The Integral Curriculum and Its Alumni

Integral Alumni Council

IAC Biographies Project The Integral Curriculum and Its Alumni

Vol. Two

December 2020

Editors Tim Cahill, '72 S. A. Cortright, '75 Ernest S. Pierucci, ‘72 Laura F. Gibble, ‘09

Preface

This second iteration of The Integral Curriculum and Its Alumni continues the on-going Integral Alumni Council (IAC) Biographies Project. The Council's intention is to supplement the collection continuously, aiming ultimately to chronicle, as accurately as we can as lives move on, each and every one of the Curriculum's alumni, who now number some 735. Special thanks are owing to IAC Board Member, Tim Cahill '72—CEO, Charles Bell, Co., attorney, playwright and world traveler—who conceived the project and continues to gather life stories.

The Integral Curriculum of Liberal Arts—familiarly, the Integral Program—has been conducted at Saint Mary’s since 1956. It is a four-year curriculum devoted to conversational inquiry into the great books and leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. A brief history of the Program and statement of its mission follow.

The first class was graduated in 1960. This collection of 81 biographies spans the entire history of the Program, up to a member of the class of 2020.

The collection stands—and future, expanded iterations will stand—as testimony to the truth of two propositions. The first is enunciated by the achievements recorded—and to be recorded—in the on-going collection. Although, over the last 60 years, society, the economy, and workplaces have changed many times over, the Integral Program, unchanged in conception and continuous in execution, graduates liberal artists whose lives and achievements demonstrate their education's timeless relevance: from one Program, a galaxy of excellences. The second was enunciated at the Curriculum's inception by the founder, Brother Sixtus Robert Smith, FSC, and is confirmed daily in the lives of students, tutors and alumni:

What is most essential to a genuine work of education is an association of teachers who are united by a common tradition and who together are striving to develop and preserve it. It is through such a tradition that they are linked to the alumni and the current generation of students.

A Note on the IAC

The Integral Alumni Council (IAC) is an association of Integral alumni, affiliated with the Saint Mary's College Alumni Association, which gives concrete expression to the enduring affection alumni hold for their classmates, the Integral Curriculum at large, its present students, and its tutors. Among IAC's many activities calculated to support the Integral Curriculum, the Council is an organizer, and the chief promoter, of the Brother Sixtus Robert Smith, FSC, Endowment, which supports recruiting and Student Archonships; IAC has established the Integral Alumni Scholarship Annual Fund, which provides funding to help close the "gap" between Integral students' FAFSA- calculated need and their annual financial aid.

On the Integral Curriculum

History

The Integral Curriculum of Liberal Arts (“the Program”) had its origin in a two-year “Curriculum Study,” financed by the Rosenberg Foundation of San Francisco, arranged by James L. Hagerty, and co-led by Hagerty and Br. S. Robert Smith, FSC, over academic year 1955–56, then (after failing health forced Hagerty into retirement), by Br. S. Robert through 1956–57.1 Decidedly un- experimental for the study, on Br. Robert’s account, was the central place occupied by “the symbol of the Saint Mary’s liberal arts school . . . a series of readings in Great Books, called the World Classics Program”;2 thus (again, according to Br. Robert), the study’s second and defining year experimented, in the main,

to see what could be done to deepen and to make more effective the reading of the Great Books by integrating this reading with other freshman courses . . .3

The conclusion of the two-year Rosenberg study, then, left the experimental curriculum, the nascent “Integrated Curriculum,” on a trajectory for “integration” in the sense of “undertakings conspiring to a single ostensible end,” viz.: the effective reading of the great books.4 That orientation shaped the Program in its early incarnation (1956–57 through 1964–65) as an alternative to the College’s general (required) curriculum: all Saint Mary’s students read World Classics; students of the Integrated Curriculum—who, with their colleagues throughout the College, also undertook distinct major studies—read World Classics through a curriculum increasingly focused on, and ordered to, that reading as to their required studies’ single, ostensible end.5

On 20 November 1964, under the guidance of Visiting Director, Dr. Edward Sparrow (Tutor and latterly Dean, St. John’s College, Annapolis), the Program adopted, and the Dean of the College, Rafael Alan Pollock, ratified, the Constitution of the Integrated [latterly, Integral] Curriculum of

1 Cf. Br. S. Robert, FSC; Frank Keegan, LeRoy Smith et alii, New Venture in the Liberal Arts: Two-year Report, Saint Mary’s College Curriculum Study, 1955 – 1957 (St. Albert Library, 378.1/Sa 240); Frank Keegan would go on to help found the General Program of Liberal Studies at the University of Notre Dame, then latterly serve as President of the California State University, Sonoma, in Rohnert Park, California. 2 Introduced to the College curriculum by (then) Dean of the College, James L. Hagerty, in the Fall Term, 1941, as an elective among the College’s extensive philosophy curriculum (a year later, World Classics would become a College requirement for all students) [cf. Edward Porcella, “The Seminar at Saint Mary’s College in Distillations: Occasional Papers by the Faculty of Saint Mary’s College (Office of the Dean, School of Liberal Arts; 5 October 1992): 1–4]. 3 Br. S. Robert, FSC, New Venture in the Liberal Arts, “The Revised Freshman Courses and Their Integration,” reprinted in What Is It to Educate Liberally? (Saint Mary’s College: Office of the President, 1996), 22 (emphasis original). 4 Br. S. Robert, FSC, et alii, New Venture in the Liberal Arts, “A Prospectus for the Later Years,” 27–28. 5 Cf. Saint Mary’s College Bulletins, 1960–61 through 1964–65, which prescribe how the College’s extensive, lower- division and upper-division requirements (some 88 Carnegie units) may be fulfilled alternatively: “Students who satisfy the requirements of the Integrated Liberal Arts Curriculum will have satisfied these [sc. lower-division] requirements also . . . . Students who have satisfied all requirements of the Integrated Liberal Arts Curriculum will have satisfied also the foregoing upper division requirements” [Bulletin 1960–62, 31–32].

