm on block manufacturing and sales. Through his efforts, Ernest Maier went from being on pace to lose $700,000 in revenue that year to almost breaking even. “It took a lot of energy to fix things. It worked because I was just naïve enough and anxious enough to run the place.”

One year later, he knew the business would survive, despite continuing challenges. In 1998, he offered to take over the company from the Maier family by assuming its debt, but they declined. Then in 2001, Quinn rallied his family to invest in him and in

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

Ernest Maier, allowing him to purchase the business. In 2000, the company reported $7.3 million in revenue; in 2018, it will earn more than $90 million in revenue.

Quinn has continued to expand the business, including using his banking experience to purchase companies. For him, business is a contest and a constant challenge. “I like challenges, especially ones that people think are impossible. I knew that if we worked really hard and did certain things, we would win.” Ernest Maier is now the only independent block manufacturer in the mid-Atlantic – nine others have gone out of business or been purchased by large conglomerates since 1995.

While Quinn has served his community in many ways over the years, there has

been no passion quite as consuming and rewarding as his work at St. John’s.

He first began attending meetings of St. John’s Board of Trustees with his father while he was still in college. In 2005, his father “voluntold” him to join the school’s Construction Committee.

Then in 2008, Quinn was asked to join the Board. He’s served three consecutive terms and received a special exception in 2017 to stay on for two additional years.

As current chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee, Quinn has been heavily involved in the recent transformation of the school’s facilities, including Cassidy Commons, Fitzpatrick Library, the Donatelli Center and the Cap Mona Family Student Center.

While he’s proud of what they’ve accomplished, the project he’s most proud of is

always “the one that isn’t done.” In this case, the next project is the enhancement of the school’s athletic facilities, relatively unchanged since the school moved to Military Road in the 1950s, and the eventual construction of a green quad between the academic and athletic facilities.

When Quinn steps down from the board in 2019, he will have left a tangible, indelible mark on his alma mater – one that his children, including Molly ’18 and Brendan ’20, will be able to enjoy.

“Because I’ve had a passion for the school my whole life, it doesn’t really feel like a job. The transformation of the campus has been fantastic, and the kids deserve it, but the character of the school hasn’t changed.”

MAJ MARY O’DONNELL ’02, MD

M

ary O’Donnell ’02 knew she wanted to be a doctor when she was just 10 years old.

Fascinated by the medical books her father, an Army doctor, kept around the house, she spent more time than most children studying the exhibits at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, located near her home at the now-closed Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. O’Donnell said her interest in science and her Catholic education, with its emphasis on service, made a career in medicine a natural fit. At St. John’s, she built a solid foundation – in academic excellence as part of the first class to participate in the De La Salle Scholars Program, in teamwork on the girls’ basketball team and in service to others through St. John’s Christian Service Program.

An SJC service trip with Habitat for Humanity led to her participation in Amigos de las Américas, a program that offers high school students the opportunity to spend a summer performing community service in a Latin American country. Although O’Donnell was the

first St. John’s student to participate in the program, she was not the last – 57 students have volunteered their summers over the last 15 years.

O’Donnell spent the summer of 2001 in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, teaching residents to build indoor stoves – people were cooking inside their houses, which was leading to smoke inhalation issues. Spending the SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 25

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

summer in a foreign country opened her eyes and fueled her desire to spend her life serving others. “It was such a life-changing experience to me – realizing that people are happy with very little. It was fantastic, really learning the purpose of service – what people really need out there, and what you don’t need in this country. You can have happiness with simplicity.”

She went on to attend Georgetown University, where like many pre-med students she chose a major in a non-scientific field: Spanish. She had gained fluency through her time in Mexico, and these courses further immersed her in the study of Spanish culture – as did her summer spent abroad in Ecuador.

When it was time to apply for medical school, she found the right fit at the Uniformed Services University. While O’Donnell had initially considered an ROTC scholarship for medical school – she wanted to serve her country and was very familiar with the life of an army doctor – she had not expected to attend a military medical school. However, the sense of community at USU drew her in; your classmate might one day also be your physician, so she said there was a sense that everyone was “in this together,” working toward a single goal.

O’Donnell joined the Army, attended boot camp and then began medical school as a second lieutenant. While USU

offered a traditional medical education, it also offered military-specific courses on what to expect during a deployment and specific conditions faced by soldiers around the world. She also had the opportunity to rotate through military hospitals around the country, which gave O’Donnell her first exposure to working with “wounded warriors,” soldiers returning from deployment with serious injuries.

That experience had a profound impact on her. “This is the ultimate service.

They put their lives on the line for our freedoms. If anything needs to be done, it is taking care of these guys and their families, because theirs is the ultimate sacrifice. It’s hard, but hopefully you can make a difference.”

O’Donnell decided to become a surgeon, and she began her six-year surgical residency back home in DC at Walter Reed.

Her general surgery residency introduced her to a wide variety of sub-specialties, surgical techniques and medical technology. She discovered a passion for teaching during her residency and spent her research year studying medical education, which she then applied to her work as chief resident in her final year. That hard work paid off – her peers elected her for the Walter Reed Teaching Award, and she was recognized nationally by the American College of Surgeons. “I can only do one surgery at a time, but I can teach hundreds of surgeons to be surgeons, and that means I’m taking care of that

“I can only do one surgery at a time, but I can teach hundreds of surgeons to be surgeons, and that means I’m taking care of that many more patients by making sure they are good at what they do.”

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many more patients by making sure they are good at what they do.”

Most surgical residents choose a sub-specialty, and O’Donnell decided to pursue colon and rectal surgery, finishing her studies with a yearlong fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania that ended last summer. While she said many of the sub-specialties were appealing, as a colorectal surgeon she is an oncologist battling the third-most-common type of cancer in America, with the second-highest mortality rate amongst cancers.

However, unlike many other forms of cancer, colorectal cancer can be caught early during routine screenings and offers patients a greater chance of a positive outcome. It also requires a good sense of humor. “You’re helping people, but you also can’t take yourself too seriously if you operate in that area.”

O’Donnell will now serve at least nine years in the military after completing her education. She began that service with a deployment to Kuwait in the fall of 2017, where she served as a trauma surgeon.

Throughout her career, she expects to be deployed about every two years. The rest of the time, she’ll serve as a colon and rectal surgeon at a military hospital, taking care of service members here back at home. She is currently the chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ft. Belvoir Army Hospital.

“The life of a doctor is a life of service – day to day, you’re taking care of people.

The most fulfilling thing is to make someone healthier, or to even cure them, because that’s invaluable. It’s very hard – life is very fragile. But I’m drawn to things that are a challenge, that are not easy to do, because I’ve frequently found that those are the most fulfilling in life.”

