164th commencement - Loyola Blakefield

Spring 2016
164 COMMENCEMENT
TH
Also in this issue:
• Reflections on Loyola’s Ignatian Service Program
• Retirements
• Eyes on the Skies: Bernard Talley ’58
Message from the President
Dear Friends,
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Spring 2016
REFLECTIONS ON
LOYOLA’S IGNATIAN
SERVICE PROGRAM
Contents
8
Campus News 4
Alumni Events 164TH
COMMMENCEMENT
10
Reflections on Loyola’s Ignatian Service Program
6
8
164th Commencement 10
Retirement: Pat O’Hara
12
Retirement: Kathy Roeder
13
Senior Reflection: Colin Lagator ’16
14
Eyes on the Skies: Bernard Talley ‘5816
Class Notes 18
In Memoriam
19
Staff
Editor
Michael J. Nitti
Marketing Coordinator
RETIREMENTS:
PAT O’HARA & KATHY ROEDER
12
Photography
Michael J. Nitti
James Berglie
Jerry Dzierwinski
Design
Inkwell Communications, LTD
SENIOR REFLECTION:
COLIN LAGATOR ’16
14
EYES ON THE SKIES:
BERNARD TALLEY ’58
16
3
CAMPUS NEWS
EIGHTH GRADE CELEBRATION
ACE MENTOR STUDENTS AWARDED FOR
REDESIGN OF CROSS STREET MARKET
O
n May 5, a group of Loyola
and Maryvale architecture
students taking part in the
ACE (Architecture, Construction,
Engineering) Mentor Program
showed off their final work at the
Baltimore chapter’s annual awards
ceremony held at Notre Dame Prep.
The team presented their blueprints
and models that demonstrated their
redesign for Cross Street Market in
the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, which they developed for two
months. The team had a great group of professional mentors from Rubeling
& Associates, Whiting-Turner, and Brawner Builders helping them along the
way. Jackie Kuwabara from Maryvale received a $3,500 scholarship, and
our own John Seal ‘16 received a $2,000 scholarship for their outstanding
leadership and work on the project.
TEN INDUCTED INTO ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
O
n April 9, hundreds of Loyola faithful gathered in Knott Hall to
honor nine athletes and one coach whose combined athletic
careers spanned across seven decades at Loyola. View photos from the
night, and watch each acceptance speech at loyolablakefield.org/hof.
MARCUS S. RYU ’91
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARD
COLE WILLIAMS ‘16 NAMED
TOWSON TIMES’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
C
ole Williams ‘16 was named Towson Times’ 2016
Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, leading the
Dons in goals (47) and assists (29) this spring.
The varsity lacrosse team made it to the semifinals
under new head coach Ben Rubeor ‘04, but lost to
first-seeded McDonogh.
4
O
n June 3, the Class of 2020 was honored
during our Eighth Grade Celebration held in
the Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat. Awards
were presented for Faith Commitment (David Mahon),
Christian Service (Derian Anderson), Compassion
(Bailey Brunner), Integrity (Kojo Marfo-Sarbeng),
Justice (Brayden Libby), and Academic Excellence
(Dominic Dinoto, Jeremy Hannon, and Bryan Rose).
Also, the prestigious Daniel W. McNeal ‘90 Award,
the highest honor bestowed upon an eighth grade
student, went to Ethan Delp.
D
uring Loyola Blakefield’s end-ofyear faculty/staff meeting on June
6, Mr. Brendan O’Kane, Mr. Steve
Morrill, and Mr. Ryan Bromwell each
received the second annual Marcus S.
Ryu ’91 Employee Recognition Award.
The Marcus S. Ryu ’91 Employee
Recognition Award was created in
June 2014 through the generosity of
Mr. Marcus Ryu and his wife Cyrena “Torrey” Simon, M.D., to reward and
recognize the highest talent within the faculty and staff of Loyola Blakefield.
This annual award is provided to two or more faculty/staff members
who have demonstrated accomplishments beyond the regular scope and
assigned duties as employees, and who have most improved the classroom
or campus experience to further Loyola’s success. Recipients are nominated
by fellow faculty and staff members.
Spring 2016
SPRING MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE BLAKEFIELD PLAYERS ATTEND
ANNUAL CAPPIES GALA
T
he Critics and Awards Program (Cappies) Gala was held on May 22
at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore. This year, the Blakefield
Players had seven nominations for their production of Hairspray, of
which Mark Sucoloski ‘18 took home Best Male Vocalist and Morgan
Dryer of Maryvale won Best Supporting Actress. The Hairspray cast
closed out the ceremony by performing “I Know Where I’ve Been.”
WORKSHOP(S) LITERARY ARTS MAGAZINE
T
he newest edition of our annual student-produced
digital literary arts magazine, Workshop(s), which
features a wide collection of our Dons’ prose, poetry,
artwork, and photography, was released at the end of
the school year. View it online at loyolablakefield.org/
englishdepartment.
I
n its tenth season at Blakefield, the rugby program
captured the MIAA title at both levels on May 6. This
is the sixth title for the varsity squad and third title for JV.
Tennis and golf also won championships this spring at the
JV level.
LOYOLA HOSTS HEALTH FAIR FOR STUDENTS
O
n May 20, Loyola held its first-ever
Health Fair for students in Bunting
Dining Hall during lunch periods, organized by
school nurse Robin Schwartz, RN, BSN. There
was a great turnout from local organizations
and public services including Towson Sports
Medicine, Smoothie King, the Baltimore County
Police Department, University of Maryland Medical Center, and more.