Liberal Arts. In this document, for the first time and explicitly, the Program is proposed to be, taken altogether and in itself:

first of all, a pattern for a liberal education . . . [S]econd, . . . the external form of this pattern, which reveals itself in certain activities and courses.6

Continuously, from 1964 (as from the second year of the Rosenberg study) the pattern involved activities and courses parallel to those pursued as elements of a bachelor’s degree entire at St. John’s College, Annapolis (and, after 1965, at St. John’s, Santa Fe). Likewise, in successive Bulletins/Catalogues from 1966, the Program is counted among the “Major Groups of Studies” offered at Saint Mary’s College and leading to the degree, Bachelor of Arts; by 1976–77, the College catalogue specifies, “A student who successfully completes all 30 required courses within the Curriculum qualifies for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Integral Curriculum” (p. 68). Over the intervening 40 years, the Program has preserved the pattern flowing from 1966 in enduring external form:

• 8 chronologically ordered seminars at the center of studies—the great books encountered in all-or-nothing conversational inquiry twice weekly, each semester, over four years • 8 chronologically ordered mathematics tutorials, devoted to quadrivial triumphs from Euclid’s Elements to Relativity: The Special and General Theory • 8 language tutorials devoted to trivial excellences in grammar, logic, rhetoric, and in poiesis, hermeneutics, dialectic • 4 laboratories devoted to the ancients’ “unofficial fifth quadrivial art,” the inquiry into ta physika, into the nature-things that yield to observation, classification, measurement, the modern physics and chemistry that brought home the Bacon, Darwin, Mendel, Watson and Crick • 1 semester (until recently, two semesters) of music as practicum

The history of the Program, then, charts the founding, development and conservation of a “curriculum” in the original sense, viz.: a “racecourse,” a prescribed set of itineraries, so calculated that the “runners” become something on their way to attaining something. The “runners” become (as the tutors hope and strive to promote) “journeymen liberal artists,” no longer “apprenticed” to their tutors, but still—like their tutors—beholden to the auctores, the teacher-authors of the great books. What the becoming entails, the marks of the “journeyman,” are given in the Program’s Learning Outcomes; the “runners” attain the degree, Bachelor of Arts in the Integral Curriculum of Liberal Arts, the degree proper to the curriculum they have “run.”

Mission

As the Integral Program’s tutors conceive it, the Program is an embodiment of liberal education intrinsically allied to the College’s Catholic and Lasallian characters and, therewith, wholly consonant with the College’s stated Mission, which the Program makes its own. Of course, “an

6 Constitution of the Integral Program [adopted 20 November 1964], I. “The Program,” Ia.

4 embodiment” implies “one among,” one that registers as “like, yet distinct.” Like, then, the College tout court, the Program frames the enactment of liberal education in terms of eliciting students’ wonder and of fructifying it by fostering students’ acquisition of liberal artistry. Like the College tout court, the Program addresses each student as an agent of truth through the power of the word; that is, it addresses each according to the dignity supposed by the Christian understanding of the human person: rational creature whose wonder the Creator, lovingly become Truth in Person, lovingly addresses with intimations (ῥήματα) of spirit and life.7 Likewise, the Program’s signal practice, close conversational inquiry, promotes community in learning, affirms students’ primary agency over their own educations, and invites them to the profound friendship that graces co-workers in the interest of truth.8

Distinctly, as the tutors conceive it, the Integral Program embodies a practical proposal for the fulfillment of liberal education; this proposal comprises what (above) we called “the pattern” and the pattern’s “external form.” And (again, as noted above) the Program’s history may be read as the on-going adequation of the external form to the pattern. “External form” names the ‘great books’ curriculum which, generically—that is, as by a family resemblance—connects the Integral Program to its sister curriculum, the “new Program” of St. John’s College, but also to its remoter relatives—let us say, to its “cousins”—at Thomas Aquinas College, Wyoming Catholic College, Shimer College et alia. The “pattern” consists in affirmations that, at once, support the commonalities, and shape the local variations, through which this family of curricula join in equating ‘great books’ education with liberal education tout court.9

7 John 6: 63f. 8 3 John 1:8, συνεργοὶ . . . τῇ ἀληθεί. 9 The expression of the “pattern” that characterizes the Integral Program’s essays at realizing liberal education derives from Saint Mary’s College’s Colloquium on Curriculum, 25 – 27 March, 1965 (organized by the Program’s Visiting Director and St. John’s tutor, Dr. Edward Sparrow), and in particular from one of colloquium’s two keynote lectures, “On Liberal Education,” by the former Dean of St. John’s College, Dr. Jacob Klein (reprinted in Robert B. Williamson and Elliott Zuckerman, eds., Jacob Klein, Lectures and Essays [Annapolis, Maryland: St. John’s College Press, 1985], 261–268]). Selections from Dr. Sparrow’s edition of the Colloquium’s Proceedings (including the text of Dr. Klein’s address) appeared in the reader (commissioned by the President’s New Century Committee), What Is It to Educate Liberally? (Office of the President, 1996).

Biographies Alumni, 1960–2020

May you live vivid lives.

– Robert Hass, '63 (St. Mary’s College Commencement Address, 1985)

You will note that some of the biographies are short and some . . . longer. Some are in the first person and some in the third person. Some weave personal stories and some stick close to educational and career facts. One thing that is true about Integral graduates is that they each have a personal voice. As the biographies were developed through contact with alumni, we kept a loose editorial hand and tried to allow those voices to come through.

Thomas P. O'Donnell Class of 1960

Attorney (Retired) Los Gatos, California

Education: Saint Vincent's High School, Vallejo, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) L.L.B., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

Tom grew up in Los Gatos, California, but spent his high school years in the North Bay. In the Integral (then Integrated) Curriculum at Saint Mary's, he was taught by Br. Sixtus Robert Smith, FSC, and the first generation of Integral tutors. He says that Br. Robert, the Integral Program, and the seminar classes changed his life and opened a new world to him. Br. Robert was always available to his students.

His progress from Saint Mary's College, through law school, to admission to the California Bar was as linear as humanly possible, 1960–1964. Tom began to practice law as a deputy district attorney for Santa Clara County. After substantial jury trial experience, he practiced civil law in San Jose focusing on trial work, real estate law, and environmental law at various law firms including Pillsbury Madison & Sutro. He retired in 2010, after almost fifty years of practice. Tom and his wife Anne (now deceased) were fortunate to have raised 4 children.

Tom saw his legal acumen as an invitation to public, and other, service: he was a member of the Los Gatos School Board for twenty-two years, served on the Los Gatos Planning Commission for sixteen years, and on the Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees for nine. Among his many benefactions to the College, he founded the O'Donnell Family Scholarship, which provides renewable tuition assistance to a high-achieving undergraduate in the Integral Curriculum.