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

CHRIS STEVENS ’70

A

s an entrepreneur, philanthropist and professor, Chris Stevens ’70 has found a way to combine social awareness and activism with business and innovation – he believes it’s the only real way to effect change and improve the world around us. During the course of his long and successful career, Stevens’ focus has shifted to one overarching goal: teaching people that compassion, kindness and giving back are essential to success in business.

As a young man, Stevens did not have an easy life. He was in and out of the foster system, not really feeling as though he belonged – until he came to St. John’s.

“I knew I belonged there, because I just wanted to be part of a family, and St. John’s felt like that right from the get go.” He formed strong relationships here – not just with his classmates, who still meet up several times each year, but also with his teachers and coaches. In particular, legendary SJC basketball coach Joe Gallagher, who found him dunking in the gym as a sophomore and recruited him for his team, left an indelible mark and offered him a path forward in his education.

Due to his strong academic work and skill on the basketball court, Stevens was fortunate to have a wide variety of college choices – but again, when he visited the University of Notre Dame, he knew immediately where he belonged. “I had the same feeling as when I first came to St. John’s – I just felt the connection. There was something special about Notre Dame – tradition and the values of the place. It was a blessing for me to be able to come here.”

After earning a degree in economics, Stevens played a year of basketball in Europe before beginning his corporate career at Procter & Gamble. After completing the nine-year path to district manager in just five years, with five

cross-country moves, Stevens and his family landed in Boston. For his next challenge, he took a position as president of an Anheuser Busch distributorship in the metro Boston area – the worst of all 900 distributorships in the country. It was 1982, and a 29-year-old Stevens was leading a tough team of people older than him.

One day, he saw a sign in a restaurant that gave him the inspiration he needed: “A great leader doesn’t build the business. A great leader builds an organization, for it is the organization that builds the business.”

After six and a half years, working alongside the teamsters driving trucks and taking late-night shifts to build trust and morale, he won over the team and the community.

In his final year there, the distributorship became the country’s number one corporate-owned operation.

“And then I met a couple of guys who had a dream of changing the coffee world, one cup at a time.” Those men were the inventors of the Keurig beverage brewing system, and Stevens was so inspired by their idea that he developed a marketing plan for them free of charge in 1996. That impressed their investors, and they brought

“College is about inspiring young people – it’s not a four-year decision to be here, it’s a 40-year decision, and we’ve got to prepare them for life.

Not just to make a living, but to make a life.”

on Stevens as part of the “core four” team, his first foray into entrepreneurship. “The opportunity to have equity and to build something from scratch was both challenging and appealing.”

Despite design hiccups and personnel changes, the team persevered and launched the product in January 1998. Needless to say, it was a wild success. “It was a great ride. We all had dreams that it could be big, but not even in our wildest imaginations did we believe that one in four homes in America would now have a Keurig brewer.”

Stevens started out handling sales, marketing, public relations, pricing and distributorship. As the company grew, his role expanded to vice president of corporate relations, the public face of the company.

After almost two decades, he retired from Keurig to start a second career as a professor back at his alma mater, Notre Dame. He spent 2012 traveling between South Bend and Boston, teaching part time. In 2013, he became an adjunct professor, and in 2017 he took on a full-time role. He teaches undergraduates, MBA candidates and courses in the ESTEEM program, which caters to students who have already earned degrees in STEM fields and now want to learn how to run a business.

For his undergrads, he said his course on “Principles of Management” changes to “Principles of Leadership” on the first day of the semester. “People don’t need to be managed, they need to be led and inspired.”

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 27

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

He strives to teach his students not just about business and economics, but also about service, leadership and corporate responsibility. “College is about inspiring young people – it’s not a four-year decision to be here, it’s a 40-year decision, and we’ve got to prepare them for life. Not just to make a living, but to make a life.”

In addition to teaching, he also owns CS74 Ventures, a holding company that has invested in more than 20 initiatives and donates at least 50 percent of all profits

to charity. He uses CS74 to invest in the dreams, products and technology that he believes will help change the world.

Stevens also serves as chair of the worldwide Council of Business Professions of the Fetzer Institute, a global non-profit organization. The institute supports businesses that “use their profits for good or have love and compassion in the DNA of their business model” – another way to steward corporate responsibility and social awareness.

In all, Stevens hopes to leave the world better than he found it. In fact, he said that he only wants two words on his tombstone one day: “He cared.”

“I’m a firm believer that every brand or company needs to have a ‘why’ to it. Business creates the wealth of the world. This world is going to get better when business gives more and does more to enable and empower nonprofits on the ground.”

STEVENS’ NEXT ACT: NOTRE DAME’S INSPIRED LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE Chris Stevens ’70 is the co-founding director of Notre Dame’s new Inspired Leadership Initiative, a yearlong fellowship program designed to assist men and women who have already led accomplished careers in launching the next phase of their lives as “renewed and richly prepared forces for good in their communities and beyond.”

The ILI was inspired by the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University and the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University; however, Notre Dame’s program will change the model to better fit the university’s values and resources – including community engagement, an invitation to spiritual discernment and international engagement through Notre Dame’s Global Gateways. As part of their tailored curriculum, ILI Fellows

will audit classes, attend lectures and engage with current students and faculty. Fellows will also have many opportunities to make a lasting impact – both on themselves and others – through community engagement.

The program will launch this fall with 25 fellows for the 20182019 academic year, and their spouses or life partners will also have the opportunity to participate in the ILI curriculum.

Applicants should be accomplished professionals who have completed careers of at least 25 years and who have a desire to become a greater force for good and share their knowledge with students, faculty and other fellows. The admission process is rolling, and interested parties should visit ili.nd.edu for more information.

MICHAEL HARPER ’71

“I

’ve lived a charmed existence.

I’ve been in the right place at the right time and done the right things with it.” Michael Harper ’71 came to St. John’s in 1967. One of six children, he and his two brothers, Jack ’69 and Denis ’75, all attended SJC, while his sisters attended all-girls’ Catholic high schools. He played football for the Cadets and rose through the ranks in the Cadet Corps, becoming a captain as a senior.

The school’s military program gave him his first experience with leadership – the captains were in charge of commanding the 28

companies during drill, and Harper said it was excellent training to keep 90 to 100 of his schoolmates in line for an hour. “It was learning leadership on the fly – you had to keep your company under control, and that took cajoling, it took humor, it took sternness, it took all the qualities that you would use to direct a group.”

Through a combination of student loans, grants and working scholarships, Harper was able to pay for his education at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN – which he said was an important lesson in independence. For his working scholarship, Harper washed “socks and jocks” in the

intramural department. He worked his way up to a position as an intramural supervisor, which had him scheduling the times and brackets for the intramural teams. This was another great experience for Harper, helping provide both organizational and sales training – it was tough to schedule a team for a 6:00 a.m. slot and make it sound like a good thing.