BLAKEFIELD IN BEIJING
H
istory teacher Sam Manelski
and theology teacher Brian
Marana ‘00 traveled to China from
June 6–16 to research and plan a
two-week cultural immersion trip for
students to learn about contemporary
issues in China—politics, religion,
business, environmental protection,
globalization—all through the lens of a
Jesuit educational perspective. The trip
is in conjunction with the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies, a Jesuit-run
institution that has been leading educational efforts to expose the west
to China since 1998, and will be offered during the summer of 2017. Read
more about this initiative at loyolablakefield.org/blakefield-in-beijing.
5
Alumni Events @ Blakefield
CLASS OF 1966 CELEBRATES 50TH
REUNION WEEKEND
BLAKEFEST WEEKEND
T
he Blakefield campus was
booming with Dons old and new
as we celebrated our annual spring
homecoming during a beautiful weekend
in the midst of April. On Friday, April 15, we
welcomed back members from the Classes
of 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001,
2006, and 2011 to celebrate their reunion
years. Saturday was filled with campuswide
activities for all ages with varsity baseball
and lacrosse games, the Dan McNeal ‘90 Family Fun Zone, the
John H. Price ‘97 Alumni Lacrosse Game, our annual car show,
raffles, and more. It was a great weekend to be a Don!
LOYOLA TENNIS OPEN
T
he Loyola Tennis Open took place on May 6. It was a rainy day,
but it didn’t stop our participants from having a great time
at the Green Spring Racquet Club in Lutherville, where they
played four hours of round-robin tennis. Afterwards, the group
came back to Loyola and enjoyed a celebratory meal and watched
our varsity lacrosse team beat Mount Saint Joseph. Congratulations
to this year’s winners, Mike Jenkins ’83 and Tim Hodge ’83.
LOYOLA/MARYVALE NETWORKING EVENT
O
T
he Class of 1966 celebrated their 50 th reunion weekend
from June 3–5. The class started off with a “Dons Only”
Stag Night on Friday, where they spent the evening with
classmates and caught up on old times. On Saturday, after
celebrating Mass to honor their deceased classmates, the group
had dinner and a dance in the Mary G. Creaghan Library with the
Van Dykes, the original band that played live at their high school
dances in the ‘60s. Finally, on Sunday, members from the Class
of 1966 received their jubilee medals, led the procession into the
Hollow for our 164th Commencement, and watched the Class of
2016 graduate.
FIRST ANNUAL FRANK FISCHER GOLF CLASSIC
O
n May 20, seventy golfers and a total of 100 supporters
spent a beautiful day at the First Annual Frank Fischer
Golf Classic held at The Woodlands in Windsor Mill. The
event was hosted by Loyola’s African-American alumni, and all
proceeds benefitted the Frank Fischer Diversity Endowment
Fund which underwrites tuition and other expenses for AfricanAmerican students to attend Loyola. If you have not already
done so, please consider making a gift in support of this
effort, and be sure to mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual
Frank Fischer Golf Classic on May 19, 2017. Learn more about
the scholarship and Frank’s work at loyolablakefield.org/
fischerscholarship.
n April 14, the alumnae of Maryvale joined our alumni
for a networking event at Kooper’s North in Lutherville.
We had a great turnout for this event as Dons and Lions
from a variety of professions came together. Everyone enjoyed
themselves and made valuable connections. Be on the lookout for
more of these networking events in the future.
AQUATICS BULL ROAST
O
ur inaugural Aquatics Bull Roast was held on Saturday,
May 7, to help raise money for the Tim Pierce ‘60 Merit
Scholarship Fund. Contributions to this fund provide merit
awards to incoming accepted freshmen or enrolled students with
exceptional talent in swimming. More than 150 members from
the Loyola community attended the event, which raised just over
$15,000 through sponsors, ticket sales, raffles, and individual
gifts. Thanks to everyone who made it out to support our current
and future Dons. If you’d like to make a gift to the fund, please
visit loyolablakefield.org/piercescholarship.
6
GOLDEN DONS DINNER
O
n May 5, we hosted alumni celebrating reunions of
51 years or more at our annual Golden Dons Dinner.
We had Dons ranging from the Class of 1965 all the way
back to the Class of 1937. Great food and even better
memories were shared as our alumni enjoyed reuniting with
classmates in this great yearly tradition.
Frank Fischer Golf Classic
Loyola-Maryvale
Frank Fischer Golf Classic
Networking Event
Class of 1966
50th Reunion
DC Alumni Reception
Reunion Stag Night
John H. Price ’97 Alumni Lacrosse Game
Upcoming Events
Dons Down the Ocean
August 13, 2016
Loyola Golf Open
September 23, 2016
Homecoming Bull & Oyster Roast
November 23, 2016
Visit www.loyolablakefield.org/events to stay up-to-date on all Alumni Events.
7
Reflections on Loyola’s
IGNATIAN
SERVICE PROGRAM
by Anthony E. "Skip"
Minakowski ’63
"How far you go in life depends on
your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged,
sympathetic with the striving, and
tolerant of the weak and strong.
Because someday in your life you
will have been all of these."