When asked what his passions are, Tom cited his children, six grandsons, friends, public service, reading, travel, and exercise.

Peter Fitting Class of 1961

Associate Professor of French, Emeritus, University of Toronto Toronto, Canada

Education: Loyola High School, Alhambra, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, French) M.A., University of Minnesota (French) Ph.D., Harvard University (Romance Languages)

Peter joined the faculty of the University of Toronto in 1966, and taught in the Department of French, then latterly in Cinema Studies (and for a term as the program's Director), as well, until his retirement in 2005.

Parallel to his work in French language and literature, Peter has nurtured a long-term commitment to the study of utopia through his work with the Society for Utopian Studies (for which he has twice served as the Society's Chair). In this connection, Peter is the author of more than fifty articles, in English and French, on science fiction, fantasy, and utopian literature, including from critical analyses of the works of various science fiction and utopian writers (from Philip K. Dick to Marge Piercy), theoretical examinations of the reading effect in utopian fiction, the problem of the right-wing utopia, gender and reading, overviews of cyberpunk, feminist utopias, turn from utopia in the 1990s, or the Golden Age, and the foreclosure of utopian discourse in the 1950s, as well as articles on science fiction and utopian film and architecture. Peter's critical anthology, Subterranean Worlds (Wesleyan University Press, 2004) in the series Early Classics of Science Fiction, remains in print.

From his retirement in Toronto, Canada, Peter continues to produce occasional reviews and articles.

Bruce Boone Class of 1962

Author, Publisher, Activist San Francisco, California

Education: Central Catholic High School, Portland, Oregon B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) Grad. Studies, University of Munich (Theology) Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley (English)

Bruce Boone was born in 1940. He attended Central Catholic, in Portland Oregon, for high school. He then joined with his best friend, Jerry Kosovitch, to room together while working toward his B.A., at St. Mary’s College, Moraga, in what was then called the Integrated Program. “We all studied together, traipsed the hills together, and occasionally got joyously drunk listening to various new kinds of classical music that at night on weekends Brother Robert introduced us to.”

After graduating from St. Mary’s, Bruce decided to try the Christian Brothers as a life-choice, starting out as a postulant, then a novice in Napa, where Christian Brothers wine was then made. This worked for a year and a half but then didn't quite seem exactly the right choice as a life. Perhaps then, the life of a lay theologian, studying first with the great architect of Vatican II, the famed Catholic theologian Karl Rahner? Yes indeed. That seemed to Bruce to be a choice well worth exploring. So, he went to Munich Germany; studied at the official state university there in the theology department under Herr Dr. Prof. Karl Rahner. Instead of eating lunch, Bruce would daily pray in the nearby Frauenkirke where he sought guidance. After little less than a year, guidance came. Prayer made Bruce realize that a religious life of any kind was probably not for him, so he returned to California to become a hippie in the Haight Ashbury. Other than religious ecstasies then followed.

Then comes grad school. What a chore. Bruce was working towards his PhD at Berkeley now, toggling between studying in the English department for a semester and resetting his inner compass in the Haight Ashbury again for the equivalent length of time. Bruce had begun quietly writing poems by now. He has had a play produced in a (Congregational) church space just off Dwight Way. Much of this writing concerns his feelings of fulfillment in "coming out" as a gay man. As queer.

In 1976 Bruce reaches his goal, he gets his PhD in English. However, he decides teaching isn't his thing either, no, he wants to be just . . . a writer and poet. (Meantime his college friend Robert Hass has been following a parallel trajectory at Stanford as it turns out, only Bob is to be a professor, too). But Bruce has not spent all his time at Berkeley on official study. He has privately been reading everything he could get his hands on, in French or English, of the writing of the then powerful and exciting poststructuralists and postmodernists, like Barthes, Foucault, Derrida, and their predecessor, two of whose books Bruce decided to translate, namely the great Georges Bataille.

Now Bruce returns to San Francisco, joining his fellow writer/poet friend Robert Gluck. Together, Bob and Bruce had planned how to constitute a gay writing and school of writers (subsequently known as New Narrative) that would be something more than mere banal "coming out" stories, would have intellectual heft, in large part guaranteed by Bruce's extensive review of the postmodern theorists he privately read at Berkeley. This happened. “Bob and I got together a press, Black Star. We published first Bob's book, Family Stories, then Bruce's book, My Walk with Bob.” Into the mishmash of these stories in addition to the usual gay element there was left wing progressive politics to be found at every turn, a running narrative on our daily life, friendships, parties, sociality in general in the little group of writers that were then forming in Noe Valley in San Francisco.

“Jobs: menial ones, just enough to support myself with plenty of time for impoverished study and impoverished writing, since don't most writers tend to write their best in their thirties? And to write, doesn't it require a great deal of reading to nourish the writerly soul, to enable it as well?”

The rest of Bruce's life from then on has been mainly writing poems, essays, novellas, translations, short stories each of which contains elements of the sexual, the political, and like a running meta-commentary, self-reflexive elements too, an engagement with popular culture of a generic (genre) or trash kind, sci-fi, horror (like Steven King), movies of the most lurid and generic kind, such as outer space and monster movies and so on. “In short, a potpourri of life as it was then being lived by us. By me. And to an extent still is.”

Since by now most everything written by Bruce, in completed form anyway, is available in books (though a few are out of print, like La Fontaine and sometimes My Walk with Bob and sometimes Century of Clouds, though most of these recur regularly on Amazon) besides the three books mentioned just now in parentheses, Bruce would like to mention two more. In the year 2000 two more books of Bruce's came out, first Wallpaper (a 450 pp whopper), a long, long, long poem about Bruce and his current main man for five years, about space invaders, cosmology, Gnosticism, and multiple car crashes and other interesting events taking place on I-5 between Portland, his birth city, the sky, and back down to San Francisco; and then next his selected writing comprising all those poems, stories and so forth that originally were published in fly by night underground magazines that no longer exist, and so have been collected in another 400 pager called, this time, Bruce Boone Dismembered, from Nightboat in NYC.

“Otherwise thru the years after getting the PhD there's been a quite active Zen practice at a nearby temple for thirty some years, the organization, with the help of others, of a writers' conference in San Francisco, called Left/Write, an attempted organization of the various identity communities in the city to begin to talk to each other, that though well intentioned, underestimated the identity politics suspicions, each community of the rest. Alas!

