St. Xavier Magazine - Winter 2021 by St. Xavier High School

G R E A T E R

C I N C I N N A T I ’ S

J E S U I T

H I G H

S C H O O L Winter 2021

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X A V I E R

C H A M P I O N S

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

From the President Recently I have noticed a theme in questions I am asked by others and that I ask myself: “What is enough?” During our summer preparations for operating the school under the threat of COVID, it was clear that we had to find a balance so we could lessen the risks associated with the pandemic yet still fulfill the St. X mission. We spent just under $300,000 in our COVID mitigation measures. Was that enough? Can you ever be too safe? How would we safely balance the mental health challenges of remote learning with the physical health risks of in-person learning? As you will read in this issue, it looks as if we found a successful balance - allowing for some individual choice - of in-person learning, sports, and clubs while staying healthy. Another question I ponder: is our endowment big enough? Recently in conversation, a donor mentioned that it seems from the outside that St. X has enough money and other schools might need support more than we need it. That is a misperception. St. X needs funding to graduate more deserving Men for Others into the world. Yet I agree other schools and not-for-profits in our area also need support. Our graduates clearly agree. In fact, if you ever look closely at the benefactors and even volunteers of many local schools and other nonprofits, you are sure to see the Long Blue Line well represented. To me that is evidence that over all these years our efforts to graduate Men for Others have been successful. We could write volumes citing examples of the success and the good that is the fruit of our alumni. In this issue you will read about two current seniors, Gio Albanese and Matt Devine, who are perfect examples of the men we want to add to the Long Blue Line. However, in order to do this, we will continue to need the financial resources. It is expensive to run our programs. As you most likely know, we spend about $4,000 more per pupil than we charge ($16,120). The difference is made possible by some tax support to families, robust tuition assistance, and

Tim Reilly ’76

There is a strong St. X legacy that helps carry us through challenging times such as these. contributions to the annual fund and X-Travaganza. Still the number one reason qualified students decide not to enroll at St. X is because of the expense. Could we increase our endowment until it is big enough so that all available seats are filled with students who are a good match while maintaining our standards and programs? To graduate more Bombers, we need more financial resources. One significant financial resource depends on the annual success of X-Travaganza. Yet will we have enough participation in this year’s digital version because of the pandemic? I hope you will read on and find a way to say yes to supporting this adapted version of one of our treasured traditions. But if you can’t participate in X-Travaganza, even a modest participation through the grand raffle, the opening party, or the golf outing this spring will make a huge impact on our tuition assistance and an even bigger impact on the Long Blue Line. In closing, I thank our donors who have helped continue the St. Xavier tradition, especially in light of the challenges of this year. Thanks as well to our teachers, staff, and students who have had to sustain going above and beyond for almost a year now. There is a strong St. X legacy that helps carry us through challenging times such as these. I do not know if we can ever offer enough thanks, but living each day filled with gratitude for those that came before us is an honor and a privilege. My Best,

Timothy Reilly ’76

Inside this Issue ADMINISTRATION Mr. Timothy J. Reilly ’76, President Rev. Walter C. Deye SJ ’66, Rector Mr. Terrence H. Tyrrell, Principal Mr. Jonathan C. Ivec, Vice President for Operations & CFO Mr. Anthony E. Schad ’81, Vice President of Advancement

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Gregory G. Achten ’82 Mr. Robert E. Carroll ’76 Rev. Walter C. Deye SJ ’66 Mr. Michael J. Ehrensberger ’61 Mr. Brian J. Fitzgerald ’91 Sr. Therese Gillman OSF Rev. Michael J.Graham SJ Mr. Gary J. Gruber ’73 - Chair Ms. Toi C. Jones Mr. Adam T. Mueller ’96 Rev. William J. Murphy SJ Mr. Michael P. O’Rourke ’86 Mr. Andrew N. Recker ’97 Mr. Timothy J. Reilly ’76 Mr. Mark M. Ryan ’91 Ms. Mabe Rodriguez Steigerwald Mrs. Linnell R. Sullivan Rev. Eric M. Sundrup SJ Mr. Nicholas J. Vehr ’77 - Vice Chair Rev. Nathan C. Wendt SJ

11 X-Travaganza:

14 Alumni Reflections:

15 Excerpts from the Archives:

Join us VIRTUALLY for a Maskuerade! And Xperience Mardi Gras!

Rusty Sicking ’88

A new feature highlighting St. X history.

CONTRIBUTORS Giovanni J. F. Albanese ’21 Cheryl L. Asper Edward J. Bedinghaus ’68 Sylvia M. Betz Joyce A. Bowman Cathy M. Cionni David V. Clapp Grace E. DeGregorio Christine L. Dauenhauer Matthew A. Devine ’21 Heidi B. Eveleigh Edmund L. Franchi Eric M. Gammarino ’09 Ellen K. Gormley Cara L. Hester W. Matthew Keith ’93 Nicholas B. Kemper ’06 Ralph A. Nardini ’77 Heidi A. O’Connor William C. Reilly ’09 Anthony E. Schad ’81 Robert L. Sicking III, ’88 Andrew E. Sweeny ’68 Laci E. Tucker

EDITOR Becky Schulte

DESIGNER

COVER: Fall sports overcame all COVID odds and saw success on the field, green and courts. All four OHSAA sports won the GCL for the first time since 2012. ABOVE: The St. Xavier Rugby 7’s team fought hard and captured the state championship this fall.

Jon Enia ’97, makercreative.com

PRINTING Joseph Berning Printing Company St. Xavier Magazine is published three times a year by the alumni, advancement and communications offices. St. Xavier High School 600 W. North Bend Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499 Phone: (513) 761-7815 ext. 121 http://www.stxavier.org e-mail: [email protected]

ALUMNI HOT LINE 1-800-572-5340 ext. 116 Direct all Letters to the Editor, address changes, or other correspondence to the above address. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: St. Xavier Magazine, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499.

02 WE ARE ST. X 10 VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 12 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: GIO ALBANESE ’21 & MATTHEW DEVINE ’21

17 FACULTY FOCUS: LACI TUCKER 18 ALUMNI X-CERPTS & X-PEDITIONS 25 CALENDAR

16 CAREER CONNEXIONS

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

We are St. Xavier News and notes around the St. Xavier campus

First Semester Success Thanks to the hard work of our COVID-19 task force, faculty, staff, parents and students, St. Xavier has been able to have an entire semester of in-person education with no interruptions. Because of the guidelines put in place, students had the opportunity to not only learn, but also benefitted from socialization with their classmates and from participating in co-curriculars, community service and spiritual growth. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated how important in-person learning is for a student and the successes St. Xavier students had in the first semester reflects those findings. St. Xavier has created an environment as “normal” as possible in the time of a pandemic. Nearly 1,400 young men continued to thrive on North Bend Road. Here are just a few highlights that demonstrate St. Xavier successes in the first semester:

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

ACADEMICS: • Fourteen seniors were recognized as National Merit Semifinalists and 13 were recognized as Commended students. • Senior Hasan Quadri was selected as a Semifinalist in the CocaCola Scholars Program. • Career ConneXions program (a three-year-old experiential learning program designed to help St. X students choose their college majors and careers) created their Masterclass program working with experts in a variety of fields. • Career Connexions hosted in-person and online speakers in a variety of professions and hosted an internship day with Ethicon. SPIRITUAL: • Seniors and juniors were able to attend four Kairos retreats (fiveday spiritual retreats) • The entire community celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit as a community in-person at our stadium. • Fourteen sophomore and eight junior spiritual retreats offered the opportunity for students to find God outside of their normal daily activities. FINE ARTS: • Strings and choir programs performed virtual fall and Christmas concerts. • The marching band was able to perform at home football and soccer games and then through the football playoff season. The concert band also performed a virtual Christmas concert. • Theatre Xavier was able to host a production by doing the performances completely COVID Safe. They filmed all the parts to War of the Worlds individually and then combined them to produce a movie which was shown on previously scheduled performance days. SPORTS: • Four GCL and Regional championships in all four fall sports: cross country, golf, soccer and football. This is the first time in school history that this has been accomplished. • Football won their fourth OHSAA Division I championship. • Rugby 7’s team won the State Championship.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Opportunities were very limited, but we served at nine organizations and conducted many of our own activities where students: • Gave food to over 2,000 families in our drive-thru food distribution • Held and conducted sport activities for young adults with disabilities • Virtually mentored young boys from underserved neighborhoods • Kept up and improved hiking trails and green spaces in nature preserves, watershed areas and parks • Repaired housing and helped maintain properties in low-income neighborhoods • Packed and distributed to-go meals for the homeless and those in need • Volunteered at food banks FOOD DRIVE: •

Freshmen and sophomores collected 75,410 pounds of food – which is over 10,000 pounds more than in 2019.

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Junior and senior homerooms supplied food to 25 different food banks throughout Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

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In total, St. Xavier collected over 100,000 pounds of food.

SERVICE-IMMERSION MISSION TRIPS: Thirty-seven juniors and seniors went on four, five-day trips to rural areas in West Virginia and Tennessee where students: • Dug ditches and ran waterlines to be used at a non-profit’s greenhouse that grows food for soup kitchens – as well as other improvement projects • Winterized an apple orchard for the same non-profit • Repaired low-income housing • Chopped and delivered wood to be used to heat homes • Participated in nightly prayer and reflection Our entire community (students, parents, faculty and staff ) should be commended for being true Men and Women for and With Others to keep others safe and to ensure a safe learning environment for our students.

ALUMNI SUPPORT: • The fall alumni phonathon had 200 more pledges and raised $50,000 more than last year.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

War of the Worlds While the pandemic closed or delayed the production of most high school theater performances, Theatre Xavier students created a socially distant way to perform the fall presentation with an adaptation of the original 1938 radio broadcast War of the Worlds. Students planned, directed and performed a film presentation instead of a live stage show. The film was made available to students during flex time and streamed online Thanksgiving weekend. TX directors Elizabeth Harris and Nathan Gabriel felt an obligation to provide students with a theater experience. “Working on location to make a film is an excellent pedagogical experience for those who want to learn acting,” explained Gabriel.

“Filming a production gave our students the opportunity to perform, but to do it in a safe and responsible way.” The result- TX filmed their production at a variety of locations and the final film was shown in the theater just like a guest would enjoy a movie. TX’s production of War of the Worlds was set in modern-day pandemic America allowing for crowd scenes to be filmed with face coverings. The actors and production crew worked at different times and used extreme social distancing. Many rehearsals took place via Zoom. “Doing a variety of location shots and engaging actors and our production teams in a variety of ways was very pedagogical,” explained Gabriel.

Phonathon If someone would have told me back in late April or early May that we would be able to host Phonathon in the fall, let alone a successful one in light of COVID-19 and the impending election, I simply would have laughed. However, this is precisely what happened! This year the fall Phonathon occurred on six nights over a three week period. 166 different students participated in the student led fundraiser, with an average of 66 students per night. And, while I can’t speak for all the students that participated, I can wholeheartedly say that I had a blast each night. From the delicious food and snacks to the prizes (including a pair of Carolina Panthers gloves given to me by my friend and classmate Luke Kuechly ’09 to be given to a student), festive Halloween costumes, a motivational speech by Steve Specht ’86 that electrified the cafeteria and a riveting Q&A session with Vivek Ramaswamy ’03, founder and CEO of Roivant Sciences, Phonathon is meant to be just as much as (if not more than) a learning and community and friendship building experience for the students as it is a fundraising mechanism. I might be biased, but I think both objectives were definitely met this year! The energy in the cafeteria, student annex and Barrett Center was

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

palpable each night and, thanks to our brilliant, compassionate and courageous student callers along with our ever so generous alumni, fall Phonathon was able to raise an astonishing $217,604! For that, I, and the rest of the Advancement Team, would like to thank every student that participated and every alumnus who answered his phone, chatted with a future Bomber and selflessly made a gift to the young men of St. Xavier High School. - Eric M. Gammarino ’09, Asst. Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events

St. Xavier Named Laudato Si Community The Archdiocese of Cincinnati challenged St. Xavier to become a Laudato Si Community. The school had already embraced this goal as witnessed by the Religious Goal of the OCSAA process, namely: “In response to Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si, students will protect the environment beginning with increased recycling and responsible water use.” To date St. X has fulfilled the Facilities Green Assessment and the Household Green Assessment. The Educational Program has been ongoing. St. Xavier High School was officially named a Laudato Si Community by the Catholic Social Action office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on October 4, 2020. None of this would be possible without the great work of the Laudato Si committee, including: Bill Sandquist, Linda Gloeckler, Jen Donahue, Meg Shaughnessy, Tim Reisert, Tim Banker ’95, Dave Clapp, Pat Klus ’91, Darnell Woods, and Terry Baum, SJ A special thank you goes out to Director of Facilities Tom Mills and his crew for their great work in bringing the work of the committee to life at St. Xavier. This includes completing a “facilities assessment” as part of the application to the Archdiocese. The following paragraph, written by the committee, was provided to the Archdiocese: We had previously chosen the following as our religious/spiritual goal for the Ohio Catholic Schools’ Accreditation process: In response to Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si, students will protect the environment beginning with increased recycling and more responsible water use. This led us to apply for the Laudato Si recognition award. We underwent an intensive review of our infrastructure for both recycling and water use, adding strategically located recycling containers and additional water stations throughout the school. Signage and consistent messaging brought it home. The students were encouraged to bring their own durable water bottles to school, thereby reducing the use of plastics. These initiatives were followed by a drive to protect and improve the natural beauty of our campus, our God-given common home. Additional work by the committee includes: • Installation of water stations and messaging to promote the use of refillable water bottles. • Pairing of a recycling bin with each trash can with clear labeling. Community-wide education and signs posted in the cafeteria to inform community members on what can and cannot be recycled. • School-wide waste audit during lunch as a preliminary step in beginning a composting program at school. • Installation of multiple pollinator gardens on campus and education on the importance of planting native species. Upcoming installation of campus beehives this spring • Forest ecology education events in our woods on campus and the development of a service project centered on removing invasive species on campus. The work of this committee continues on campus inviting all students to care for our common home.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