— George Washington Carver
8
O
ne wonders if a Loyola official had in mind the
words of American botanist George Washington
Carver when he or she established the practice
of sending out young Dons into the highways
and byways of greater Baltimore on Christian service
trips. That’s because these trips literally touch the
young, the aged, the striving, and the weak and strong in
communities around us.
My own experience began in 2014 when I was “hired” by
Mrs. Beth Ann Szeczepaniak , director of Loyola’s Ignatian
Service program, to serve as a moderator of sorts for
trips to Our Daily Bread, St. Jerome’s Head Start Program,
the Franciscan Center, Ridge Ruxton School, Gribbin
Center, and Blakehurst Retirement Community. My job
is to prep the Dons for the trip, accompany them to their
destinations, and conduct a spiritual post-mortem back
on campus after the service experience.
My charges have ranged from somewhat intimidated sixth
graders to the more mature juniors. After four semesters
on the job, I easily see how the Dons respond with more
maturity and more interaction with the people they serve
as they advance through the grades. Inevitably, even the
youngest of the Loyola men quickly adapt to the service
situation in which they find themselves, whether it be
serving food to the homeless, entertaining children and
adults with special needs, or striking up a conversation
while making crafts with the elderly. I think their parents
would be proud.
It’s interesting to me that my classmates from the years
1959–63 didn’t have the service imperative as part of
our curriculum. Perhaps we should have so that our
high school experience could have included a close-up
experience with people who—often for reasons not of
their own making—have a life of struggle versus one of
ease. Perhaps I’m having that missing experience now
as a 70-something who has had to step out of a familiar
comfort zone, very much like the Dons I’m transporting in
the Loyola van.
And the van itself is the place of a great deal of my own
learning. I enjoy overhearing the conversations of the
Dons as we return to campus after each outing. Their
candor and honesty as they compare notes on what
they’ve seen and heard is the most uplifting part of my
experience. Clearly, in virtually all instances, each boy has
had a very new and different experience, perhaps not
profound or life-changing, but always a far cry from
their upbringing.
When we return to Blakefield for the post-trip reflection,
I look forward to the boys’ always-creative answers to
my reflection questions such as: “How did the experience
compare with what you expected before we left?” Their
answers always prompt a smile. When we wrap up the
session back on campus, I pose the questions, “Why
does Loyola have us do this?” and “What would you say
to Principal Marinacci to convince him that this program
is important?” Most of the answers deal with making a
contribution to society, being men for others, or being
part of the community. My favorite answer so far, “I’d take
him down to see the smiles on the preschoolers’ faces at
St. Jerome’s, and that would show him how invaluable this
program is.”
I am very grateful to have this experience with my fellow
Dons and to share with them insights and maybe plant
a seed or two in future alums to make service to the
community a regular part of their busy lives.
Should the Christian service trips continue at Loyola?
That’s easy to answer if you’ve seen the Dons engage
with the preschoolers at St. Jerome’s Head Start—now
officially called Head Start of Baltimore City. The smiles on
If you are interested in helping lead service trips with our
Dons for the 2016–17 school year, please contact Director
of Ignatian Service Mrs. Beth Ann Szczepaniak at
(443) 841-3342 or bszczepaniak@loyolablakefield.org.
the preschoolers’ faces say it all. These service outings
bring joy to others and likely prompt some serious
consideration of life’s circumstances by the Dons. Which
of them wasn’t struck by the irony of serving a soup
kitchen client, a man accustomed to life on the streets,
who was himself a Loyola alumnus? Which Don came away
unmoved by his talk with a very elderly lady at Blakehurst
who spoke of her life in the late 1930s, a time when war
loomed and computers were absent?
For this Don of the Class of ’63, witnessing my charges
perform corporal works of mercy, I’m grateful to have
been given a chance to do the same thing. I tell the
students they’ll come away from their work with a feeling
of accomplishment, radiating the warmth of those they’ve
helped. They’ll come away seriously considering the
young, old, weak, and striving people they’ve encountered
because someday, as George Washington Carver noted,
they will have been all of these as well.
Anthony E. “Skip” Minakowski ’63 earned his undergraduate
degree in accounting from the Jesuit University of Scranton
and his executive MBA from Loyola University Maryland. A
certified public accountant, he served a 45-year career in
accounting and auditing, the final 17 years of which were
spent as audit director for the national homebuilder Ryland
Group. Following retirement in 2002, he served as adjunct
professor of accounting for Loyola University, held numerous
terms on the national board of Scranton alumni, and, in 2014,
joined the Ignatian Volunteer Corps where he was assigned
to Loyola Blakefield. This summer, he is traveling to Poland
for a second time to serve as instructor for an international
teaching program, working with Polish high school youth.
Skip resides in Towson, where he lives with whom he terms
his “overachieving wife” of 44 years, Fran. They are parents of
one son, Adam, Class of 1996, who also earned his bachelor’s
degree at Scranton. Skip’s hobbies include frequent biking,
prolific cooking, skiing, and orchestrating the monthly gettogethers of Blakefield’s Class of ’63.
