By John Garvey, President
CatholicU, Winter 2018

I enjoy being home at Nugent Hall. Jeanne and our dog, Gus, keep me company. Our daughter Clare and her family (including our newest granddaughter, Rosie) are living here while Matthew does his resi-dency; and several of our other children drop in often. We are right on campus, so I just walk downstairs to work. There aren’t many things that can entice me to travel out of town. But meeting Catholic University alumni around the country is worth the trip every time. 

I am always struck by the diversity of their professions but with each encounter I notice a common thread —Catholic University alumni are making a real difference in the world. 

I met Frank Coonelly, J.D. 1986, in Pittsburgh this fall. He is the president of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Maryrose McInerney, B.A. 1978, head of an audiology practice and professor at Montclair State University, joined us at an event in New York City. I chatted in San Francisco with Chris Danek, B.M.E. 1989, an entrepreneur and advisor in the mobile health field. I also had the pleasure of meeting Catherine Hall, B.A. 1990, M.S.W. 2017, a social worker in the Arlington, Va., public school system.

These encounters moved me to reflect on the kind of alumni The Catholic University of America produces. The University was founded by the bishops of the United States to serve the Church, so it isn’t surprising that it has produced a disproportionate share of cardinals, bishops, and even a few candidates on the road to sainthood. We will always be proud of the core of our school’s identity.

But we have also produced a wealth of academics, authors, artists, executives, political leaders, generals, and athletes. Senators Thomas Harkin, J.D. 1972, and Bob Casey, J.D. 1988, are alumni, as are actors John Carroll Lynch, B.A. 1986, and John Slattery, B.A. 1984. Anna Mae Hays, M.S.N. 1968, was the first woman general in the U.S. military. Tim Shriver, M.A. 1988, CEO of the Special Olympics, and Brian Cashman, B.A. 1989, general manager of the New York Yankees, are alumni as well. Angela Santomero, B.A. 1990, is the co-creator of Blue’s Clues, a groundbreaking television series for children. We are proud of our alumni, who have excelled in every sphere of the culture. 

As we highlight in this issue of CatholicU magazine, many of our graduates commit to a year or more of charitable work before starting their careers. Several young alumni tell their stories of service, from working with refugees in Tennessee to aiding children in Costa Rican hospitals. 

This issue also recognizes the work of our Department of Psychology, which celebrates its 125th anniversary —it’s called a quasquicentennial — this academic year. And it profiles an outstanding graduate of the Metropolitan School of Professional Studies. As a young man Kenny Baldwin persevered through an astonishing array of personal difficulties, culminating in imprisonment on drug-related charges. Overcoming substance issues of his own, Kenny has become a board-certified counselor in the District of Columbia. 

It is no coincidence that people of excellence and character graduate from Catholic University. We provide both education and formation to ensure that our gradu-ates are people with minds to lead and hearts to serve. Here are some of their stories.