Family of Champions The 2020 state championship football game won by the Bombers was a monumental moment for the Long Blue Line. The Bombers captured a win over Pickerington Central 44-3. But beyond the competition on the field, there was a special bond formed that evening between a father and son. David Bareswilt ’99 was a defensive lineman for the 1998 Bombers as they competed in the finals against Canton McKinley. On the night of November 13, 2020, he most likely had the same type of nerves pulsing through his body, but this time his attendance at a state game was not to play but to cheer for his son, Brennan ’22, a defensive back for the Bombers. The outcome was different as well. The Bombers fell to Canton McKinley in 1998. The 2020 state win for the Bombers gave the Bareswilt family something Dave had been searching for since his days as a Bomber, but the moment was even sweeter as he was able to celebrate with his son. Together David and Brennan were able to celebrate this emotional moment not only as father and son, but as Bombers!

Signing Day St. Xavier High School hosted two National Signing Day ceremonies this year for our student athletes. One was held on Wednesday, November 11 and the other on December 16. Parents, faculty, and students congratulated the young men as they signed their intent to compete athletically in higher education. Congratulations to the following seniors:

Will Behimer – University of Delaware – Swimming & Diving Conor Bohrer – Duke University – Cross Country & Track William Jaun – Cornell University – Baseball Adam Lamping – Xavier University – Swimming Nate Mountain – University of Virginia – Cross Country & Track Kobe Rogers – Nova Southeastern University – Basketball Owen Taylor – University of Louisville – Swimming Nathan Wall – Xavier University – Swimming

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

Giovanni Albanese – Air Force Academy – Football Liam Clifford – Penn State University – Football Matthew Devine – Air Force Academy – Football Gabriel DuBois – Lafayette College – Football Jackson Wassler – Youngstown State University – Football

Family Matters St. Xavier is truly a family affair for Math faculty member George Beluan. Roaming the halls of St. Xavier this year he has a son (Andy) and four nephews as well. This family may set a record for the most number of relatives at St. X in one school year! Harris Caruso ’21, Carson Moore ’22, George Beluan ’91, Juan Chuegan ’22, Andy Beluan ’22 and Weston Caruso ’24

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recognize Diverse Holidays The office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion continues its recognition of diverse holidays to create awareness and education on campus as part of the ongoing effort. Three holidays were recognized in November. November was National Black Catholic History Month which was established in 1990 through the advocacy of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus. Lisa Kammerer from our business office shared the information during flex announcements and our community wide message and talked about its origins. In November we also celebrated Native American Heritage Month with signage, visual messaging on our campus video monitors and emails detailing the evolution of the holiday. It started in 1990 when President George H.W. Bush approved a joint congressional resolution designating the month of November “National American Indian Heritage Month.” The community also recognized Diwali, the five-day festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. This year, Diwali occurred from November 12-16 with November 14, the third day of the festival, identified as the main day of festivities. Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word for “row of lighted lamps.” It celebrates New Beginnings, as well as “the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.” Our Parents Across Cultures (PAC) did another fantastic job of decorating display cases with information on Native American Heritage Month and Diwali as they did with our Hispanic Heritage Month. In September Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Wayne Miller, was a Panelist for the Metropolitan Club’s “Divide: Growth & Leadership Through Inclusion” discussion on race for business and community leaders. The club’s panel discussion brings thought leaders together to address the issues and seek solutions. While St. X is still restricted to large gatherings due to COVID-19, the community celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Holiday with a Zoom based observance.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

Alumni Admissions Ambassadors The pandemic has changed many things at St. X, but one truly made an impact on the relationships of future Bombers. Incredibly talented and hard-working members of the Long and Wide Blue Line joined the Enrollment Department first semester: Griffin Buczeck ’16 – internship through the end of February 2021 Danny Felton ’16 – internship through the end of 2020 Bobby Jefferson ’18 – internship through the end of the summer of 2021 Cole Jones ’15 – internship through the end of the 2020-21 school year Dan Muenzer – volunteer, cross country coach and father of Daniel, Class of 2003 Patricia Renneker – volunteer, mother of Jack, Class of 2022

Feeding our Neighbors in Need: The Annual Canned Food Drive Since 1928, St. Xavier High School has been collecting food to donate to food banks in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Each year, Bombers go out all over the city and collect thousands of pounds of food. Freshman and sophomore homerooms compete against each other for bragging rights while junior and senior homerooms partner with local food banks and learn more about the challenges of hunger many face in our area. The annual food drive closed after Thanksgiving with the last junior and senior homerooms delivering what they gathered to their assigned food bank partners. Freshman and sophomore homerooms finished up an outstanding food drive by bringing in more than 75,000 pounds – which is 10,000 pounds more than 2019! It’s truly great to see that even when most things are put on hold or canceled during the pandemic our students haven’t lost their spirit to do good and get food to our neighbors in need. They are truly Men for Others!

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

New Trees on Campus Remember the Class of 2020

As a tribute to the Class of 2020, 20 trees were planted on campus to mark the students’ graduation during a difficult year. Like the diverse group of young men who make up the Class of 2020, a variety of native trees were chosen that will each provide unique habitat and food sources to local species. Also like the Class of 2020, these trees are known to be resilient and stress tolerant. These are also trees that are projected to do well as our local climate changes. Students from the Environmental Action Club will be providing additional care for these trees, including extra water, to help maximize their growth and chances of success. Thank you to faculty members Matt Kemper and Meg Shaughnessy for leading this campaign to bring the following trees to campus: American Sycamore, Flowering Dogwood, Tulip Tree, Black Gum, Red Maple, Bald Cypress, Northern Red Oak, Bur Oak, Eastern Red Cedar and Eastern Redbud. The trees line the campus along North Bend road and along the driveway that accesses the student/gym parking lot.