After earning a degree in finance, he put that training to work as a salesman for Prince Gardner Leather Goods Company.

While his sales territory “wasn’t exactly the hotbed of commercial activity,” it forced him to work harder and hone his

THE PRESIDENT’S MEDAL CELEBRATION 2017

skills. After three years, he convinced his new wife, Debbie, to make the move back to Washington, DC, to join his father’s business.

John Harper founded the family business, Warren & Harper Advertising, in 1969. Harper joined him in 1978, and brother Denis and Mark Becker completed the leadership team in the 1980s.

The company sold promotional products and branded merchandise, and business was booming. When his father became ill in 1985, he took on the duties of running the company in addition to his sales role. He officially became CEO in 1988, although he said his first job was always sales.

The business faced challenges over the years – especially with the advent of the internet in the late 1990s, which would dramatically change the way people did business. Additional investments were going to be required, and Harper thought it was a good time to make a change and sell the company. In 1998, they sold their business to Summit Marketing, a firm based in St. Louis, but stayed with the company.

Then the tech bubble burst in 1999, and the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, meant people were not traveling for conferences, trade shows and meetings anymore, further driving down sales. In 2002, the bank forced Summit Marketing to restructure, and they made a deal to sell the company – but Harper and his partners exercised their out-clauses, causing the deal to fall through. He then joined a group of investors to offer the same purchase deal to the bank, which was accepted. He and his partners were now the controlling shareholders in Summit Marketing, and Harper became its vice chairman.

In 2010, the company decided to split into two groups – Harper and his partners retained control of the branded merchandise, marketing communications

and recognition divisions and rebranded themselves as Summit Group. Today, Summit Group has more than 160 associates with offices in Silver Spring, Atlanta, Chicago and Portsmouth.

Over the years, Harper has become more and more involved with non-profit organizations, such as the Catholic Youth Organization. He also gave 10 years in service to St. John’s on the board of trustees, which he described as an educational experience. He praised the work of his fellow board members, especially their efforts on behalf of the master plan and their vision of what the school would need in 15 or 20 years, not just today.

“St. John’s board brings together people with different expertise and disciplines and really makes use of the highest and best talents. I was very fortunate to be on the board with such talented people.”

In addition, Harper also helps fund scholarships for St. John’s students. His family created the John and Mary-Angela

“Many hands make light work – and that really is true, whether in a capital campaign or planning a function. If everybody in the class gives something, then we can raise enough to make a difference.”

Harper Scholarship in memory of his parents, and he organized his classmates to create the Bro. Timothy Dean Scholarship Fund in honor of their 40th reunion in 2011. Harper emphasized the importance of funding the scholarship as a group, allowing them to make the most impact. “Many hands make light work – and that really is true, whether in a capital campaign or planning a function.

If everybody in the class gives something, then we can raise enough to make a difference.”

Although he is no longer a member of St. John’s board, he continues to be active presence in the life of the school, supporting its students with his time, talent and treasure. He said his experience at St. John’s was a blessing, one he wants other students to experience for years to come.

“St. John’s is a great asset to us. I didn’t realize it while attending SJC, but we were incredibly fortunate to go to that school and be taught in the Lasallian tradition. We’ve been reaping the benefits of that all our lives. And if we want St. John’s to be around in the next 100 years, it’s going to take our investment.

That’s what is going to keep it in place for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 29

ALUMNI ACTION

ALUMNI ACTION

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES

KIKO WASHINGTON ’76 On Feb. 5, St. John’s welcomed Akihiko “Kiko” Washington ’76, executive vice president of worldwide human resources for Warner Bros. Entertainment, as the guest lecturer for the school’s annual Distinguished Speaker Series.

Warner Bros. is a leader in every aspect of the entertainment industry, including feature films, television and home entertainment production, worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation, comic books, product and brand licensing and broadcasting. Washington took on his current position in 2009, and he is responsible for managing the company’s human resources department on a worldwide basis, including organizational planning and development, recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee training and development, employee relations, employee communications, shared services and work-life initiatives.

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Top: Washington spoke to the freshman class as part of the Entrepreneurial Center’s curriculum. From left: Zuri Franklin ’21, Washington, Brian Grazzini ’21, Olivia Goodwin ’21, Grace Goodwin ’21 and Joseph Hammann ’21.

Bottom: Several of Washington’s classmates from the Class of 1976 were in attendance at the alumni luncheon.

He joined Warner Bros. in 2000, and he previously served as a vice president of human resources for both Time Warner and HBO. Washington graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a bachelor’s degree in organizational development and economics.

He lives in Santa Monica with his wife, son and daughter. Washington serves on the Board of Trustees for St. John’s College High School, Mirman School, United Friends of the Children and First Entertainment Credit Union.

Washington began the day by speaking to the Class of 2021 about his journey to leadership as part of the freshman curriculum for the Entrepreneurial Center for Innovation and Leadership. Then in the afternoon, he spoke to a packed room of alumni and parents during a luncheon sponsored by St. John’s Alumni Council.

During his remarks, Washington spoke about the special St. John’s experiences, teachers and classmates that had a significant impact on his life, and the lessons each taught him that helped shape him

into a leader. He also spoke about the entertainment industry and the challenges he has faced during his long, successful career in human resources. “Perseverance is everything,” he said. “The most important thing we can do as entrepreneurs is to build and maintain relationships – they are key to your entrepreneurial spirit.” He took questions from the audience that allowed him to speak to subjects such as corporate culture, teleworking, breaking into the entertainment industry, facing discrimination and the sexual harassment allegations currently sweeping through Hollywood.

The annual Distinguished Speaker Series provides St. John’s graduates with a chance to network and hear from successful individuals in fields such as business and politics. Previous speakers include Karl Racine ’81, attorney general for Washington, DC; Chris Stevens ’70, one of the founders of Keurig; Raul Fernandez ’84, chairman of ObjectVideo and vice chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment; and Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, DC.

ALUMNI ACTION

ALUMNI FACULTY AND STAFF 2017-18 Over the years, many alumni have come back to campus to take on new roles in the St. John’s community as teachers, administrators and staff members.

This year, there are 16 alumni among our faculty and staff.

Front row, from left: Benton Green ’04, technology integration facilitator; Mel Colvin ’81, director of technology; Colleen O’Neil ’04, assistant director of athletics; and Bro. Pat King ’61, Benilde Program.

Second row: Suzie Kowalewski ’05, assistant director of the Entrepreneurial Center; Kellie Sikorsky ’08, social studies; Jenn Lodico ’12, test coordinator; Monica Wixon ’08, science; and Selma Solera ’06, mathematics.

Back row: Kevin Morse ’10, mathematics; Mike Ward ’06, performance coach; Pat Ward ’93, assistant director of athletics; Mark Gibbs ’96, director of development; and Tim Emerson ’84, theatre director.