9
164 COMMENCEMENT
TH
On the morning of June 5, 2016, Loyola Blakefield celebrated its 164th Commencement, graduating 177 students
from the Class of 2016. On a day that called for thunderstorms all week, the rain held off and the tradition of
holding graduation in the Hollow continued its streak of more than 30 years. We also welcomed back members
from the Class of 1966 for their 50th reunion as they led the procession on Sunday. During the ceremony, we heard
from student speaker Sam Commordari ‘16, and the following awards were presented:
THE REV. LLOYD D. GEORGE, S.J., AWARD is presented to
that member of the graduating class who has achieved the
highest grade point average through the mid-point of his
senior year. This award went to Evan Pham ‘16.
THE REV. ANTHONY J. ZEITS, S.J., AWARD is presented by
the Loyola Mothers’ Club to a senior who has demonstrated
outstanding sportsmanship and leadership on and off the
athletic field. This award went to Cole Williams ‘16.
THE DOCTOR FORD LOKER AWARD is presented by the
Loyola Fathers’ Club to a senior who holds a varsity letter
and is outstanding for academic excellence. This award
went to Benjamin Brown ‘16.
THE MATTHEW J. RUSSELL AWARD was established by
the graduating Class of 1986 in memory of their deceased
classmate, is presented to a senior whose commitment to
God, family and friends has been exemplified by a quiet,
sensitive, and selfless concern for others. This award went
to Chris Louzon ‘16.
THE MICHAEL J. IAMPIERI AWARD was established to
honor Mr. Michael Iampieri, a beloved member of the
Loyola Blakefield faculty from 1966 to 2007. During his
tenure, Mr. Iampieri founded the School’s art department
and taught art to generations of young men over four
decades. Through his engaging demeanor and persistent,
gentle persuasion, Mr. Iampieri modeled in and out of
the classroom that openness to growth and the spark of
imagination are cornerstones of a rich, rewarding, and
spiritual life.The Michael J. Iampieri Award is presented
to a graduating senior who has demonstrated personal
and spiritual growth through his pursuit of creative selfexpression and his achievements in the fine arts. This
award went to Peter Pferdeort ‘16.
THE LOYOLA AWARD, founded in honor of the Rev. John
F. Dustin, S.J., is awarded to the most representative
member of the graduating class for excellence in scholastic
achievement and participation in extracurricular activities.
This award went to Biafra Okoronkwo ‘16.
THE REV. JAMES F. SALMON, S.J., AWARD is presented to
that graduate who has demonstrated leadership in student
activities and scholarship in science and religious studies.
This award went to Dennis Tadeo, Jr. ‘16.
10
THE REV. ALOYSIUS P. McGONIGAL, S.J., AWARD is
presented by the Loyola Fathers’ Club to a senior who has
worked to full capacity in and out of the classroom but
has received little recognition for his tenacious spirit. This
award went to Declan Aroh ‘16.
THE LOYOLA ALUMNI AWARD is presented to the senior
who is most conspicuous for school spirit, leadership and
excellence in studies. This award went to Rick Nickel ‘16.
THE DAVID A. KENNEDY AWARD was established by the
Alumni Association to honor Mr. David A. Kennedy, teacher
and registrar at Loyola from 1937 to 1977. This award is
presented annually to that member of the graduating class
who, through unselfish contribution of academic skills,
personal talents, and social values in service to Loyola
Blakefield and to the community at large, best embodies
the Ignatian principle of “men for others.” This award went
to Colin Green ‘16.
THE DENNIS B. WOOLFORD “CURA PERSONALIS”
AWARD is given in loving memory of Dennis B. Woolford
class of 2010. Although Dennis was a gifted athlete who
started on eight MIAA championship teams, including
the undefeated 2008 football team, Dennis will always
be remembered for his kind heart, free spirit and a smile
that would light up the room. He considered every Don his
best friend and every teammate his brother. This award is
given to a student or faculty member of Loyola Blakefield
who best represents “care for the individual person.” This
award went to Mrs. Gayle Smith and Trey Thomas ‘16.
THE JOHN H. WEETENKAMP III AWARD was established
to honor John H. Weetenkamp III, a beloved alumnus and
member of the Loyola Blakefield faculty from 1969 to the
present. During his tenure, Mr. Weetenkamp held a variety
of roles including English Teacher, Moderator, Registrar,
Assistant Headmaster, Headmaster, Director of Ignatian
Mission and Identity, and Interim President. This award is
presented to a graduating senior who has been caring to
his peers and demonstrated dedication to the mission of
Loyola Blakefield. He is a young man who has embodied
the words of Saint Ignatius by his actions and has served
his fellow Dons and others generously through the
Campus Ministry and Service programs as well as other
opportunities. This award went to Troy Meurer ‘16.
Visit LOYOLABLAKEFIELD.ORG/GRADUATION
to watch the entire speech and see more highlights from our 164th Commencement.
Class of
1966
“Go live the fourth, go follow the message of God, go make
new experiences, go find new friends who will mean just
as much to you as the friends you’ve met here, but most
importantly, don’t forget where you
started, because that is the reason you
are the person you are today and the
person you will become in the future.”
­— Excerpt from Student Commencement Address,
Sam Commodari ‘16
11
RETIREMENTS
Pat O’Hara
by John O’Hara, Assistant Principal, Middle School
I
n the fall of 1988, my mother returned to work after
being a stay-at-home mom for about 14 years. She
spent one year at Immaculate Conception School
in Towson before joining the faculty here at Loyola
Blakefield, teaching sixth grade Ancient History. I too
started at Loyola in the fall of 1989 as a sixth grader, and
it was made very clear to me that during the day this
lady in the front of the classroom was the teacher and
I the student, and the transition back to mom came at
some point driving north on Jarrettsville Pike after she
finished grilling us about our day.