“Among so-called "honors" as I suppose they are called, should I make mention of the New Narrative Conference that took place on the UC Berkeley campus over the course of three days, starring yours truly and other writers? I am trying to recall and believe that the event must have taken place in November of 2018 by the way. It was fun, jam packed, and filled with hundreds of partygoers.

“What else. I'm now and have been for many years a person who prefers his own company. I love solitude and though there are friends a-plenty, and still more important, a wonderful life- mate with me to make a home together for two decades, and though I love parties, I love solitude even more. Although, to be sure, before the beginning of the present COVID crisis, there was the famous Pink Party that I threw, together with my friend Evan Kennedy, to mark the end of the time we knew then and what we knew would be a very different era beginning almost immediately. And so it has.

“There have been many interviews of me. One in Bomb magazine in mid 2020 stands out in my mind. Also, the Bruce Boone Dismembered book that I mentioned was officially "launched" as they say, with a zoom reading by me that was both terrifying and exiting.

“Such has been my life.”

Books by Bruce Boone:

Bruce Boone Dismembered: Selected Poems, Stories, and Essays My Walk with Bob Century of Clouds Guilty, by Georges Bataille. Bruce Boone, translator. Denis Hollier, Editor. Lapis Press 1986 On Nietzsche by Georges Bataille, Bruce Boone, translator Wallpaper La Fontaine

Larry Bliquez Class of 1963

Professor of Classics and Art History, Emeritus, University of Washington Seattle, Washington

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Phoenix, Arizona B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., Stanford University (Classics) Ph.D., Standford University (Classics)

Although Larry’s hometown is Seattle, Washington, he graduated from Saint Mary's High School, Phoenix, Arizona. After graduating from St. Mary’s College, he attended Stanford University with a Masters in 1965, PhD in 1968. Larry is currently a Professor Emeritus of Classics and Art History at the University of Washington.

Of his many publications, Larry lists his main books as Roman Surgical Instruments and Other Minor Objects in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz, Germany, 1994 (with Ralph Jackson); and The Tools of Asclepius, Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times, Brill: Leiden, 2015.

Recent Articles are: “Roman surgical spoon-probes and their ancient names (mele, melotis/melotris, specillum),” Journal of Roman Archaeology 16 (2003) pp. 322-330; "The Surgical Instrumentarium of Leon Iatrosophistes," Medicina nei Secoli n.s., 11 (1999) no. 2, 291- 322.

His work has been supported by such agencies as the American Philosophical Society, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Center for Hellenic Studies, Washington D.C. (1977-78), and the Forderung und Beihilfefond Wissenschaft der VG Wort, Munich.

Larry was honored with the 1998 Distinguished Teaching Award for teaching Classics at the University of Washington. It was at St. Mary’s College that he discovered the charms of the classical world--first by participating in a "Great Books" program and tutoring a classmate in Greek.

From the above listing of publications, it is not surprising that Larry’s special projects include Greco-Roman Medicine, especially surgery.

James Collins Class of 1963

Assistant Regional Counsel, US Environmental Protection Agency (Retired) San Francisco, California

Education: St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, English) M.A., San Francisco State University (English Literature) J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

Jim was born in Oakland and lived almost his entire life in the Bay Area. He graduated high school at l6, and then from Saint Mary's College before he was 20; he first saw New York as captain of SMC's College Bowl team.

Upon receiving his M.A., Jim was asked to come to Saint Mary's to teach. He headed the Collegiate Seminar Program and acted in the College's Shakespeare productions.

After leaving Saint Mary's and working at a variety of jobs (including assistant to a tree trimmer), Jim entered the UC Berkeley School of Law. At age 40, he took a job in corporate law, but after some years, Jim moved to the federal Environmental Protection Agency and spent close to two decades there as an Assistant Regional Counsel. He regarded this time as the best of his professional life.

Jim played piano and tennis, collected stamps of the British Empire, read and reread Shakespeare (his serial lectures on Antony and Cleopatra are legendary), and was deeply interested in ancient Greek literature and philosophy. He read the sports pages religiously and watched baseball with the sound off, preferring to judge for himself what was happening. He loved rhythm and blues and had a special place in his heart for Percy Sledge and Jimmy Reed. He was wont to name his pets after enemies of imperial Rome.

Jim had a strong feeling for Central America, and he and his wife, Sheila, traveled to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. He followed his grandson, Austin's, violin progress in Australia with impromptu Skype concerts, and then one day got on a plane to hear them in person. He spoke often of how glad he was to have made that long trip.

Jim passed away in 2019.

Robert Hass Class of 1963

Poet and Professor, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California

Education: Marin Catholic High School, San Rafael B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, English) M.A., Stanford University (English) Ph.D., Stanford University (English)

Robert was born in San Francisco and grew up in San Rafael, California. He is one of the leading poets of his generation. He served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 1995 to 1997. Robert won the 2007 National Book Award and the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for the collection Time and Materials: Poems 1997-2005. In 2014 he was awarded the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets. Some of his published works in poetry include: • Field Guide, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1973, ISBN 0-300-01650-6 • Praise, New York: Ecco Press, 1979, ISBN 0-912946-61-X • Human Wishes, New York: Ecco Press, 1989, ISBN 0-88001-211-0 • Sun Under Wood, Hopewell, NJ: Ecco Press, 1996, ISBN 0-88001-468-7 • Time and Materials: Poems 1997-2005, Ecco Press, 2007, ISBN 0-06-134960-7 • The Apple Trees at Olema: New and Selected Poems, Ecco Press, 2010, ISBN 0-06- 192382-6 Robert has also collaborated with the Polish poet and Nobel Prize winner Czeslaw Milosz on the translation of his poems and he published a volume of translations of the Japanese haiku masters, The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa, New York: Ecco Press, 1994, ISBN 0- 88001-351-6. Among his books of essays is What Light Can Do: Essays on Art, Imagination, and the Natural World, New York: Ecco Press, 2012, ISBN 978-0-06-192391-3

Robert taught literature at the University at Buffalo from 1967 to 1971, thereafter he joined the faculty at St. Mary’s College where he taught from 1971 to 1989. He has taught in the English department at the University of California at Berkeley since 1989 and has been a visiting faculty member in the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa on several occasions.

Robert has served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, was a trustee of the Griffin Poetry Prize (now trustee emeritus), and works actively for literacy and for the environment.