Black Bomber Alumni Network Connects with Current Students Forty St. X African American students took the opportunity to learn about the experiences of former St. X Bombers through the Black Bomber Alumni Network led by David Walker ’15, Ihsan Walker ’16, and Justin Chess ’16 (not pictured). The alumni talked about how St. X helped to shape their growth, prepare them for the realities they faced in the process. They also offered to mentor and support the current St. X students and provided them with access to them personally. Afterwards, the students and alumni enjoyed cuisine courtesy of JT’s Hot Plate and Catering. The BBAN is growing. Look for more information about the BBAN in future issues of the magazine. Stay up-to-date with BBAN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stxBBAN and Instagram: @bbanstx_

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Vice President’s Message Tony Schad ’81

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” That quote is attributed to legendary Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz. If you are not a Notre Dame “lover” or even “liker” please don’t stop reading just yet. I think that quote says a lot about the year we are in at St. X. This school year, along with all the parameters that have needed to be followed, was planned in painstaking detail so that our students could be educated in person by a dedicated and talented faculty and staff. Not many outside of this place thought it was possible, but we knew we were capable. Our motivation is to prepare young men to be able to adapt to challenges, overcome obstacles and through faith

• Career ConneXions connects students with alumni and parents in various professional fields as a means of discerning their passion and area of focus for college degrees and ultimately a career choice. This program has grown to more than 1,300 students this year. • Our students in Theatre Xavier could not do in person plays, but instead produced a movie that has been a wonderful success. • Our strings program produced an online Men in Black recital that drew rave reviews. • Our student Annual Fund Fall Phonathon shattered last year’s results (THANK YOU ALUMNI!) • We have students lending a hand to Bomber alumni through innovation from Jim Telles and his religion class. • Our athletic teams faced many hurdles but through the positive attitude of our student athletes and coaches attained unprecedented success.

and hard work to exceed expectations while receiving an incredible Jesuit, Catholic-based education. This school year has had its ups and downs, but everyone involved knew we had the ability and motivation to make it happen. What has really been outstanding has been the attitude that has been nurtured and exhibited by our faculty, staff, parents and alumni. But above all else, the can-do, open to growth attitude of our students has made this year work. In the classroom, our students continue to be vigorously educated and are achieving some extraordinary things. We have co-curricular programs that have adapted and are moving forward because of the dedication of our students. There are many examples, but here are a few.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

So yes, we at St. X have great capability and motivation to not only succeed, but to be great. Our secret is an attitude that builds on our capabilities and motivation and creates something that is truly extraordinary. It is extraordinary because our faculty, staff, parents and alumni support our exceptional young men in their collective pursuit. THANK YOU! Thank you all that make up the community of St. Xavier High School with ability, motivation and attitude.

X-Travaganza is an annual St. Xavier High School tradition which has brought together parents, alumni and friends of St. Xavier to enjoy fun events while supporting the students. However, during this unpredictable time when a pandemic has posed challenges to events with

Purchase Grand Raffle Tickets online at www.stxavier.org/ support-st-x/x-travaganza.

large gatherings, the 2021 X-Travaganza will be held virtually. But, as always, proceeds directly benefit all St. Xavier students by funding educational programs and co-curriculars that contribute to the students’ development as Men for Others. Opening Party 2021: Welcome to the BayouX virtually kicks off X-Travaganza week on Sunday, February 28 with a virtual Mass at 4 p.m. Then bid on exclusive Opening Party Silent

SAVE THE DATE X-Travaganza Golf Outing May 24, 2021 at Four Bridges Country Club for more information www.stxavier.org/xtravgolf

Auction items while trying for prizes in the exciting raffles. Opening Party Co-Chairs Kate and Steve Feldmann and Julie and John Herrmann promise a unique virtual evening! Later that week, X-Travaganza’s Silent Auction and some favorite raffles will open on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Then on Saturday, March 6, X-Travaganza 2021 – Join us in a Mask*uerade and Xperience Mardi Gras will transport guests virtually to a whirlwind of fun! The Live Auction bidding at 7 p.m. builds excitement. As the always-remarkable items – catered events in your home or exclusive sites, dazzling jewelry, X-traordinary St. X-themed packages, one-ofa-kind experiences…and more surprises – move quickly to the lucky highest bidder! And, of course, the fabulous raffles and Silent Auction bidding on hundreds of unique items continue throughout the event. X-Travaganza 2021 Chairs Susan and Andy Klare ’87 and Lisanne and Mike Thompson ’84 promise a memorable event that includes the Grand Raffle drawing for cash prizes of $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 – an exciting start to the evening! Our appreciation goes out to the hundreds of volunteers, donors and sponsors who make these unforgettable events possible. This collective generosity and enthusiasm creates a unique opportunity for fun and purpose, with proceeds benefiting all the young men of St. Xavier. Your ongoing support of X-Travaganza – whether being part of an event, purchasing Grand Raffle tickets, donating gifts for the auctions, volunteering or countless other roles – fulfills the longstanding tradition of student support by the St. X community.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

Student Spotlight Matthew Devine ’21 and Giovani Albanese ’21

Matthew Devine and Giovani Albanese are leaders on the field, in the classroom and beyond. Matthew has been an honor roll student. He is a member of the National Latin Honor Society and received that MAGIS Award for academic excellence in the classroom. Matthew is a member of the Student Athletic Director Team and does a variety of community service at St. Leo’s Parish, for the Canned Food Drive, with Broken Bus Ministries, with PWC and once a month helps to cook and serve lunch with his mom at Tender Mercies. On the football field, Matthew led the league and city in tackles and tackles for loss. He was named 1st Team All GCL, GCL Linebacker of the Year and named 1st Team All City, 1st Team All District, and 1st Team All State. He was also named 1st Team to the MaxPreps All Ohio Team. Gio is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. He does community service for Tender Mercies, Special Olympics and is a tutor for St. Lawrence. In the spring, Gio also represents the Bombers on the baseball field. Gio was named 1st Team GCL, GCL D-Lineman of the Year and 1st Team All-State. As seniors, Matthew and Gio were named Senior Class Chairmen, responsible for leading St. Xavier in a variety of activities and events. They both help as Ambassadors of eXcellence, volunteered for the Mothers’ Club and participated in the phonathon. Matthew and Gio also serve as Navigators, leading sophomore homerooms. This fall, both Matthew and Gio were captains, leading their team to a 2020 football state championship win. Matthew and Gio will both be attending the Air Force Academy to play football.

Why did you choose to attend St. X? Is there any family history or other members of the Long Blue Line? GIO: I chose St. X because of my brother, A.J. He has always been my role model and I’ve always followed him everywhere. I was in first grade when he started at St. X and after that, I couldn’t wait to get here. Other than him I had a few cousins, but I didn’t know that they went to X until later. My dad didn’t even like St. X when he was high school, he went to Roger Bacon. MATTHEW: My older brother went to St. X along with some of my cousins. 12

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

How are you different as a senior than you were entering as a freshman? MATTHEW: I am a completely different person. I am much more mature. I have also learned how to be a leader, not only on the football field, but off of it as well. I learned character, grit and perseverance. I also feel like I am a better friend, son, grandson, and person overall. If you look at the grad at grad characteristics, I have really grown in each area and become better. I have become more open to growth as a person and throughout my time at St. X I have been pushed to try new clubs and branch out. Obviously, St X has rigorous academics and that has allowed me to become more intellectually competent. I have become more religious and my relationship with God and my faith has grown tremendously because of this institution. I have become committed to doing justice, and am striving to always do the right thing, and lastly, I always try to be a Man for Others. GIO: As a freshman I wasn’t much a leader and I didn’t know how to lead. Over the years, I’ve learned how to lead and let others take the lead when they’re better at something than I am. As a senior, I became a football captain, and I am very proud of that. I used this knowledge not only to lead on the field and with the team, but in the classroom as well.