Over the course of 27 years, my mother gave so much of
herself to Blakefield, both in and out of the classroom.
She taught English and social studies in the middle
school and computer science in the upper school for
14 years, and in 2003, she transitioned to teaching
freshman English, where she would remain for the final
13 years of her career at Loyola. She even got to witness
all three of her sons (Tom ‘94, John ‘96, and Dan ‘03)
walk across the Hollow on graduation day.
Outside of the classroom, she founded the middle
school tennis team in 1990 and continued to coach the
team for ten years. In the spring of 2002, she went on
to coach JV golf, amassing eight MIAA championships
in 15 years. She also founded the speech and debate
program in the middle school.
I’m not the only one who has seen her flourish as an
educator over the years. Her fellow colleagues are
grateful for the work she has done. English Department
Chair Sean Flanigan said, “It has been a joy teaching
with Ms. Pat O’Hara for many years. Beyond mere
academic concerns, Ms. O’Hara prepared her students
for the challenges and expectations of their entire
Loyola Blakefield experience. She held her young men
to the highest of standards, and she guided them grace
12
and deep sense of responsibility. Not only was she an
excellent English teacher, but she also embodied Loyola
Blakefield’s mission as an educator. We will miss her
dearly.”
And Dr. Vince Fitzpatrick had the pleasure of seeing her
through her entire career here. “It has been my blessing
to share her good heart and warm demeanor in the
English department. My son Mike, Class of 2010, also
had the good fortune to study freshman English under
her tutelage. Ms. O’Hara has worked hard to extend cura
personalis to each one of her students and athletes. Her
presence will be greatly missed. Hail, sister, and be well.
Thank you for all that you have done.”
“Ms. O’Hara has worked hard to extend
cura personalis to each one of her
students and athletes. Her presence will
be greatly missed. Hail, sister, and be well.”
— Dr. Vince Fitzpatrick
Mom, your accomplishments as a fellow educator are
only a percentage of your accomplishments as a mother
and grandmother. For Danny, Tommy, Katie, and me,
you are a mom who worked tirelessly to provide us with
an amazing education, led us by example of how to
love and be loved, and continue to show us how to live
every day to the fullest. For Ellie, Charlie, Henry, Jack,
Grayson, Lucy, Farley, Gavin, Flynn, and Bennett, you
are a grandmother (aka Emme) to the nth degree. Mom,
this is your time to continue living life to the fullest.
We love you and it has been an honor these past 39
years as your son and especially these last four as your
colleague. You truly are a woman for others.
by Terry Levering, Assistant Principal
O
riginally hired as a part-time library employee, Kathy
Roeder arrived at Loyola Blakefield in July of 1999.
Adjusting to the sweltering summer heat of the Mary
G. Creaghan Library, she dug into her job as library
assistant—cataloging books, updating subscriptions, and
handling an assortment of administrative details. When
students returned to classes in the fall, Kathy became the
friendly and helpful resource in the library students could
turn to for assistance.
By 2004, Kathy’s organizational skills, smarts, and caring
manner with students were well known to the college
counseling and guidance departments who were looking for
a new full-time administrative assistant. Director of College
Counseling Kathy Mathias proudly admits today that the
two departments conspired to steal Kathy from the library
to work full-time for their departments. “She had it all,”
said Mathias. “She is smart, well-organized, responsible,
has a great manner with kids, and an ability to anticipate a
need before it is expressed—so much so, that we ultimately
nicknamed her Radar. We couldn’t pass her up.”
When a job opening occurred in the fall of 2007, the new
principal at the time, knowledgeable of Kathy’s talents,
hired her to be his administrative assistant. In this position,
Kathy has been calmly and judiciously handling the day-today operations of the Upper School for the past nine years.
Amazingly, she almost always does it with a smile.
In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Kathy has
also played the role of behind-the-scenes special counsel to
the principal, offering advice and acting as a sounding board.
Principal John Marinacci reports that he can’t imagine being
able to do his job without her. “She has her finger on the
pulse of the school and has never shied away from giving me
honest feedback that helped me do a better job.”
Former principal and now president of the school, Anthony
Day, described his relationship with Kathy as a working
partnership. “She was an invaluable resource. She offered
perspective, found solutions, provided brutally honest
feedback, and had a gift for identifying and addressing
countless details that would otherwise fall through the
cracks. She always had my back. She made me a better
principal.”
One faculty members praised her as a tireless worker
whose kindness and relentless care for all members of
the Loyola community is evident in everything she does.
“It didn’t matter how crazy things were going in the Upper
School office or how busy she was, Kathy always found time
to stop what she was doing to take care of a parent in need,
a student, or a befuddled faculty member or administrator.
She always made time to help.”
RETIREMENTS
Kathy Roeder
“Like the Holy Spirit, she works
behind the scenes taking care of
people and getting things done.”
Another reported that she has immeasurable patience
and good will and defuses a host of problems before they
become problems. “Amazingly, she has always done this
in great humility without ever seeking the limelight or
attention. Like the Holy Spirit, she works behind the scenes
taking care of people and getting things done.”
One incident from 2009 highlights the value the
administration places on Kathy’s presence at Loyola.