Francis J. Healy Class of 1963

High School Teacher and Administrator San Rafael, California

Education: Marin Catholic High School, Marin, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Teaching Cred., California State University, Northridge M.A., University of California, Los Angeles (English) Counseling Cred., La Verne University Administrative Credential, California State University, East Bay

Frank grew up in San Rafael, California and become an educator after graduating from St. Mary’s College.

His career started in Sherman Oaks teaching high school Latin from 1963 to 1965. He then attended UCLA before starting a 36-year tenure in the West Contra Costa Unified School District in the San Francisco Bay Area. He taught English and Journalism on the secondary level for fifteen years, including a one-year position in Norwich, England on a Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. He left the classroom to become a counselor, dean, vice-principal, and acting principal. His last job was the Director of Curriculum and Staff Development for a school district with 51 schools.

David Lacerda Class of 1963

Clinical Psychologist Fort Worth, Texas

Education: San Joaquin Memorial High School, Fresno, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., San Francisco State University (Clinical Psychology) Ph.D., University of Houston (Clinical Psychology)

David grew up in Fresno, California and was the Valedictorian of his high school class at San Joaquin Memorial High School. After graduating from the Integral Program, David studied and obtained degrees from the following institutions:

• A Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, San Francisco State College,1965, followed by a Practicum at the McAuley Clinic of St. Mary’s Hospital. • A Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Houston, 1970, followed by a one-year general Internship at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston Texas and a second-year specialized internship focused on adolescent treatment, family therapy, and adult milieu therapy unit at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

David’s professional journey has taken him to Assistant Professor, Division of Community Psychiatry, a new teaching branch to develop learning for mental health professionals. In that role, the Division expanded the local MHMR over a few years from a single unit of service in one county to multiple units of service across two Counties (Brazoria and Galveston). David says that being a major player in this effort was the highpoint of his career, while he maintained a small clinical practice at the Med School to keep his clinical skills up to date.

David says, “I worked 13 years in the field, when the average stay was 3 years. But eventually I burnt out, needing a change in scenery. I moved to Fort Worth and opened a small solo private practice which had always been a goal of mine - David Lacerda, Ph.D., P.C., which I did for 34 years.”

When asked what excited him, David said, “Art, Maverick Basketball, growing fresh vegetables, seeding and caring for native Texas plants and perennials, lots of traveling, regeneration of my faith, my children and grandchildren.”

Honorable Peter L. Spinetta Class of 1963

Superior Court Judge (Retired) Darby, Montana

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., Yale University (Political Science) J.D., Yale Law School

Judge Spinetta grew up in Oakland, California. He was the valedictorian for his SMC class.

After practicing civil law in Northern California with a specialization in anti-trust and commercial litigation, Peter was appointed Superior Court Judge for Contra Costa County. He served as presiding judge from 1997 to 1998. Peter took a special interest in the persons appearing before him in family law matters. His dedication to bringing humanity and justice to them was recognized when the family law courthouse was named The Peter L. Spinetta Family Law Center. The Center houses five of Contra Costa County's seven family law-related courtrooms. Peter drafted a concise and precise mission statement for the Contra County Superior Court: “Justice for all under law with dignity and respect for all.” He retired from serving full time on the bench in 2007, but still sits on judicial assignments throughout California two or three months a year.

Peter and his late wife Katrin loved and developed their 350-acre Alta Ranch on the Bitter Root River in Montana. Peter still operates the ranch. He spends winters in Arizona.

In retirement Judge Spinetta focuses on his children and grandkids, philosophy, history, politics, tennis, golf, and oil painting. While at St. Mary’s he was taught oil painting by the late Brother Kyran. He shared a number of his painting with the St. Mary’s Alumni Board of Directors.

Timothy Wong Class of 1963

Professor of Chinese, Emeritus, Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona

Education: Saint Louis High School, Honolulu, Hawaii B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Hawaii (Asian Studies) Ph.D., Stanford University (Chinese Language and Literature)

Upon graduation from Saint Mary's, Timothy became the first among many Integral alumni to join the Peace Corps, serving in Thailand, 1963–65. After his return to Hawaii, he embarked upon graduate studies, during which he received an East-West Center Grant, and two subsequent graduate fellowships.

Over the course of a long and distinguished academic career, Timothy published dozens of scholarly articles on Chinese literature, classical to contemporary, and on Chinese language instruction, and produced multiple entries for scholarly encyclopedias and dictionaries. He is the author of a monograph, Wu Ching-tzu, on the iconic 18th century Chinese novelist, in the prestigious Twayne World Authors series.

Timothy is (as might be expected) an especially prolific translator. He has produced two book- length translations of modern Chinese fiction, the anthologies, Stories for Saturday: 20th Century Chinese Popular Fiction (2003) and Sherlock in Shanghai: Stories of Crime and Detection by Cheng Xiaoqing (2007), both from the University of Hawaii Press, and numerous translations of poetry and drama, including complete plays by the contemporary playwright Yang Limin: Black Stones in Reading the Right Texts: An Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Drama (University of Hawaii Press, 2003) and Geologists in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama (Columbia University Press, 2010).

Since his retirement from the Arizona State University faculty in 2010, Timothy has continued his scholarly work, propelled (as he puts it) by "learning and teaching about DIFFERENCES between cultures, especially between American/European and Asian. This focus, begun at St. Mary's and then in the Peace Corps, has made my teaching career very meaningful and rewarding.”

David Loomis Class of 1964

Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies (Retired), Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia

Education: Mont La Salle Junior Novitiate, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, Classical Languages, Philosophy) Grad. Studies, Monterey Language Institute Grad. Studies, University of Freiburg, Germany Ph.D., University of Notre Dame (Philosophy)

The following is written to explain how my undergraduate years at St. Mary's enriched my life and opportunities in so many ways. I apologize for what may sound like boasting, from which I am not immune, but my intent here is to show prospective students the many wonderful things which those years made possible for one graduate of the class of 1964.

After high school at Mont La Salle Junior Novitiate in Napa Valley, CA, and a year of Senior Novitiate of the Christian Brothers, I became a student brother at St. Mary's. Thanks to the influence of Brother Robert Smith, founder and Director of the Integral Program, I became the first student brother to complete that major. I was also able to major in Classical Languages and in Philosophy.

After graduation, I taught for several years in Christian Brothers' high schools in Los Angeles, Sacramento and [as one of the four founding Brothers] for the first two years of De La Salle in Concord. During the summers, I was able to take courses at Monterey Language Institute.