Not pictured: Matt Petersen ’03, English, and Krzysztof Szymonik ’73, social studies.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 31

ALUMNI ACTION

ALUMNI COACHES 2017-18 Each year, many alumni also give back to the St. John’s community by serving as coaches for our 29 athletic programs. During the 2017-2018 school year, more than 20 SJC alumni worked with our student-athletes – these are just a few of our Cadet coaches!

Front row: Tim Iuculano ’02 (boys’ lacrosse), Mooriah Rowser ’12 (girls’ basketball) and Nobu Tanaka ’08 (tennis); back row: David Sauer ’05 (boys’ ice hockey), Pat Ward ’93 (football), Mike Ward ’06 (football) and Pete White ’09 (football)

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ALUMNI ACTION

Golf coaches Patrick Hanna ’95 (left) and Alex Planzos ’09

Kellie Sikorsky ’08 (girls’ lacrosse), Colleen O’Neil ’04 (girls’ lacrosse), Rebecca Bateman ’14 (volleyball) and Suzie Kowalewski ’05 (girls’ lacrosse)

Rugby coaches George Contreras ’08 (left), Sean Culkin ’78 and Lucas Chapa ’12

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 33

ALUMNI ACTION

The Genius of Hugh Everett III ’48 REMEMBERING A CADET WHO LEFT HIS MARK ON MATHEMATICS AND QUANTUM MECHANICS 34

ALUMNI ACTION

In 1957, Hugh Everett III ’48 presented his manyworlds interpretation of quantum mechanics in his Princeton doctoral dissertation.

The radical new theory would not gain acceptance for nearly two decades, and it achieved acclaim only after his death.

Born in Washington, DC, in 1930, Everett enrolled at St. John’s in 1944. By his senior year, “Huge” was first sergeant of G Company and had established himself as a superior photographer for the TAPS yearbook and The Sabre. Everett also distinguished himself academically in math and science. The ’48 TAPS notes, “He is a chemistry student de-luxe.”

After St. John’s, he earned a degree in chemical engineering from Catholic University, along with enough credits for a math degree. He then enrolled in graduate school at Princeton University.

At Princeton, he was recognized as a brilliant man with diverse academic interests.

During his first year, he attended game theory seminars led by Albert W. Tucker, along with some of the most talented game theory experts in America, including Tucker’s former student John Forbes Nash (the subject of A Beautiful Mind). At one of these seminars, Everett presented his

paper on military tactics, Recursive Games.

The paper was so well received that it was published in The Contributions of Game Theory, Volume III in 1957.

Everett’s pursuit of a doctorate introduced him to the field of quantum mechanics in his second year at Princeton, when he enrolled in Eugene Wigner’s class, Methods of Mathematical Physics.

Quantum mechanics focuses on atomic and subatomic particle activity. Wigner’s challenge of the unresolved paradox of quantum mechanics captured Everett’s attention. Everett’s interest coincided with Nobel Prize winner and quantum mechanics pioneer Niels Bohr’s four-month residence at Princeton. The opportunity to contemplate these problems with both Bohr and the head of Princeton’s Physics Department, John Wheeler, led Everett away from game theory and into quantum mechanics.

The paradox Everett wanted to rectify had created a lot of discussion among leading theoretical physicists, but no solution.

In quantum mechanics, mathematical computations are used to create wave functions that can predict the possible outcomes of an electron’s movement in a given experiment. All of the multiple possibilities are graphed, because in the same experiment under identical conditions, an electron will not always move in the exact same fashion. Hence, an electron does one measurable thing in an experiment, but it also could have done any of the other things predicted by the wave function.

Running the experiment under the exact same conditions does not mean the particle will follow the same path, just that it will follow one of the paths predicted by the math. The paradox requires a concession to randomness by saying the electron is simultaneously on all the graphed paths until the experiment fixes it in a particular location. The concept of Schrödinger’s cat, in which the cat in a box is both dead and alive at the same time until the box is opened to determine its fate, was an attempt to explain the paradox.

Everett came upon his solution during what he described as “an evening of drinking sherry and exchanging ideas” with fellow Princeton physicist Charles Misner and Bohr’s assistant, Aage Petersen.

With his solution in mind, Everett engaged Wheeler as his doctoral dissertation advisor.

Using abstract mathematical computations, Everett found a possible solution to the paradox. In his original 137-page dissertation, Quantum Mechanics by the Method of Universal Wave Function, he proposed that in fact all of the outcomes predicted by the wave functions actually happened, not just the one measured in the experiment. Everett’s radical new idea was that all outcomes occur in parallel universes, not just the one we observe.

Everett built this new theoretical model on complex mathematical equations. An oversimplified explanation of this interpretation utilizes the throwing of dice. You roll a pair of dice and observe a two and a one, but Everett’s interpretation holds that the other 35 possible outcomes from the rolling dice also happen in 35 other parallel universes in which you are rolling them as well. If you roll the dice again, each of the 36 results of the first roll now have 36 possibilities themselves, meaning that if the first roll branched out into 36 possibilities, the second roll branched out into 1,296 possibilities. This subsequent branching out indicates there has to be an infinite number of parallel universes in which all probabilities are played out.

Because a person can only experience one universe, Everett’s abstract mathematical computations cannot be proven through a physical experiment. Everett’s work was so revolutionary that a career for him in theoretical physics required acceptance of his work by the leading thinkers in quantum mechanics.

Before Everett even had the opportunity to defend his dissertation, Wheeler traveled to Copenhagen to secure Bohr’s support for Everett’s sweeping new idea.

Despite the supporting mathematics, Bohr

ALUMNI ACTION

and his team rejected the theory. Wheeler then encouraged Everett to edit his 137page work down to a more concise piece.

Everett submitted his 36-page dissertation, The Theory of Universal Wave Function, on March 1, 1957, with Wheeler’s blessing.

Wheeler and Everett then submitted an eight-page summary of his thesis to Review of Modern Physics. The article ran under the title Relative State Formation of Quantum Mechanics. Everett did not fully approve of the summary, but with his complete dissertation going unpublished, it was the only public unveiling of his theory for a decade.

During the summer between college and graduate school, Everett worked at the Pentagon and ran one of the first computer simulations in the history of military operations research. Seeing no career path for himself in academia, Everett began working at the Pentagon in 1956 as an operations research scientist before he had even defended his dissertation at Princeton.

In 1959, he made one last effort to gain acceptance in the world of quantum mechanics. Everett took a six-week vacation in Europe and travelled to Copenhagen to meet with Bohr and his colleagues. Like Wheeler, he failed to convince Bohr of his theory’s worthiness.

It proved to be a useful trip, nonetheless.