Because of the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic, the
administration spent an extensive period of time creating
contingency plans for large-scale absences by students,
faculty, and staff. Anthony Day, John McCaul, and I
systematically went through all the possible absentee
scenarios and successfully created contingency plans for
each of them. There was, however, one exception which
we had inadvertently placed at the end of our list for
contingency planning: What would we do to fill the gap if
Kathy Roeder and Denise Hershel, administrative assistant
to the assistant principal, were absent? There was a long
pause as each of us began to comprehend the gravity of
the situation and the absence of alternatives to cover the
situation. After five to ten seconds of tense silence, we all
turned to each other and declared in unison, “We’re toast!”
We never came up with a contingency plan.
We will miss you Kathy. Enjoy your retirement.
13
MY
LOYOLA
EXPERIENCE
by Colin Lagator ‘16
“Loyola Blakefield is an amazing place
with endless opportunities, where
students’ passions are found, fueled,
and sent forth, as St. Ignatius said, to
‘set the world on fire.’”
L
oyola Blakefield is an amazing place and an
outstanding school. That is because it offers
learning outside the usual curriculum. Students
can pursue their passions in the many extracurricular
activities at Loyola, ranging anywhere from the
performing arts to Ultimate Frisbee. These passions
can forge some of the strongest relationships during a
student’s career at Loyola. During my time, I had the
opportunity to participate in the Computer Science and
Informatics program, previously known as the cyber
security club, which educates and allows students to
follow an interest in technology and computer science.
Just four years ago, the cyber
security club at Loyola Blakefield
was founded. As a freshman, I
heard about the club’s rapid
success, but I never gave a
thought to joining. My brother
was an active member, and I
received constant encouragement
from my parents and him to give
the club a shot. Finally, at the
beginning of the summer after
freshman year, I attended my first
meeting. The club was practicing
for one of their next competitions. As the meeting went
on, one of the rising seniors decided to welcome me by
displaying the text, “Welcome to the Club!” on my screen.
He did this from his computer, ten feet away. I knew I had
stumbled upon something special.
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During sophomore year, I began attending meetings
regularly. By this time, the competition team, comprised
of the upperclassmen, had won $30,000 at MDC3
(Maryland Cyber Challenge), a statewide competition
hosted by several industry-leading cyber security
companies and the National Cyber Security Alliance.
This brought a lot of attention and new members.
During the winter and into the spring, I participated in
my first competition, the CyberPatriot National Youth
Cyber Defense Competition, sponsored by the Air
Force Association. Before starting every round of the
competition, my team played Cascada’s “Every Time We
Touch” at full volume while screaming the lyrics. This
produced the most fun I could
ever have at school on a Saturday
afternoon. It was at this point that
the club became more than just
an afterschool activity.
During my junior year, the club
saw a lot of growth. Meetings
began to overload the cyber lab
located in the old Jesuit kitchen in
Xavier Hall. The number of teams
participating in competitions
quadrupled, and the team I
was on captured the club’s second MDC3 title. With
the sudden increase in members came the need for
student leadership. The upperclassmen began taking on
responsibilities by organizing and running meetings and
educating new students. We were also able to sit down
“I found more than just success in competitions through this program. I
found some of my best friends. I found a lifetime mentor and friend in
Mr. Morrill. I found a reason to stay at school for more than twelve hours
on some days. I found what drives me.”
and talk with the leaders of the cyber industry and
attend conferences. A club that traces its roots back to
a retired kitchen was now opening doors to colleges,
internships, and lifelong careers in technology.
During my final year at Loyola, the club did not remain
stagnant. I watched as it became the Computer Science
and Informatics program. I saw one of the walls of our
kitchen come down as the lab more than doubled in
size, and I was able to take a cyber science class taught
by the club’s moderator, Mr. Steve Morrill. The team I
was on continued the club’s legacy by capturing a third
MDC3 title, and for the first time, a team was sent to the
CyberPatriot finals, finishing in the top 12 out of 3,379
teams across the country. But I found more than just
success in competitions through this program. I found
some of my best friends. I found a lifetime mentor and
friend in Mr. Morrill. I found a reason to stay at school
for more than twelve hours on some days. I found
what drives me.
The only place that such a transformative experience
could happen is at Loyola Blakefield. A transformation
fueled by the students’ desire to learn and guided by a
mentor’s passion to teach and care for each and every
student. Loyola Blakefield is an amazing place with
endless opportunities, where students’ passions are
found, fueled, and sent forth, as St. Ignatius said, to
“set the world on fire.”
15
Photo courtesy of The Dallas Morning News
Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer, 2013
EYES SKIES
on the
BE R N A R D LEO TA LLE Y, JR . ’ 5 8
Nineteen seventy-three was a monumental year
for Bernard Leo Talley, Jr. ’58. That’s when he
was finally released from captivity as a prisoner
of war in North Vietnam, retired from active
duty as a colonel in the United States Air Force,
joined the Air Force Reserve, launched a 26year career as a pilot for American Airlines, and,
consequently, received the Rev. Joseph M. Kelley,
S.J., Medal—the highest form of recognition
awarded to a Loyola Blakefield alumnus.
16
W
hen he was a young boy, Bernard Leo Talley,
Jr. ’58, the baby brother of two older sisters,
delighted in playing with model airplanes—
the first of which was given to him by a caring neighbor
he affectionately referred to as his uncle.