What have been your most memorable moments as a Bomber? GIO: My most memorable moments are hard to put into words. There are good and bad memories. Most of my memories revolve around football because that is what I am most involved with. The team accomplishments of winning GCL and state were incredible, to say the least. Those were things I used to dream about. Personally, it has been being named First Team All-State, First Team GCL, GCL D-Lineman of the Year and signing with Air Force. Outside of football, I was really proud to be selected for National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. It proves that we are student-athletes, not just athletes. I had so much support around me from so many people I really cannot thank them enough.

little detail matters. The “grind” that is St. X represents life. Throughout the “grind” or the “St. Xavier Advantage”, you learn how to be better in every facet of life, and you take away great life lessons. Most importantly you make incredible relationships throughout the process. I am incredibly grateful for this institution and the Long Blue Line. I want to thank my parents for providing me the opportunity to go here and thank everyone I have built relationships with at this special place. The St. X Advantage has truly changed my life.

MATTHEW: My favorite moment was being named captain on this year’s football team and going 5-0 in the GCL and winning a State Championship. It was truly an honor to represent the Long Blue Line and St. Xavier High School every Friday night, and it was an awesome way to end my career here at St. X.

What are your plans for the future? MATTHEW: I have signed with the Air Force Academy to play football. I am currently undecided on my major. GIO: Right now, my plans are to go to Air Force and pursue the NFL the best I can. If that dream does not come to fruition, I’ll do my five years of service and leave to open my own business. I am not sure what business, but that has always been my second dream. Then again, plans are always subject to change.

Explain the St. Xavier Advantage and what it means to you? GIO: I had never heard of the St. X Advantage until I was at X, just because I never paid attention and knew St. X was where I would attend. After four years it means a lot to me. The St. X Advantage is the networking and connections you can make through teachers, faculty, and alumni. The St. X Advantage is basically the impact of the Long Blue Line. All of those who have come before us giving back to help us in any way they can. The St. X Advantage is the education we receive inside and outside the classroom. It is learning how to be your own man and not what others want you to be. It is being given an opportunity to excel in what you want to do, not what everyone else is doing. I see that a lot, especially with Theatre Xavier and Robot-X. Some kids love those programs and truly excel. I couldn’t make a circuit board or put on a production if my life depended on it! I guess that’s the long answer, but there’s a lot to it. We all find our place and are the best we can be. MATTHEW: The St. Xavier Advantage is learning how to be your individual best every single day of your life no matter the circumstances. St. X, especially Coach Specht and the football program, teaches you to fall in love with the grind and embrace the challenge that is life. I have learned that you cannot take anything in life for granted, and every single

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Alumni Reflections Rusty Sicking ’88 As you look back on your days at St. Xavier who was the faculty, staff, or coach who made the most positive impact on your personal or professional growth?

Rusty Sicking Then and Now

• • • • •

Walking into St. X as a wide-eyed freshman, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this new school. Mike Marchal’s freshman homeroom, with his senior Bomber pilots, certainly set a quick, positive tone. Graduating from St. X four years later, I couldn’t begin to just name one teacher or staff member who most influenced me and my transformation as a young man. Many teachers & staff played a part in helping to mold me into the person I am today. A few teachers jump to mind due to their inspiration and creative teaching techniques.

Paul Lammermeier - Pablo’s Community Service class and volunteerism opportunities after school showed me how to put the motto Men for Others into actionable practice in our community. It wasn’t just a St. X saying anymore to me. We were putting our Catholic faith into action. Russ King - Tiger’s Anatomy class brought college-level science into the high school setting. In addition, “Your cats are for dissecting and not for running up the flagpole at St. Ursula” still resonates with some of us today. Wally Koral - His English class helped open my mind to the power of literature. Michelle Mascari - Michelle’s acting class taught me the basics of drama and improvisation, which came in handy while perfecting my defensive “stops/flops” during intermural hoops. John Ruebusch - John’s Algebra II teaching emphasized to many of us that we needed to learn the #&*%&* formulas to achieve our greatest success.

There are many more people and stories that could be told, but for a student who wasn’t at the top of his class, these tend to stick out. To this day, I incorporate many of the things I learned at St. X daily into my personal and professional life.

Would you like to comment on any one of the following hallmarks of St. Xavier and comment on how they relate to your success? Men for Others- this has resonated with me ever since walking the halls of North Bend Rd. I still incorporate this philosophy into my daily life. Putting others needs before your own. Looking out for those who can’t lookout for themselves. Give back when given so much. Speak up for those who don’t have a voice to be heard. Treat others as you’d like to be treated. Leave this world a better place.

How would you describe the St. Xavier Advantage? I define the St. Xavier Advantage as a great opportunity. An opportunity to get a world-class education. An opportunity to go to school and become brothers with classmates from all over the city, including northern Kentucky and Indiana. An opportunity to participate in numerous extracurricular activities at the highest level, from theater and band to sports and robotics. At St. X, you might be involved in an activity, but that activity doesn’t define who you are. As you graduate, you’ll find that there is a band of 18,000+ fellow brothers out in this world willing and able to help when called upon. At St. X, you are challenged to be a leader and to help set an example. With a son Will ’23 and another one Charlie ’25 soon to come, I’m glad my wife Molly and I could share the St. X Advantage with them.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

Mr. W. Russell King

Mr. Walter Koral

Mr. Pablo Lammermeier

Mr. John Ruebusch

excerpts from the ARCHIV E S

In recognition of St. Xavier’’ s impending bicentennial in 2031, St. Xavier Magazine presents a new feature: Excerpts from the Archives. School archivist and historian Nicholas Kemper’06 will be sharing photographs, documents, and articles that celebrate and detail the storied history of St. Xavier High School and the Long Blue Line. In this comically staged photograph from the early 1960s, football coaches Howard Tolbert, Tom Ballaban, and Dick Berning share a special moment together. All three are standing on what was then the football"stadium," located just behind the Finneytown school. Though quaint by today's standards, the 100–yard patch of grass was a big deal: it was the first time in 130 years that St. Xavier had a field of its own to call home. It is also a stark and humbling reminder that we did not always have the amazing amenities that we currently enjoy. Congratulations to the 2020 Ohio Division 1 State Championship St. Xavier football team

Howard, Tom, and Dick would be proud.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