One afternoon in Copenhagen, Everett worked out a mathematical masterpiece nearly equal to the work in his dissertation. On three sheets of hotel letterhead, he created the Everett Algorithm and greatly improved the LaGrange multipliers. His algorithm, which simplified the search for solutions of complex logistical problems, was first applied to nuclear warhead distribution and targeting. Because it could be applied to a variety of complex problems, it eventually became central to the success of his first business as a defense contractor.

At the Pentagon, Everett found himself at the center of Cold War strategy. In the mid-1950s, military leaders and strategists

argued that the only way to win a nuclear war was to strike first in hopes of killing hundreds of millions of Communists in exchange for tens of millions of American lives. Everett became a key player in the studies that removed this apocalyptic strategy from consideration. In calculating kill rates from fallout, his team’s work showed long-term survival was impossible once a certain number of nuclear war heads detonated. The new policy, accepted by both the US and the Soviet Union, would be one of deterrence called Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). MAD required calculations to determine the need for a retaliatory strike in case the Soviets struck first, and using the Everett Algorithm and the state-of-the-art computer technology at the Pentagon, Everett led teams to determine targets and warhead distribution. Recognized as a leading thinker at the Pentagon, he found himself in Defense Secretary Robert McNamara’s inner circle.

This elite status almost assured him success when he started his first defense contracting company in 1964.

In 1967, with other physicists coming up with mathematical models similar to Everett’s to solve the quantum mechanics paradox, American physicist Bryce DeWitt published two papers featuring the work of Everett’s dissertation. This was just the beginning of DeWitt’s efforts to make Everett’s work part of established quantum mechanics theory. In a 1970 article published in Physics Today, Dewitt wrote about Everett’s Universal Wave Theory and coined the phrase “many-worlds

interpretation.” This piece initiated a conversation in the world of physics.

Renewed interest in Everett’s work spurred DeWitt to produce an anthology on the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics in 1973. The centerpiece of the book was Everett’s previously unpublished 137-page dissertation, and it gave Everett’s theory the credibility and acceptance it had initially failed to attain. In 1977, Everett accepted an invitation from his former mentor, Wheeler, to speak at the University of Texas. For the first and only time he presented his theory to an audience of theoretical physicists.

Despite Wheeler’s efforts to persuade Everett to return to the world of theoretical physics, he chose to stay in the more lucrative business of running his own operations research companies. Before his death in 1981, Everett began working on artificial intelligence software.

Acclaim for his work in quantum mechanics would come after his passing. But decades after he proposed it, his many-worlds theory opened a new branch of quantum mechanics and gave top theoretical physicists a basis for more experimentation and discovery. Everett never saw the widespread acceptance of his theory, but upon the 50th anniversary of his dissertation in 2007, he got his due.

Symposiums were held at institutes like Oxford University to reflect and argue about his many-worlds interpretation, and his picture found its way onto the cover of Nature and other science magazines. His son Mark, a successful musician, made a documentary for the BBC interviewing Everett’s colleagues.

It is not hard to speculate that in a parallel universe, Everett’s original dissertation receives wide-spread acclaim immediately, and he goes on to enjoy a long career in academia focused on quantum mechanics, perhaps even winning a Nobel Prize.

Fortunately for St. John’s, it is not too late to recognize and celebrate this brilliant Cadet on the 70th anniversary of his graduation.

A special thanks to Michael Duggan ’81 for bringing Hugh Everett III’s achievements to the attention of St. John’s College High School.

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Planned Giving at St. John’s

Have You Thought About Your Legacy?

The De La Salle Legacy Society secures St. John’s future through planned gifts and provides another option for charitable giving. The most common type of planned gift is a bequest, but there are other opportunities that can provide income to you or your loved ones, as well as capital gains and estate tax relief.

POPULAR WAYS TO GIVE • Wills and Living Trusts • Beneficiary Designations

GIFTS THAT PROVIDE INCOME

– ALVIN PERK

• Charitable Annuities • Charitable Remainder Trusts

MORE WAYS TO GIVE • • • • •

haritable Lead Trusts C Endowed Gifts Memorials and Tribute Gifts Real Estate Donor-Advised Funds

DE LA SALLE LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS Dr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Anessi ’52 Mr. John R. Aydinian ’71 Mr. Henry G. Beuchler ’25 Mr. and Mrs. George H. Cain ’38 Mr. Timothy Lawrence Cox, Jr. ’56 Mr. Paul J. De Marco ’43 Mr. and Mrs. Louis T. Donatelli ’52 Mr. Gerald J. Donegan ’73

“I have had a very successf ul career in both the military and business world. The fundamental skills and val ues that shaped m e into the person that I am today can be significantl y attributed to the foundatio n I acquired at St. John’s. W ith that said, I thought it was very importan t for me to giv e back and support St. J ohn’s in any way I could. For m e, the biggest impact that I could endow in the most ch aritable and affordable way was to make St. John’s a be neficiary of an existing whol e life insuran ce policy I had th at was no longer neces sary. The best part of this le gacy gift is th at I could struct ure it any way I wanted or m ake it with no strings at tached and le t St. John’s use as they see fi t.”

INS ’75

If you are interested in learning more about planned giving or have already included St. John’s in your estate, please contact Tom Veith, associate director of development, at tveith@stjohnschs.org or 202-364-0229, ext. 1078. You can also visit our website at www.stjohnschs.org/plannedgiving.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Giacalone ’55 Mr. and Mrs. Dik N. Glass ’71 Mr. Timothy W. ’71 and Mrs. Mary E. Hannan Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Hellmuth ’44 Mrs. Helen Hellmuth Mr. Joseph M. and Dr. Mary Ellen Hrutka Mr. Paul E. Kennedy ’63 Mr. Francis Malloy 1920 Ms. Grace J. Mattaro

Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Miller ’69 Rev. Raymond. C. O’Brien, Esq. ’62 Mr. John T. Peak, Esq. ’63 Col. Alvin A. Perkins ’75 Dr. and Mrs. Albert C. Pierce ’62 LCDR Stewart E. Reuter Mr. and Mrs. William G. Scaggs ’54 Mr. and Mrs. George A. Valanos Ms. Marian L. Weinaug

If you are a member of the De La Salle Legacy Society and your name is not listed above, please contact Tom Veith at tveith@stjohnschs.org or (202) 364-0229, ext. 1078.

FEATURE

ST. JOHN’S THEATRE

Hall ame F -------

OF

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INDUCTION 2018 Established in 2016, the Theatre Hall of Fame recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding talent in the theatrical arts, both at St. John’s and beyond. Read on to learn more about the Theatre Hall of Fame Class of 2018 and visit www.stjohnschs.org/thof to see photos from the ceremony.