“He’d take me out to the country and we’d fly it,” Talley
recalls. “He was like part of the family.”
An altar boy and member of the inaugural graduating
class of Saint Mary of the Assumption Grammar School,
adjacent to Saint Mary of the Assumption—the “Mother
Church of North Baltimore”—on York Road, Talley
graduated from Loyola in 1958.
A student-athlete on Loyola’s tennis and football teams,
a summer lifeguard at Meadowbrook Aquatic and
Fitness Center, and a Ken Davidson Sportsmanship Awardwinning badminton player outside of school, his loved
ones had nicknamed him “Bunny,” a term of endearment
that had previously been bestowed upon his father, a
fellow Don (Class of 1925) and real estate salesman, by the
family’s nanny. His father, Talley muses, had likely earned
the nickname on account of his athletic prowess. His
mother remained actively involved in her son’s education,
coordinating the annual Monday Easter Dance and serving
as president of the Mothers’ Club.
Talley immediately went on to
attend Mount St. Mary’s University
in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where
he studied and earned a bachelor’s
degree in economics. With an
intensifying interest in aviation that
was further fueled in college, he was
faced with a critical choice: graduate
school or military service. Despite only
having traveled on a real-life airplane once or twice and
never having been able to afford flying lessons, the next
stop on his professional journey would be Air Force Officer
Training School, followed by Undergraduate Pilot Training.
Roughly one year after receiving his pilot wings in Laredo,
Texas, and five months after being deployed to Southeast
Asia, Talley was captured by the North Vietnamese—the
aftermath of an unsuccessful mission—and taken to Hỏa
Lò Prison (the “Hanoi Hilton”), where he would spend
the next six and a half years of his life in a cell which he
describes as “about the size of the master closet in your
parents’ bedroom.”
Once Talley and 590 fellow prisoners of war were officially
set free as part of Operation Homecoming in 1973, he
would eventually leave the Air Force, join the Air Force
Reserve, become a pilot for American Airlines, and even
try his hand at politics for a short spell. “I’ve learned so
many things from that experience that have served me
well in my later life,” he recalls. “My life didn’t really start
with any notable things until I came back from Vietnam
and had opportunities to meet people, go places, and do
some interesting things. I appreciated the value of
being free!”
Throughout his time in the Air Force and Air Force
Reserve, Talley assumed a multitude of ascending ranks:
Property Accounting Officer; Second Lieutenant; First
Lieutenant; Fighter Pilot; Line Fighter Pilot; Captain; Major;
Squadron Operations Officer; and Colonel, including
Squadron Commander, Vice Wing Commander, and Acting
Commander. He was stationed at many different Air Force
bases: Lackland (Texas), McCoy (Florida), Laredo (Texas),
Eglin (Florida), Ubon Royal Thai (Thailand), Charleston
(South Carolina), Barksdale (Louisiana), and March
(California).
For his gallantry and devotion
to duty, he was awarded two
Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, two
Purple Hearts, a Legion of Merit, a
Distinguished Flying Cross, and
a Prisoner of War Medal. Other
notable honors over the years have
included Loyola’s own Rev. Joseph M.
Kelley, S.J., Medal. “It’s always been
“My life didn’t really start with any notable things until I came back from
Vietnam and had opportunities to meet people, go places, and do some
interesting things. I appreciated the value of being free!”
His faith fortified him, Talley asserts, especially during his
first Christmas in isolation: “I spent the Christmas season
in solitary confinement, getting tortured and beaten, and
all I had was me and the good Lord. As a result, I got a lot
of joy in praying and hoping that people back home were
enjoying Christmas as I had when I was a free person.
Saying rosaries every day got me over the pain of torture.”
In addition to prayer, Talley and the other men turned
to dance—a fellow prisoner just so happened to be a
certified Arthur Murray ® dance instructor—and other
forms of exercise to occupy their time. The inmates used
tap code, banging and knocking on the walls and floors
of their cells, to communicate with one another and keep
everyone in the loop. Talley remembers it like it was
yesterday: “It sounded like a secretarial school!”
very special to me,” Talley says, noting that it is proudly
displayed in his home office. He also served as grand
marshal of the 2013 Dallas Veterans Day Parade, with the
theme of “Honoring the Veterans and POWs of Vietnam:
Trauma, Tribulation, and Character.”
As he settles into retirement alongside his wife, Devon, in
Frisco, Texas, Talley, now 77 years of age and a member of
the Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America,
eagerly embraces a new role: grandfather to a baby boy,
Leo, lovingly named after him.
17
CLASS NOTES
1972
Frank T. Kasik III ‘72
retired on June 16 after
38 years as a high
school English teacher,
the last 16 at Manassas
Park High School. He
will continue as an
adjunct professor at
the Manassas campus
of Northern Virginia
Community College.
Bill Zorzi ‘72 visited
Loyola Blakefield’s
campus on April 29
and spoke to students
about the art of writing.
Zorzi worked as a
reporter and editor
at The Baltimore Sun
for nearly 20 years.
He left the newspaper
in 2002 to pursue a
career in television
screenwriting. Zorzi
Spring 2016
working on a narrative
nonfiction book about
the rise of the drug
culture in Baltimore.