My graduate school experience began in earnest at the University of Freiburg, Germany and continued with a scholarship in Philosophy at Notre Dame. There I was awarded a Fulbright Dissertation Fellowship and was able to return to Freiburg where I become a student of Dr. Heribert Boeder [of whom Heidegger had said that he was his brightest student].

At the end of that year, I was invited to come to St. Mary's for Br. Robert's final year there, where I would succeed him as chair of the Integral Program. I remained there for 8 years, and after two years completed my doctorate in Philosophy at Notre Dame. My dissertation: The Rhetorical Structure of Plato's Dialogues. Notre Dame generously gave me credit for the course work I had completed with Dr. Boeder in Freiburg.

After moving to Virginia, I taught in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department at Old Dominion University. There I received the first First-Year Teacher of the Year Award in the College of Arts & Letters. I published "Euclid's Rhetoric" in Philosophia Mathematica.

My wife, an Episcopal priest who graduated from Yale Divinity School, and our three children, have shared actively in my great books enthusiasm, from Odyssey stories at bedtime to attendance in my courses at ODU.

My education at St. Mary's is responsible for two of my lasting passions: For great books, from which I learn more with every new reading, and for being there when students discover the insights these books offer them.

David Depew Class of 1965

Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, University of Iowa California

Education: La Salle High School, Pasadena, California Christian Brothers School at Mont La Salle, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of California, San Diego (Philosophy) Ph.D., University of Chicago (Philosophy)

David Depew, formerly Brother Donald Mark, FSC, grew up in Pasadena, California, and attended La Salle High School in that city and later the Junior Novitiate at Mont La Salle High School in Napa, California. After graduating from the Integral Program, David received his master’s at the University of California at San Diego, and later a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, New School for Social Research.

He is an emeritus professor at the University of Iowa and previously taught for many years at the California State University at Fullerton. He has been retired since 2011. In his academic work he has co-authored three books on the history and philosophy of biological sciences and has authored over sixty articles and book chapters. Some of his writings include: The Greeks and the Good Life: Proceedings of the Ninth Annual CSUF Philosophy Symposium (1980; Evolution at a Crossroads: The New Biology and the New Philosophy of Science (1985) (with Bruce H. Weber); and Darwinism Evolving: Systems Dynamics and the Genealogy of Natural Selection (1995) (with Bruce H. Weber).

In 2018 David gave the Br. Robert Sixtus lecture. His interests in reading, writing, and learning are the same today as they were when he was a student in the Program. He also is working on his golf game. David and his wife, Mary, go to as many classical music events as they can.

Brother Mark Murphy, FSC Class of 1965

Vice-Chair and Chief Operating Officer, Lasallian Christian Brothers Foundation, District of San Francisco and New Orleans Mont LaSalle, Napa, California

Education: Christian Brothers’ School, Mont La Salle, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, English) M.A., University of Detroit (Mathematics)

Brother Mark Murphy, FSC grew up in San Francisco and entered the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1960. Over the course of nearly sixty years, Brother Mark has served as a secondary school teacher and administrator, as Auxiliary Visitor, then as Visitor for fifteen years (1980– 1995) of the District of San Francisco. From 1995–2013, he served as educational consultant and special advisor to the Brothers of the Pacific Asia Regional Conference, living and working 10 years in India (with secondary responsibilities in Pakistan and Sri Lanka), then a further 7 years in Myanmar (with secondary responsibilities in Thailand and Singapore). Since his return from Asia in 2013, Br. Mark has served as Vice-Chair and COO of the Lasallian Christian Brothers Foundation of the District of San Francisco, and latterly, of San Francisco and New Orleans.

Brother Mark’s view of his education at St. Mary’s is best related in his own words:

I have been and continue to be deeply grateful for my education at Saint Mary’s College. While fully enrolled in the Integral Program (under a slightly different name 1961-65), I was also required . . . to take sufficient courses as an English major so as to qualify for the lifetime teaching certificate from the State of California. This combination . . . due to the teaching staffs and the mix of students, was most beneficial and has served me very well in my vocation . . .

My education at Saint Mary’s College . . . fulfilled the dreams initiated by promises articulated for us in the literature about the “integral program” of the 1960’s! What has never left me is the excitement of examining a text/verbal presentation for the assumptions upon which it is formulated; the ability to form questions and pursue them in order to understand and critically judge what is being presented; the skill of formulating my own opinions/interpretations/judgments about a topic and an effective way to articulate those conclusions for others. . . .

To have understood the development and evolution of the Western tradition of knowledge and wisdom provided me a most important foundation for living, working and relating to the very different cultures and challenges during my years in Southeast Asia. . . .

I am grateful to be in a much stronger position to continue my commitment as a religious educator who is assisting students and adults to understand and adjust to radically changing circumstances and helping shape a whole new set of perspectives that serve an interdependent

22 world and global realities. It began and was well founded in my education as part of the Integral Program at St. Mary’s in 1960’s.

Brother Mark’s personal leisure activities include reading literature (many genres) and experiencing movies; writing poetry; participating in the political system of our country; maintaining friendships/educational relationships with people with whom he has met and interacted with internationally.

Michael Edward Tscheekar Class of 1965

Educator and Customs Agent (Retired) Santa Maria, California

Education: Christian Brothers School at Mont La Salle, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, English) M.A., California State University Dominguez Hills (Counseling) Further Study, See list in body of biography

Mike grew up in El Cerrito, California and graduated from high school in 1960 from Mont La Salle. At the time Michael graduated from the Integral Program it was possible to have other, additional majors and minors. He graduated from the Integral Program with an additional major in English; a minor in Political Science; and a language emphasis in Russian. Among his teachers were the ever-memorable Michael Ossorgin on loan from St. John’s in Annapolis and Brother Sixtus Robert Smith.

Michael was a Christian Brother from 1960-1975 and was first known as Brother Andrew and later, Brother Michael. After graduating from the Integral Program, Michael became deeply involved in education. His career history bears this out, having worked at Sacred Heart High School (1965-75), San Francisco, as the Director of Guidance; Saint Bernard High School (1975- 95), Playa del Rey, as Director of Guidance and Assistant Principal; Saint Joseph High School (1995-2012), Santa Maria, as the Academic Counselor. Michael retired from teaching in 2012. He was also an SAT Test Center Supervisor (1979-95; 1996-2018), and, at U.C. Santa Barbara, he completed his eighth year as an Admissions Evaluator in 2020.