Career ConneXions Technology gives Career ConneXions flexibility to expand its programs Our Career ConneXions program has not only continued to serve the St. Xavier student body, but also expanded its programs in spite of the challenges posted by COVID-19. Planning, dedication and technology are the keys. For example: • Virtual speaker events are drawing as many students online as in-person. • Programs like Masterclass let students access content at their convenience. • Alumni can engage from around the world, allowing them to use their time more efficiently and exposing students to a broader array of people, professions, companies and experiences. • Internships and job-shadowing adapt well to going online, allowing greater flexibility and benefits. Before the pandemic early last year, companies were in line to provide nearly 80 on-site internships for the summer. COVID precautions forced most of them either to cancel or to delay their on-site internships until the future was clearer. Fears of virus spread interfered with jobshadowing, as well. Food Forest is an online grocery delivery service founded in 2019 by friend of St. Xavier High School, David Curtin. It provides e-commerce solutions to businesses and consumers in the grocery industry. “Prior to the pandemic, we weren’t planning to hire interns,” Mr. Curtin says, “but things changed in March. Our business saw about a 1100% increase in activity and put us under a lot of pressure. Our entire team is virtual, so a virtual internship program was not too much of an adjustment for us. Career ConneXions came at the perfect time.” The interns’ workday was loosely structured. They met frequently with supervisors and coworkers for assignments and reviews, allowing the interns to complete work when they had the opportunity. Josh Barbee ’20, a freshman at Ohio State University, said this “radically different” setup allowed the young men to lead themselves and to learn from their mistakes. Pat Connaughton ’06 is an advanced lead designer at GE Additive, which works with customers to integrate 3-D printing into their manufacturing. He hosted four St. X students in job shadows. “I was excited to get involved with the Career ConneXions program, and given

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

the circumstances, a virtual job shadow was the only means to do so. It has gone seamlessly, and logistically was actually easier than an in-person job shadow.” Despite the limitations of the virtual experience, he found ways to compensate. He used marketing and training materials to show the jobshadowers videos of 3-D printers in action, making it easier to see inner workings of the machine itself. But virtual job-shadowing and internships still must have a personal connection. “Find a way to make it feel less distant,” Mr. Curtin says, such as virtual team-building. Mr. Connaughton held brief introductory calls with the students days before to “get ice-breaking out of the way” and to learn what topics to focus on. “Every one of my job shadows was extremely positive,” Mr. Connaughton says. “It’s a great feeling knowing that I was able to contribute just a little bit to help out the next members of the Long Blue Line. If any alumni were considering volunteering for the program, I’d strongly encourage them to do so. It’s both a phenomenal opportunity for the kids and a great experience for the host.” Mr. Curtin echoed these statements: “The interns through Career ConneXions were fantastic. I’m looking forward to working with you again this year.” With 1,300 students now in the program, we are always looking for volunteers. To learn more, go to: https://www.stxavier.org/careerconnections.

Faculty Focus Laci Tucker

Ms. Laci Tucker works as a College Advisor. In her fifth year, she works with primarily juniors and seniors and guides them through the entire college application process: help students determine college and career choices, discuss their grades, review their transcript, navigate standardized tests (ACT/SAT), encourage them to get involved in activities that inspire them. Also, as part of her role, she was fortunate enough to be able to travel (pre-covid-19) and visit colleges and bring back first-hand information about the wide range of educational opportunities. Ultimately, she hopes she is helping students to see the best in themselves and encouraging them to pursue their goals and dreams.

Why did you choose to work at St. Xavier High School?

What is your favorite part of St. X?

During my career as a college advisor/guidance counselor, I have worked at several wonderful (co-ed) Cincinnati high schools and gained experiences working with students from all walks of life. When the opportunity presented itself to work at St. Xavier, I was at first hesitant because I had never worked in an all-boys Jesuit school environment. I grew up in Wyoming, Ohio, so I was familiar with St. Xavier High School and its reputation for athletic and academic excellence, but not much beyond that. So, I decided to conduct some research. I read about St. X, its history, and how it is steeped in Jesuit traditions (also new to me). I learned about the Long Blue Line, and how the young men who come through these halls exhibit the Grad at Grad philosophy and develop deep bonds that follow them throughout a lifetime. I had conversations with friends who are St. X graduates, and others who were acquainted with this school in various capacities. Admittedly, I assumed the feedback I thought would dominate the conversation about St. X would revolve around sports, sports and more sports - and I got some of that. However, the strongest common thread that resonated most with me was how everyone felt this wonderful sense of community and belonging. Faculty, staff, administration and students feel challenged to be his/her best self and supported by each other. With that, I was sold. Five years later, I couldn’t agree more.

I love how many different opportunities are available here at X. In addition to working with students, their parents and teachers in my role as college advisor, I can engage in retreats, mission trips, participate in diversity and inclusion events, and be part of committees that help shape the direction of this school.

What is the most rewarding thing about being part of the St. Xavier community? The best part is knowing I am helping to make a difference in the lives of the students. Also, I love working with my team of colleagues. It so much fun working with my awesome team of of college advisors and the guidance counselors who share the same goal of putting our students first. We collaborate and bounce ideas off of one another. We find new and creative ways to make college advising fresh and interesting for our students and ourselves. It’s exciting a rewarding knowing we are easing the stress of what can be an overwhelming process and guiding our students onto the next big journey of their lives.

Anything else you would like to add? St. Xavier High School is a great place to be!

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Alumni X-Cerpts 50’s

80’s

00’s

Several members of the Class of 1952 gathered for lunch at Oakley Pub and Grill

Reported by St. Xavier alumnus, Andy Brownfiled ’06 of the Cincinnati Business Courier, Mark Stall ’81 is “A longtime corporate

Jim Harris ’00, was the Artist-in-Residence at Capitol Reef National Park in Southern Utah for the month of October. Jim is also scheduled to be an Artist-in-Residence at Zion National Park sometime in the coming year. You can view some of Jim’s wood prints at his site: https://www.gorgeousstorm.com. Jim’s studio is in Carbondale, Colorado and he has lived in the Rocky Mountains since graduating from St. X and then the University of Montana in Missoula in 2005. He has been an Outward Bound instructor and course leader as well as an acclaimed adventure writer and photographer. After partially recovering from a paralyzing accident in Southern Chile in 2014, Jim has made art his career. He is on his way to achieving the same trajectory of success with his art that he demonstrated at St. X and the University of Montana in academics as well as in his writing and photography career in journalism.

on October 22. (see below)

Roger E. Kanet ’54 retired in 2019 after 53 years of teaching, research and administration at the Universities of Kansas, Illinois and Miami, during which he published 40 edited books and more than 300 academic articles. In recent years he received the following distinctions: St. Xavier High School’s Listing of Notable Alumni; Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award; Roundtable Magazine Certificate of Achievement; and the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Post-Communist Studies Section of the International Studies Association. Mr. Kanet notes, “For someone from Russellville, Ohio (pop. 1940 = 492), none of this would have been possible had I not had a St. X education.”

60’s Gary E. Greiner ’63 was the 2020 recipient of the Dean Robert J. Salvo Award for Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. This award recognizes an alumnus of the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy who has contributed significantly to the profession of pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences at the national or international level. Dr. Greiner was a co-founder of the Pediatric Pharmacy Association, an international organization dedicated to improving the use of medications in children. He also served as the principal drafter of the first Pediatric Pharmacy Practice Standards for the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists. After retiring, he served as a public member of The Investigational Review Board at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Daniel Danzl ’68 has the distinct honor of having the University of Louisville establish The Daniel F. Danzl Endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine in the U of L School of Medicine.

attorney who has served as general counsel for companies like Toyota Industries North America and Xpedx has launched his own business law firm.” The article can be found at https://bizjournals.com/ cincinnati/news/2020/12/08

Peter Ruppert ’82 wrote the book Limitless: Nine Steps to Launch Your One Extraordinary Life. The book targets young adults and is a read that encourages them to dream big and not to “settle.”