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On April 13, St. John’s inducted the second class of honorees into the school’s Theatre Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees were (from left) Howard Dent, Joseph Siravo ’73, Stephanie Arapian ’97, Christopher Wilson ’03 and J. Patrick Raftery ’76.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 39

ST. JOHN’S THEATRE HALL OF FAME

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Joseph SIRAVO ’73

oseph Siravo has been a working actor, director, teacher and producer for more than 40 years.

His theatrical roots were set down at SJC under the tough-love brilliance of Eugene F. Morrill.

Beginning at the ripe age of 11, he appeared in 11 different Mask & Wig productions.

Upon graduation, Siravo attended Stanford University, never thinking he would pursue a career as a professional actor.

Yet four years later, he entered the NYU Graduate Acting Program. He earned his M.F.A. in 1980 and then joined the NYU grad acting faculty as its youngest member. Over the past four decades, he has taught at some of the most respected actor-training programs in NYC. Siravo began acting professionally Off-Off Broadway, at La MaMa, ETC and Ensemble Studio Theatre, then moved onto Off-Broadway: New York Theatre Workshop, Second Stage, Primary Stages, The Atlantic and The New Group, with top directors, including Arthur Penn, Scott Ellis, Mark Brokaw and Mark Wing-Davey on plays by John Patrick Shanley, John Guare, Caryl Churchill and Eric Overmyer.

He traveled the country’s major regional theatres, appearing at the Seattle Rep, Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, the McCarter, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Long Wharf and DC’s Round House Theater.

On Broadway, he appeared at Lincoln Center Theater in Oslo, the 2017 Tony Award Winner for Best New Play; the 2005 Tony Winner, The Light in the Piazza; as well as Conversations with My Father and The Boys from Syracuse. He performed Jersey Boys in its first national tour more than 2,300 times.

His well-known television appearances include his starring role as Fred Goldman in FX’s Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner, The People vs. OJ Simpson, and as Johnny-Boy Soprano on The Sopranos, as well as roles on In Treatment, Dirty Sexy Money and all versions of Law & Order. Films include: Carlito’s Way, Maid in Manhattan, Motherless Brooklyn, Enchanted, Shark Tale, Walking and Talking and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.

Siravo was lead producer of the feature film Things That Hang from Trees, which was honored with the Golden Dolphin Award for Best American Independent Feature at the Troia International Film Festival. He thanks his family for their tireless support, and especially his daughter and muse, Allegra, for her inspiration.

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ST. JOHN’S THEATRE HALL OF FAME

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J. Patrick RAFTERY ’76

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Patrick Raftery was a member of St. John’s graduating Class of 1976 and performed with the Mask & Wig in productions of West Side Story, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Celebration, Kiss Me, Kate and HMS Pinafore. While still at St. John’s, Raftery was invited to audit the Young Artists Program at Wolf Trap Opera, where he worked with his future mentor, John Moriarty, and met Beverly Sills, both of whom were instrumental in the start of his operatic career.

Raftery’s professional debut came in 1980, when he sang the role of Schaunard in La Bohème and shared the stage with Luciano Pavarotti. After his years at St. John’s, the Boston Conservatory and the Juilliard School of Music, Raftery was awarded the Richard Tucker Music Foundation Prize in New York and made his debut at Carnegie Hall in the Tucker Award Winner’s Concert that year.

Columbia Artists Management signed Raftery as a client when his career soared and took him to the major opera houses of the world in less than a decade. Until his debut at the Metropolitan Opera with Mirella Freni in Manon Lescaut, Raftery was one of North America’s most prominent baritones.

In 1992, Raftery made the transition to tenor, making his debut with New York’s Mostly Mozart festival at Avery Fisher Hall (now David Geffen Hall). This led to his debut at the world’s most prestigious opera house, La Scala in Milan.

Raftery was subsequently re-invited to the stages of London’s Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, the Hamburg State Opera and numerous others.

Born in Washington, DC, and a citizen of both Canada and the United States, Raftery makes his home in Vancouver, Canada, where he is a professor of voice and opera at the University of British Columbia.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 41

ST. JOHN’S THEATRE HALL OF FAME

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Christopher WILSON ’03

hristopher Wilson’s career in the performing arts began his freshman year at St. John’s, playing “a wall” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

From humble beginnings come great things.

He went on to appear in many shows at SJC, including one of his favorites: Waiting for Godot (co-starring 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Branden Jacobs-Jenkins ’02).

Wilson’s love for performing soon branched out into professional training at the University of Maryland, College Park.

While at UMD, Wilson studied with acclaimed DC actor and director Mitch Hebert. He was also lucky enough to perform with professional Equity actors through a collaboration between UMD and the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

After graduating from UMD, Wilson soon began performing with professional theatre companies in the DC area, including Imagination Stage, Folger Theatre, Round House Theatre, Ford’s Theatre and The Kennedy Center. His performances with The Kennedy Center took him on two national tours and eventually gave him his Equity card.

While free-lancing for nearly a decade, Wilson found a love of theatre for young audiences. His love eventually manifested into an offer to join the company of an arts non-profit called Only Make Believe. As an actor with this company, he visited children in hospitals and care facilities and performed interactive theatre as a means of hope and healing. After years in the company, Chris is now the full-time program manager for the non-profit’s DC branch.

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ST. JOHN’S THEATRE HALL OF FAME

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Stephanie ARAPIAN ’97

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tephanie Arapian’s introduction to SJC Theatre began with The Diary of Anne Frank and sparked a passion for storytelling that continues today. She began narrating stories in Maryland, performed in all eight shows during her time at SJC and earned a B.A. in theatre performance at Fairfield University. Arapian interned in Florida Studio Theatre, then decided to go a different route altogether and studied for a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate in Greece.

Her teaching career began in China, where she learned about baijiu, the true meaning of foreign, and herself. After a year and a half, she moved to Germany, teaching business English by day and performing with an amazingly diverse ex-pat theatre community by night. Three years and several shows later, Arapian moved again, enrolling in East 15 Acting School in London, where she earned her M.F.A. Now living in Los Angeles, she works primarily in film and television. Last year, she served as associate producer and first assistant director for the female empowerment action/ fantasy short Protectress, which is currently on the festival circuit and in development as a feature.

Stephanie founded Shatter Glass Films with the intention of writing and producing her own projects, and in December 2017, she released her first short film, Voyeur, which has already won awards for Best Indie and Best Actress. Her original TV pilot and dream project, Waystation, was a semifinalist in the Diverse Voices screenwriting contest and is slated for production in 2018.

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 43

ST. JOHN’S THEATRE HALL OF FAME

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Howard DENT St. John’s Director and Producer

Howard Dent retired in 2015 after 45 years in education. During his career, he served as a middle school teacher, high school teacher, assistant principal, principal and, of course, drama director.

Dent began his theatre career at Gonzaga College High School, then earned both a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama and a master’s degree in educational technology from Catholic University.