Michaels’ career interests were broader than education. From 1981 through 1994 he was an inspector for the U.S. Customs Service at LAX, the Port of Los Angeles, and Long Beach. It was in his capacity as an inspector that he won the U.S. Customs Service Commissioner’s Award for apprehending a drug smuggler.

Michael says that the drug smuggler was a “sweet little old lady” coming to LAX from Cancun on a flight filled with college kids on spring break. She was carrying only a small overnight bag and said she was “going to Disneyland.” Easy catch, and it gave Michael his first chance to testify in a federal court.

Michael’s post-Integral education included Loyola Marymount University where he earned certificates for Standard Secondary, Pupil Personnel Services and Administrative Credentials; the University of San Francisco; San Francisco State University; San Francisco College for Women; San José State University; Dartmouth College; Indiana University; U.C. Davis graduate school; California State University Dominguez Hills where he received an M.A. in Counseling; and Moscow State University, USSR.

Michael’s first stay in the USSR was with a group of thirty other teachers for one month on an International Research and Exchanges Board grant. He was awarded grants for three subsequent summers to continue at MSU. During his first stay, the USSR invaded Czechoslovakia.

While studying at Moscow State University Michael lived in a dormitory for international students (“Корпус Г”) and had privileged access to the professors’ dining room. He occasionally went to the American Embassy to read the New York Times, and he liked to visit the home of the Embassy’s Catholic chaplain on Saturday evenings for mass with other international students who were mostly from Patrice Lumumba University. The priest, an Assumptionist Father from Massachusetts, would drive him back to the University after dinner in a car with a conspicuous diplomatic (“Д”) license plate.

During Michael’s eclectic educational and professional life, he was awarded other honors in addition to the IREX grant and the Customs Service award mentioned above, including the Lenin Centennial Award from Radio Moscow, for travel around the USSR, and a Point of Light Award from President George H.W. Bush for volunteer work.

In his retirement, Michael is on the leadership team of Les Amis des Frères (the group of Mont La Salle alumni, Brothers, former Brothers, and their families, and friends). He assists with their annual retreat at St. Joseph’s Camp on the Russian River and an annual reunion picnic at Mont La Salle. He also writes for the Lasallian Christian Brothers’ District of San Francisco-New Orleans newsletter and for the Les Amis des Frères’ Facebook page.

Michael is a supervisory acolyte for all services at the Church of the Annunciation in Santa Maria, and he serves on the north county advisory committee of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.

He is married to Rosa-Maria Puertas, and they celebrated their forty-fifth anniversary in 2020. They have one daughter, Alexandra Christina Liljefelt.

Michael and Rosa-Maria live in Santa Maria, California. They enjoy hiking at Pismo Beach and attending performances at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.

Michael A. Ferrigno Class of 1966

Vice President for Advancement and Campus Planning, St. Mary’s College Moraga, California

Education: Archbishop Riordan High School, San Francisco, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Dayton Post Graduate Study, St. Louis University

Michael grew up in San Francisco. In 1974 he was hired by Brother Jerome West, FSC, to work at St. Mary’s. Their friendship produced significant benefits for the Catholic, liberal arts institution, said Brother Mel Anderson, FSC, former president of Saint Mary's College, “Mike's leadership was key to our successes in fundraising. He and Brother Jerome were crucial to the positive outcome of the mid-1980's campaign. Mike was very intimately involved, and his organizing skills were important. And the campaign was successful largely due to Brother Jerome's personality and Mike's organizational ability."

Michael is credited with enhancing the college's fund raising and alumni relations strategies and capabilities while broadening its ties to individual and institutional supporters. During his 29- year career, he was executive director for alumni affairs, director of development, vice president for advancement and campus planning, and vice president for planning and facilities. He retired in 2003 and died shortly thereafter.

Under Ferrigno's guidance, the College concluded a highly successful capital campaign, raising $52 million three years ahead of schedule. In addition, he improved the College's corporate and foundation fund-raising efforts and was instrumental in establishing a new planned giving program. He was actively involved in the formative years of the President's Club and, under Michael, the club doubled in size. As vice president for planning and facilities, he spearheaded significant upgrades in campus student housing and information technology resources, as well as laying the groundwork for future growth.

Michael was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the College, and he attributed much of his success to the influence of his mentor, Brother Albert Rahill, FSC. Ferrigno built and nurtured important relationships throughout the Saint Mary's community, especially its Trustees, Regents, and other friends of the College. He developed a reputation for integrity and professionalism, which led to his being named an honorary Regent in 2002 and the recipient of the Alumni Association's prestigious Signum Fidel award in 2003. The citation states he was "highly respected by the members of both the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees as a man of principle in word and deed, a gentleman in his dealings with people, and one who always makes himself available to anyone in need of his assistance"

Philip J. Kain Class of 1966

Professor of Philosophy, Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California

Education: Washington High School, Denver, Colorado B.A, Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, Philosophy) Ph.D., University of California, San Diego (Philosophy)

Philip was born in San Francisco and spent his early years in the Bay Area before his family's relocation to Colorado. From his student days, he has been an academician's academician: a scholar-teacher, a teacher-scholar.

After teaching stints at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Stanford (Program in Western Culture), Philip joined the faculty of the Department of Philosophy at Santa Clara University in 1988, where he has served as the department's chair, 1991–97 and 2008–14, and compiled a distinguished teaching record.

Philip is a ranking scholar of 19th century philosophy, the author of more than 40 scholarly articles and reviews and (to date) 7 books, including (most recently) Hegel and Right: A Study of the Philosophy of Right (State University of New York Press, 2018). He is also the author of extensive studies in Marx: four books (and numerous articles), including Marx and Ethics (Clarendon Press, 1988) and Marx and Modern Political Theory: From Hobbes to Contemporary Feminism (Rowman and Littlefield, 1993).

No imperfect induction is implied in the conclusion: Philip is devoted to philosophy and politics.

Dennis J. Kelly Class of 1966

English Teacher and Labor Leader (Retired) San Francisco, California

Education: St. Vincent Ferrer High School, Vallejo, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Further Study, City College of San Francisco (Labor Studies) University of Idaho (Shakespeare)

Dennis’ hometown is Vallejo, California. Dennis was an English teacher for thirty-five years in the San Francisco Unified School District and served as the head of the English Department. He was also president of United Educators of San Francisco for twelve years.