Matt Moran ’87 recently started a podcast “With Gratitude, Matt” which was influenced by his St. Xavier experience. The podcast is produced by Mike Nead ’87, and most recently, they had John Ravenna ’87 on as a guest. For a peek at Matt’s story and his blog visit https://gratitudematt.com/ and the podcast home page https://withgratitudematt.buzzsprout.com/ .

Sean Cahill ’89 authored a collection of short humorous stories entitled, A Plate of Wet Spaghetti, which published in October.

Gary E. Greiner ’63

Mark Stall ’81

A collection of short stories by Sean Cahill ’89

Several members of the Class of 1952 gathered for lunch at Oakley Pub and Grill on October 22.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

News from the Long Blue Line

00’s

10’s

On November 19, 2020, Commander John W. “Jake” Keefe ’01, United States Navy, took command of the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 5 at Naval Base Guam. Jake begins a two-year tour leading a group of highly-trained sailors who support a variety of missions in the Western Pacific.

Sean Duggan ‘11 was named to the 247 Sports’ 30Under30 list for his role as linebacker coach at Boston College.

Kyle Ransom ’03 was elected to the 2020

A bit of trivia: In addition to Duggan, who are the other 5 Bombers who served as Boston College football captains?

Conner Phillipi ’13 took a new job as Compliance Manager for Secureframe.

class for the Buddy LaRosa’s High School Sports Hall of Fame. The hall of fame is in its 46th year and has honored 284 individuals since 1975. The latest additions to the hall will be officially inducted in summer 2021.

Bob McElroy III ’06 is using his knowledge of Chinese culture and proficiency in Mandarin as a project manager in the Chinese market for InBev, who owns Budweiser amongst other beer brands. After graduating from Loyola University in Chicago he spent three years teaching English in Wuhan and Kunming, China. Upon return to Cincinnati, he met his wife, who was a grad student and professor at UC. He then obtained his MBA from the Melbourne Business School in Melbourne, Australia and moved to Shanghai, China.

Dennis Sweeney ‘06 graduated with his PhD in Creative Writing in June 2020 from University of Denver and is currently living in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has written a new book, In the Antarctic Circle, which won the Autumn House Rising Writer Prize and is due out from Autumn House Press in March 2021. In fictional prose poems, it follows two characters as they create a domestic life in the blank expanse of Antarctica.

Brandon Reynolds ’10

Commander John W. “Jake” Keefe ’01

John Eppensteiner ’07 attended St. Louis University majoring in Biology and then attended Wright State University for Medical School. He did his residency in Emergency Medicine at Duke University in Durham, NC. He is now an attending Physician working in the Emergency Department at Duke. He is also involved in vaccine research on the academic side. He and his spouse, also an ER physician, have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak. Beekeeper Brandon Reynolds ’10 met with St. X students at Carriage House Farm, to “meet the Bomber Bees” that are coming to St. X this spring. The students are learning how to care for our bees as beekeeping apprentices starting this spring.

Bob McElroy III ’06 and his wife, Yuzhen Zhao McElroy and their baby, Maia.

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

FACULTY/STAFF MARCHAL

REISERT

Retired faculty member, Michael Marchal co-wrote “Reborn in the Spirit,” an Infant Baptism preparation program with Jane Myers, DRE at Bellarmine. The program was just released as a CD by World Library Publications in Chicago.

English teacher, Tim Reisert, was recently a part of a panel of local teacher writers featured in a podcast created by Noah Waspe and Ohio Writing Project. Here’s the link via SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/TCcY

BIRTHS

DiTullio Nick DiTullio ’10 and wife, Hannah, welcomed twins, Benjamin and Abigail in February of 2020. They are pictured on either side of their cousin, Lincoln, who is the son of Evan DiTullio ’01.

Gorman Ryan Gorman ‘05 and Brittany Winner welcomed their first child, Ava Winner Gorman, into the world on October 9, 2020.

DiTullio

Gorman

Lawall Daniel Lawall ’03 and wife, Capt. Katherine Lawall, welcomed their first child in August, William David, while stationed in Colorado Springs.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

WEDDINGS SHANKS The wedding of Joey Shanks and Margaret Bingham took place in Leland, Michigan on Sept 5, 2020. L-R: Scott McSweeney ’08, Kevin McSweeney ’73, Danny Shanks ’08, Tom Shanks ’72, Zach Zipperer ’08, Bill Verbryke, SJ ’71, Kipper Bingham ’04, John Heekin ’75, Joey Shanks, Groom ’05, Michael Shanks ’04, Pat Shanks ’78, Rick Shanks ’75 and Jeb Bingham ’02

THAMAN The picture is L-R JP Bosse, Jake Thaman, and Alex Seither (all Class of 2015). Jake married Riley Long on 9/12/2020. Jake is now working at Thaman Rubber after receiving his MBA from XU in August. He is currently working as an inside salesman. He joins Thaman Rubber as its 3rd generation - joining Bill Thaman ’80 in the family business which celebrated its 60th anniversary in August 2020.

JONES Blaise Jones ’10, after postponing his original May wedding due to COVID-19, finally got married on Halloween on the beach in Emerald Isle, NC. St. X alumni in attendance included his brother Connor Jones ’14, Sean Perme ’14, Will London ’10, Eric Franer ’10, Zach McHenry ’10, Shane Smith ’10, Brien Dulle ’08 and Tom Compton ’73.

IN MEMORIAM 1947

Mr. Donald AHLERS

1959

Mr. Jerome COLLEY

1951

Mr. Andrew O’LEARY

1956

Mr. David ALBANESE

1968

Mr. William CRONIN

1995

Mr. Patrick REAGAN

1950

Mr. Thomas ANDERSON

1951

Mr. Charles FAHEY

1961

Mr. Louis REMKE

1957

Mr. Carl ARMBRUSTER

1964

Mr. James GINOCCHIO

1954

Mr. Robert SCHMIDT

1976

Mr. Paul BEHRENDS

1951

Mr. William HERBORT

1950

Mr. Thomas SEIBERT

1960

Mr. Frederick BUOP

1951

Mr. Paul KOHL

1942

Mr. Donald SHAFER

1948

Mr. Gerald CARLETTI

1965

Mr. William KROTH

1958

Mr. Stanton VOLLMAN

1968

Mr. Alfred CASTELLANI

1950

Mr. Kenneth MERSCH

1948

Mr. John WACHENDORF

1953

Mr. Thomas CASTELLINI

1958

Mr. Richard MUELLER

1954

Mr. David WEBER

1964

Mr. Thomas COLACURCIO

1955

Mr. Pierce NIENABER

1950

Mr. James (Jim) GILLIGAN

Matthew T. Gamber, S.J., passed away on October 16, 2020. Father Gamber joined the St. Xavier community as a faculty member in the fall of 2020. May he rest in peace.