He taught for 10 years at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Georgetown, directing shows for the grade school and helping with the high school’s productions. During this time, he also served on the board of directors for the Georgetown Theatre Company and Theatre, Etc., both in Washington, DC. In 1977, Dent started working at St. John’s, where he directed or designed shows for 19 years. Joining the faculty in 1979, he taught English, served as assistant principal and acted as the moderator for the Student Government, moderator for the senior class and advisor to The Sabre.

The Sabre won four first-place ratings from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association during his tenure. He received the Distinguished Lasallian Educator of the Baltimore District Award in 1992.

Dent went on to serve as principal for several Catholic elementary schools in southern Maryland. He finished his career in education by teaching math for 11 years at St. Pius X School in Bowie, where he was responsible for costuming the annual Passion Play. Dent was also a member of the Music Ministry at St. Dominic’s Church, where he sang and played guitar for more than 25 years.

Even in retirement, Dent has continued his work in theatre. He has assisted his wife, lighting designer Nancy Schertler, at Olney Theatre, Round House Theatre in Bethesda and The Syracuse Stage in New York. Howard and Nancy divide their time between their home in southern Maryland and their place on Capitol Hill.

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Joseph Siravo ’73, Bro. Ed Adams, FSC, J. Patrick Raftery ’76 and John Veihmeyer ’73

Howard Dent and 2016 Hall of Fame Inductee Lawrence Redmond ’76

Richard Scerbo and Christopher Wilson ’03

Jennifer Arapian ’00, Stephanie Arapian ’97 and Linda Arapian

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 45

PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO GALLERY

REUNIONS

Class of 1952 – Sept. 23, 2017

Class of 1957 – Oct. 21, 2017

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PHOTO GALLERY

Class of 1962 – Sept. 23, 2017

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 47

PHOTO GALLERY

Class of 1982 – Oct. 20, 2017

Class of 1997 – Oct. 21, 2017

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PHOTO GALLERY

Class of 1992 – Oct. 20, 2017

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 49

PHOTO GALLERY

Class of 2002 – Oct. 21, 2017

Class of 2007 – October 21, 2017

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PHOTO GALLERY

RECEPTIONS

Naples Alumni Reception – Jan. 9, 2018

Southern California Alumni Reception – Jan. 23, 2018

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 51

PHOTO GALLERY

Dallas Alumni Reception – March 20, 2018

New York Alumni Reception – April 10, 2018

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CLASS NOTES Do you have news to share with the St. John’s community?

We want to hear from you! Submit your class notes and pictures to classnotes@stjohnschs.org.

1954

George Durkum’s son, Adam, graduated from college and is now a lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He and Marissa were married on Aug. 11, 2017.

1975

Francis Counselman was recently honored with the Outstanding Contribution in Education Award by the American College of Emergency Physicians, a 38,000-member professional organization and the largest in emergency medicine.

The award is the highest teaching honor given by the college.

1987

In November 2017, Devin Hughes published a new book: Note to Self: Daily Inspiration & Affirmations (Volume 3). This volume of daily affirmations “captures beautifully treasured messages of hope and inspiration, and the practical steps to living a full life.”

1991

David Cox, associate head men’s basketball coach for the University of Rhode Island, was recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the country by LockDraft.com in November. Then in April, he was named as the new head coach for URI men’s basketball.

2004

Kyle Brant and Mary Jane Brant (niece of John Foote ’71) welcomed Rose Carmody Brant on July 20, 2017.

AJ Lee ’15 (left), a junior baseball player at the University of Maryland, caught up with Jeff Palumbo ’00, an assistant baseball coach at East Carolina University, when their teams played this spring.

On Nov. 4, 2017, the second deck of the US. Navy Reserve Center in White River Junction, VT, was named after Paul Whelton ’66. “My wife of 44 years and I were so very honored. Navy and St. John’s pride run deep.”

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Ariana Austin ’01 married Prince Yoel of Ethiopia, the great-grandson of Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia, on Sept. 9, 2017, in a ceremony at the Debre Genet Medhane Alem Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Temple Hills, MD. Members of the Class of 1967 reunited at the Dallas Alumni Reception in March 2018. From left: Pat Kernan, Joe Daly, Bob Cowherd and Richard Lawrence.

CONDOLENCES Our deceased alumni, faculty and friends are enrolled as perpetual members of the St. La Salle Auxiliary. The Christian Brothers and the entire St. John’s community offer their prayers and condolences to the families and friends of those who have passed. (Includes notices received from Sept. 15, 2017, through March 15, 2018.)

ALUMNI

1936

1954

1961

1939

1955

1962

1956

1965

1957

1970

Robert Miller

Albert Battista William Goodwin Daniel Kuhn

1941

Edward Johnson

1942

Albert Willson

1945

James Everett

John Wright

Robert Reckert

Charles Radigan

Charles Atwell Michael McMahon Manuel Pena Charles Wilkerson

1958

Frank Slingland

Robert Gibson Robert McCleary Robert Walior

1948

1959

1946

John Beale

Thomas Dugan

1951

1960

Paul Barnard

Joseph Duncan

George Sutter

Bernard Grant

Michael Dooley

1971

John Clemence

1972

Gerald Brown

1974

Stephen Hodgkins

2013

Cariann Hithon

Michael Flattery Paul Marks Raymond Soo Michael Southcomb

FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF ST. JOHN’S Arapian, Stephen, father of Stephanie Arapian ’97, Michael Arapian ’98 and Jennifer Arapian ’00 Argauer, Kathryn, mother of David Argauer ’83, Edward Argauer ’86 and Timothy Argauer ’88

Aronson, Richard, uncle of Charles Aronson ’12 Barbaro, Elisa, mother of Scott Barbaro ’90 Battista, Albert ’39, husband of Virginia Battista, former SJC Mothers’ Club president (deceased); father of Albert Battista ’75

Battista, Thomas, father of Thomas Battista ’71, William Battista ’72 and Richard Battista ’77; grandfather of Will Battista ’02; cousin of Albert Battista ’39 (deceased) and Albert Battista ’75 Beck, Luz, mother of Robert Beck ’72