1978
Martin Eby ’78 was
recently named to the
Board of Trustees for
Cristo Rey Jesuit High
School in Baltimore.
helped write the final
three seasons of The
Wire and acted in the
series as well. His latest
project, Show Me a Hero,
a six-part miniseries on
HBO, premiered last
summer. He’s currently
developing a pilot for
HBO about the politics
of Capitol Hill with longtime writing partner
David Simon (Homicide:
Life on the Street,
The Wire, Treme) and
1982
Michael Jessup ‘82
was recently named
the Assistant Vice
President of Resource
Development at
Capital Caring. The
Resource Development
department raises
approximately $10
million annually
through private
donations.
1986
Joe Breschi ‘86 led
the University of
North Carolina Men’s
Lacrosse team to its
fifth national title at
the 2016 NCAA Men’s
Lacrosse Championship
on May 30 in his fifth
year as head coach.
2001–04
John ‘01 and Tony
Minadakis ‘04, owners
of family-owned
Jimmy’s Famous
Seafood in Baltimore,
took home the 2016
Favorite Bar Award
at the Restaurant
Association of
Maryland’s 62nd
Annual Stars of the
Industry Awards
Gala on May 1 at the
Baltimore Marriott
Waterfront Hotel.
Jimmy’s Famous
August 13, 2016
Dons Down The Ocean
hosted by abbey burger bistro (Russ Miller ‘89)
It’s time to head down the ocean, Hon! Don your blue & Gold and
mingle with alumni, current families, and friends of loyola
at the alumni-owned abbey burger bistro in ocean city, md,
for a night of delicious food, drinks, and fun!
18
visit loyolablakefield.org/donsdownocean to register for free!
Share your news with fellow Dons!
loyolablakefield.org/classnotes
Seafood is the first
establishment in state
history to collect both
Best Bar and Best
Restaurant. Their
father, Jimmy, founded
the restaurant in 1974.
Jason Reichlyn ‘04
recently joined Dentons
US LLP, a multinational
law firm and the world’s
largest law firm by
number of lawyers,
as an associate in the
firm’s Washington, D.C.,
office. He is a member
of the Litigation and
Dispute Resolution
practice and Insurance
sector.
Raffi Wartanian ‘04
completed a short
documentary titled “A
Void,” which explores
the reflections of
renowned musician Ara
Dinkjian as he travels
to Istanbul to perform
in a historic concert
commemorating the
100th anniversary
of the Armenian
Genocide. Raffi’s
documentary was
featured in an article
by the Huffington
Post in April. “This
was something very
meaningful I’ve been
working on that
sprouts from the spirit
of social justice and
human rights that was
instilled in me during
my formative years as a
Don,” said Wartanian.
2012
Nick Anstett ‘12 was
named one of five
Washington College
finalists for the Sophie
Kerr Prize this year, the
largest undergraduate
literary award in
the nation valued at
$65,770. Nick was the
first editor in chief
of Loyola Blakefield’s
literary arts magazine,
Workshop(s), when it
was established in
2012.
Deemer Class ‘12
(Duke University)
and Matt Dunn
‘12 (University
of Maryland)
were named
2016 Scholar
All-Americans by
the United States
Intercollegiate
Lacrosse
Association.
2016 issue of Lacrosse
Magazine. He and fellow
Don, Ryan Conrad ’15
(University of Virginia),
will be leading the U.S.
U-19 National team
to the 2016 FIL U-19
Men’s World Lacrosse
Championship in July.
2015
Alex Roesner
’15 (University of
Pennsylvania) was
featured on the
cover of the June
I N M EM O R I A M
ALUMNI
Joseph L. Prosser ‘41
John C. Whitaker ‘44
Melvin M. Dziwulski ‘46
William F. Snyder ‘47
Walter R. Welzant, M.D. ‘47
Robert A. Williams ‘47
Francis J. Lastner ‘48
John H. Rice, Jr. ‘48
Francis J. Gleason ‘49
Francis J. Macek, Jr. ‘49
Joseph F. Dausch ‘50
Joseph S. DeSantis ‘51
John R. Kane, Ph.D. ‘54
Michael L. Downs ‘58
Edward J. Blair ‘62
Charles A. Chiapparelli ‘62
J. Herbert O’Toole ‘63
W. Kurt Aumann ‘64
E. Ronald Comfort ‘65
Thierry R. Jeannier ‘78
Geoffrey H. Macsherry ‘81
Martin J. Moran ‘92
Brian T. Cosgrove ‘98
PAST PARENTS
Walter S. Calwell
Charles C. Counselman
William M. Dixon
John H. Dumler
Americo E. Gambo
Col. Benedict E. Glyphis
Jean F. Kowalczyk
Theodore A. Parsons
Douglas J. Sanders, D.D.S.
FRIENDS
GRANDPARENTS
John E. Cyphers
Frank E. Cicone
Louis J. Grasmick
Dianna Lynn Davis
Joseph S. Keelty
Bernard J. Evans
Patricia O’Donnell
Anne S. Feild
Grace Rehbein
Mary H. Frank
Eugene C. Rottmann
William F. Jacobs
Julia B. Kardos
Mary A. Kutcher
Mary Elizabeth Law
Thomas P. Martin, S.J.
Patricia G. McComas
Leonard S. Rulka
Annette C. Shawe
Machiko Shirahata
Louis Windsor
Martha Jean M. Windsor
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P.O. Box 6819 • Towson, Maryland 21285-6819
loyolablakefield.org