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

X-Peditions On the globe, the Long Blue Line is the equator. In St. X parlance, the Long Blue Line of alumni and student body appears all over the globe. Bomber blue turns up all over the map and we want the evidence. Send us your pictures wearing St. Xavier High School gear or hoisting a copy of a St. Xavier magazine at an exotic locale or local landmark. Maybe a picture of Bombers at the Pyramids of Egypt or posing at the Pit. Either way, let us know where you’ve been displaying your X pride. Send your high-resolution digital images to bschulte@ stxavier.org or mail prints to Becky Schulte c/o St. Xavier magazine, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224.

1. Members of the Class of 1977 get together at Dr. Doug Adams’ lake house on Lake Keowee annually. This is the 25th year. From L-R is Chuck Meakin, Brendan Blase, Dave Hadley, Andy Schweer, Mel Kelly, Steve Wenstrup, Howie Rohan, Dan Fagel, Doug Adams, and two other friends at the end who are not St X alumni. 2. Nick Vehr ’76, along with wife Laura and daughter Kelsey Grace, climbed to the top of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix on the Echo Canyon Trail (the harder of the two trails). 3. Even during a pandemic year, some people enjoyed the high school football season just a little bit more here in Ohio. As the Bombers captured their 4th state Division 1 title this year, Archbishop Hoban from Akron clinched their fifth state title in Division 2. Husbands and wives enjoyed their alma maters by celebrating together (socially distanced of course). Pictured L to R: Mike Sullivan ’87 & MaryBeth (Thomas) Sullivan (Hoban ’92), Molly (Thomas) Sicking (Hoban ’91) & Rusty Sicking ’88. 4. James Cox ’95 with future Bomber sons, Ryan and Jackson.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

X-Peditions 1. L-R: Peter Henkel, Mike Russell, and Terry Deters, all class of ’75, after competing in the 41st annual Fairview Farm Rod and Gun Club Trap Shoot. Missing club members are: Paul Gangloff ’75, Mike Jones ’75, and Ken Yaeger ’76. 2. Jeff Zorn’ 97, Kaleo Guerrero (Houston Strake Jesuit ’24) and Steve Gonzalez ’75 enjoying a wonderful time with family in Carefree, AZ. 3. Zach Bohn, ’21 is a third generation Bomber. This was taken after his first Kairos Retreat. 4. These St. Xavier Alum Lacrosse Players won the Summer Box Lacrosse Summer League. In the picture top row: Griffin Buczek ’16, Johnny Morroco ’18, Chad Adair ’18, Donny Stock ’18, Matt Torbeck ’18, Trevor Gilmore ’19, John Holcomb ’18, Nate Sprong. Bottom row: Garrett Romaine ’19, Matthew Fox ’18, Charlie Williams ’19, Brady Stoll ’17, Luke McMurray, Michael Bevington ’20, Nick Shamsi ’18. Not pictured but on the team: Duke Alf ’18, Quinn Evans, Andrew Green ’20, Charlie Hutchins ’19.

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

X-Peditions What is up? You can let us know in a variety of ways–send a photo for our X-Peditions feature or tell fellow Bombers about your wedding, a recent move, your latest promotion, a family addition, your retirement or other news via the Alumni X-cerpts pages. Just fill out and send in the form below. We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon. Mail the form to: St. Xavier High School (Magazine), 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224 Fax: 513-761-2586 or E-mail: [email protected]

Name St. Xavier Class Year Home address 1. Bomber Bengals Docs: Drs. Brian Grawe ’00, Bret Betz ’03, Ed Jung ’80 , and Kevin Reilly ’82 2. Bob Dylan Golf Fest (36th year) L-R: Jim Farrell ’71, Scott Gilligan ’72, John Hellmann ’74, Pat Myers ’74, Terry ‘Cold hands’ Shannon ’73, Dan Shannon ’71, Steve Slaughter ’73, Bill Wais ’71. 3. In September, the “Footlippers” celebrated turning 65 together in the Smokies. L-R: Tom Compton ’73, Bob Perazzo ’73, Ted Stone ’73, Pete Knecht ’73, Pete Davis ’73, Jim Knecht ’72, and Tony Behler ’73. Not pictured - Waldo the Black Bear, who joined the party each day.

City State

Zip

Home Phone Cell Phone E-mail Address Business Firm Your Position Business Address

City State Work Phone Spouse’s Name Maiden College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned Year(s) Graduated News About You

2 24

3 St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

Zip

Calendar

Alumni Gatherings and School Events Winter/Spring 2021

March

May

April

Virtual X-Travaganza Live auction begins at 7 p.m. X-Travaganza Grand Raffle Drawing

10-12 Quarter Exams

2-9 Spring Break

20 Baccalaureate Mass

21 Opening of TX Spring Performance “1776”

21 Music Fest 24 X-Travaganza Golf Outing @ Four Bridges 24-26 Fourth Quarter Exams 27 St. X Commencement at Cintas Center, Class of 1970 (50th reunion) presents the 2020 graduating class

Unfortunately, we have been unable to host Alumni events since the inception of COVID-19 but, rest assured, we will immediately resume the hosting of class lunches, gatherings and reunions once COVID-19 restrictions are eased and we feel it is safe to do so. In the meantime, please stay warm and safe!

S AV E T H E D AT E S T. X AV I E R AT H L E T I C H A L L O F FA M E

Thursday, August 12, 2021 This Year’s Inductees: Jim Brower – Swim Coach Peter Carothers ’04 – Swimming Luke Kuechly ’09 – Football Tim Mahoney ’76 – Basketball Andy Wietmarschen ’01 – Cross Country Visit: https://www.stxavier.org/athletics/halloffame

Winter 2021

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Cincinnati, Ohio Permit No. 5253

600 W. North Bend Road Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499 www.StXavier.org CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

4 8 T H X - T R AVA G A N Z A V I R T U A L A U C T I O N

X-Travaganza 2021

Saturday, March 6, 2021 Live auction begins at 7 p.m.

Proceeds from X-Travaganza benefit all St. Xavier students. Join us for St. Xavier’s 48th X-Travaganza and Xperience a virtual evening, including the Silent Auction, Live Auction, raffles and the exciting Grand Raffle Drawing for cash prizes of $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000. The Live Auction will surprise and amaze guests with more than 50 unique items and packages, including: • Weekend at The Greenbrier • Four tickets to the 2021 Notre Dame vs UC game • Beer and Barbeque tasting for 20 in your home • Ski Steamboat! Condo for the week of January 1-8, 2022

GRAND RAFFLE 2021 Directly benefiting St. Xavier Tuition Assistance. Sponsored by

TICKETS Tickets available now through Friday, March 5, 2021 Purchase Grand Raffle tickets online at www.stxavier.org/grandraffle

St. Xavier High School Magazine Winter 2021

Looking for more information? Contact X-Travaganza Director, Cathy Cionni, at [email protected] Join Us in a Mask*uerade and X-Perience Mardi Gras