SJC | Scarlet & Grey | Spring 2018 55

CONDOLENCES

FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF ST. JOHN’S, CONTINUED Beckley, Elaine, wife of Joseph Beckley ’55 (deceased); mother of Joseph “Mike” Beckley II ’88, James Beckley ’90 and Marguerite Campbell ’94; sister of Robert Suttle III ’62 Burroughs, John Jr., brother of David Burroughs ’59; uncle of David Burroughs ’88, John Burroughs ’95, Matthew Burroughs ’98 and Richard Wade ’01; brother-in-law of Mary Burroughs, former SJC Mothers’ Club president Cantilena, Amy, sister of Timothy Cantilena ’06 Cantilena, Louis, father of Timothy Cantilena ’06 Cappadona, Peter, brother-inlaw of Brian Casey ’73 Carroll, Margaret, mother-inlaw of Anthony Launi ’77 Clemence, John Jr. ’71, son of John Clemence ’32 (deceased) Cranford, Steven, father of Matthew Cranford ’13 Darby, Alvin Sr., father of Alvin Darby, Jr. ’85 Degnan, Philip, father of Stephan Degnan ’84 Delis, Niki, mother of George Delis ’82 DiIenno, Thomas, father of Thomas DiIenno ’77; fatherin-law of Kevin O’Keefe ’74 Dooley, Michael ’70, brother of Brian Dooley ’78 Everett, James ’45, brother of Louis Everett ’37 (deceased), Charles Everett ’41 (deceased), John Everett ’42 (deceased) and Donald Everett ’44 (deceased); uncle of John Everett ’67 (deceased), Gregory Everett ’70, Michael Everett ’73 and Daniel Everett ’76

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Farrell, Andrew, brother of Shawn Farrell ’76

Kenealy ’70 and Kevin Kenealy ’75

Paull, Patricia, wife of James Paull ’56

Ferro, Catherine, mother of William Ferro ’81; aunt of Luigi Canali ’81

Kennelly, Ann, mother of Patrick Kennelly, SJC staff; grandmother of Luke Kennelly ’20

Pierangeli, Irene, grandmother of Irene Murphy, SJC faculty

Foster, Maurice, brother of Tyrone Foster, SJC faculty

Pryal, Francis, father of David Pryal ’78 and Thomas Pryal ’81

Kuhn, Daniel ’39, father of Daniel Kuhn ’69, Stephen Kuhn ’70, Gerard Kuhn ’76 and Patrick Kuhn ’78; grandfather of Matthew Kuhn ’11, Timothy Kuhn ’13 and Kevin Kuhn ’17

Reckert, Robert ’55, brother of Charles Reckert ’41 (deceased), Joseph Reckert, Sr. ’51 and David Reckert ’58; brother-in-law of Claude Lapp, Jr. ’52 (deceased)

Lee, Catherine, wife of C. William Lee III ’66

Roche, Tara, mother of Thomas Roche ’07

Gilliam, Dorothy, mother of Darryl Gilliam ’93

Linck Lee, Evelyn, sister of Michael Linck, Jr. ’53

Harbison, Mary Pat, sister of Winnie Harbison, SJC staff

Mallus, Maria, mother of Mark Mallus ’68 and Gregory Mallus ’74

Saunders, Edward, father of Marguerite Saunders ’19 and Charles Saunders ’21

Gallagher, Joan, wife of D’Arcy Gallagher, Jr. ’66; sister-in-law of Albert Gallagher ’72; aunt of Christian Magnolia ’88, James O’Laughlin ’04 and Jennifer O’Laughlin ’05; grandmother of Katherine O’Connor ’21

Harrigan, Patricia, mother of Philip Harrigan ’72, Sean Harrigan ’81, Michael Harrigan ’82, Brion Harrigan ’86 and Mark Harrigan ’87 Healy, Mary, daughter of Joseph Healy, Jr. ’57; sister of Brian Healy ’82; aunt of Connor Bain ’21 Hithon, Cariann ’13, sister of Rachel Hithon ’16 Hodgkins, Stephen ’74, brother of Gerald Hodgkins ’83; uncle of Thomas Hodgkins ’20 Holloway, Donna, wife of James Holloway II ’48 (deceased); aunt of John “Jay” Holloway, Jr. ’69, Charles Holloway ’70 and Peter Holloway ’73; great aunt of Patrick Marshall ’12 and Rose Marshall ’16; sister-in-law of Ann Holloway, former SJC Mothers’ Club president Kenealy, Joan, wife of William Kenealy ’64; aunt of Thomas Kenealy ’93 and Shea Kenealy ’06; sister-in-law of Thomas Kenealy ’66, Michael

Marlatt, Marie, wife of Ralph Marlatt, ’55 McMahon, Michael ’57, brother of John McMahon ’40 (deceased), Ralph McMahon ’45 (deceased) and Eugene McMahon ’51 (deceased) Miller, Robert ’36, uncle of William Flynn ’68 and Michael Hartnett ’77 Nolan (Gillam), Ann, mother of Timothy Gillam ’69 and Michael Gillam ’72 O’Brien, Anna Mae, wife of Paul O’Brien ’56 (deceased); sister-in-law of Thomas O’Brien ’47 (deceased) and Patrick O’Brien ’50 O’Connor, June, wife of John O’Connor ’41 (deceased) O’Leary, Myra, mother of Alexander O’Leary ’16 Obendorfer, James, father of James Obendorfer ’76 and David Obendorfer ’77 Patane, Mary, mother of Anthony Patane ’74

Segalla, Suzanne, mother of Sean Segalla ’10; sister-in-law of Kevin Segalla ’85 Slingland, Frank ’46, father of Charles Slingland ’76 Sutter, George ’62, father of John Sutter ’87 Teunis, Susan, wife of John Teunis ’50 Tyson, Jean, mother-in-law of Rafael Font ’68; grandmother of Christopher DeBord ’06 and Janie DeBord Earle ’09 Vincent, Gilbert “Skip,” father-in-law of Jay Holloway, Jr. ’69 Whelton, Jacqueline, mother of Paul Whelton ’66, Stephen Whelton ’70 and Richard Whelton, Jr. ’78 Wilkinson, William III, father of William Wilkinson IV ’81 and Charles Wilkinson ’84 Wright, John ’54, brother of Martin Wright ’65; uncle of Michael Wright ’94

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St. John’s welcomes back classes ending in three or eight for their class reunions! ____________ ____________

SEPTEMBER 21 • Class of 1983 SEPTEMBER 22 • Classes of 1953, 1958, 1963, 1973 and 1978 OCTOBER 12 • Classes of 1988, 1993 and 2013 OCTOBER 13 • Classes of 1998, 2003 and 2008 Visit www.stjohnschs.org/reunions for the most up-to-date information!

St. John’s College High School 2607 Military Rd., NW Chevy Chase, DC 20015

REUNIONS: CLASSES OF 1998, 2003 AND 2008 Saturday, October 13

REUNION: CLASS OF 1983 Friday, September 21

REUNIONS: CLASSES OF 1953, 1958, 1963, 1973 AND 1978 Saturday, September 22

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME BANQUET AND INDUCTION CEREMONY Friday, November 2

SJC VS. GONZAGA FOOTBALL GAME Saturday, November 3

REUNIONS: CLASSES OF 1988, 1993 AND 2013 Friday, October 12

THANKSGIVING EVE PARTY Wednesday, November 21