During his teaching career, Dennis was awarded the Teacher of the Year, SFSU College of Education; Labor Man of the Year, San Francisco Labor Council; John F. Henning Award from Saint Mary’s College; Distinguished Humanitarian Award from the B’nai Zion Foundation; State WHO Award from the California Teachers Association; the Ben Rust Award from the California Federation of Teachers; and Commendation for Service as national vice president from the American Federation of Teachers.

Dennis’ passions include family, literature, labor, musicals, caricatures and cartoons.

Rem Peter Roberti Class of 1966

Produce Broker and Lover of Life Sonoma County, California

Education: Sacred Heart High School, San Francisco, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Rem grew up in San Francisco where, for many years, he was a produce broker. The truth about Rem is that he took his intellectual pursuits far beyond the paper degree, nurturing scholarship and discourse in all he met. After his career in produce, Rem retired to Sonoma County where he pursued his myriad passions: photography, flying, poetry, mysticism, hiking, literature, philosophy, fountain pen repair, HAM radio, Morse Code, motorcycling, bicycling, and swimming. He will be remembered for his passion, his voice, his irreverence, and charisma. He is survived by his wife Linda Gilson, and two children, Alexandra of San Jose, and Rem Lucas of Eugene Oregon, and by his former wife Catherine Wright.

Arthur Bruzzone Class of 1967

Real Estate Investment Executive and Journalist/Commentator San Francisco, California

Education: Riordan High School, San Francisco, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., The Catholic University of America (Philosophy) M.B.A., Golden Gate University (Real Estate)

Arthur was raised in San Francisco, California. He served in the Peace Corps in the Kingdom of Tonga as an environmental health worker and secondary education teacher.

He is President of Bruzzone Strategic Investments. Bruzzone Strategic Investments is a real estate investment company serving entrepreneurial investors and private equity firms, acquiring, managing, and marketing Investment grade properties in the Western United States, transacting over $100 million properties.

Arthur has been active in his profession and his community. He has, as a Journalist and Commentator, published Over 150 articles for various National and Regional Print media including The Wall Street Journal.

He has also been a commentator on politics and the economy for national and international news services, including CNN, FOX-News, PBS, the BBC, and European and Asian Media. He has produced and hosted "SF/Politics." His Comcast Broadcasting awards include:

• Winner the WAVE Award, for Best Pro Talk Show Western *U.S. • Winner VISION Award, • Winner of two BACE Awards for best San Francisco Bay Area Talk Show

He has been the producer and host for "San Francisco BusinessWatch," was nominated twice for a national ACE Award (the cable industry's Emmy Award) for Best Public Affairs Program, and a WAVE Award as Best Talk Show in the Western U.S.

He served for four years as Chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party and two years as Vice President of the California Republican County Chairs Association. Arthur also served for four years as a California state commissioner on the environmental regulatory agency, The San Francisco Bay and Conservation Commission.

When asked what his passions are, Arthur said: “I have thrived on being anti-establishment and unconventional. In California, that means advocating for conservative principles and taking on big government-socialists-progressives. Through my writings, my TV programs, and my comments to the press and media, I’ve gladly voiced what’s unorthodox in California. I’ve invited the top Bay Area Leftists to debate on my TV programs – I effectively preempted what we now see on national networks. All the while, my training in the Integral Program prepared

30 me for my hundreds of media appearances, my articles, and my TV productions. I learned critical thinking and learned to question and to challenge. Second, I am a daredevil open water rower. I was one of the founders of the St. Mary’s College crew. I row weekly on the San Francisco Bay and often row out two miles to Point Bonita and sometimes offshore. My 24-foot Maas carbon fiber shell has handled 10–15-foot storm waves. My shell is named ‘Storm Rider’. My current deep concerns focus on technology and its use by authoritarian countries and individuals. China is leading the way, of course, so I study the Chinese government and its current drive to dominate its people and the world (Belt/Road project). However, from the Chinese, I have adopted, as much as possible, illusive Taoist principles and vision -- That helps as I deal with the waves each week while rowing.”

James L. Ellis Class of 1967

Business Executive, Vintner, Educator Milwaukie, Oregon

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California and Mount La Salle Prep, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Post Graduate Studies, Loyola Marymount University and University of Portland

James grew up in Point Richmond, California. He was a Christian Brother. As a member of the Order, he served as the Dean of Sacred Heart College Preparatory in San Francisco from 1967 to 1976. He subsequently served as Vice Principal/Dean and the Brothers Community Director at the La Salle College Preparatory in Portland, Oregon from 1976 through 1979. James, having been granted a formal dispensation from the Vatican, withdrew from the Order in 1980.

Later, James was the Vice President and General Manager of R.A. Kevane and Associates, Portland, Oregon, a Pacific Northwest personnel-consulting firm, 1981-1988. Currently, he is Vice-President /Corporate (semi-retired) and Founding member of the Board of Directors of Willamette Valley Vineyards, Inc., Turner, Oregon, 1989 to the present.

James wrote this about his experience in the Integrated (now Integral) Program: “My experience in the SMC Integral Program in the 1960's has been absolutely critical to my ability to successfully take on various and sundry administrative and management roles in both my religious and secular careers. From my recruitment into the Integral Program, and guidance by Brother Robert Smith, FSC, to the rigorous and intellectually stimulating Integral Seminars, I learned to think critically, problem solve creatively, and to remain intensely intellectually curious. The skills that I gained through the program have allowed me to pursue my interests in creative entrepreneurship, especially in the areas of consumer-owned enterprise and the production, distribution, and sales of fine Oregon vinifera wine, especially Pinot Noir.”

James and his wife Debbie (Deborah J. Lillie, MS) split their time between their home in Milwaukie, Oregon and their "get away" farm on Puget Sound.

Tom Jackson Class of 1967

Psychotherapist, Psychopharmacologist, Medical Director (Retired) Los Angeles, California

Education: Cathedral High School, Los Angeles, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Ph.D., London School of Economics (Social Psychology) M.D., University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Apart from a couple of “Huckleberry Finn” years in an isolated Alaskan gold mining town, Tom Jackson grew up near downtown Los Angeles and attended Cathedral High School, an inner-city school run by the Christian Brothers. He felt inspired to join them at Mont La Salle in Napa, completed the Novitiate, and enrolled in the Integral Program at St. Mary’s College which provided a broad and rich grounding for future, unpredictable interests.

After teaching at the Lasallian schools in Pasadena and Los Angeles, Tom left the Brothers and completed his doctoral studies in social psychology at the London School of Economics, subsequently serving as a counselor and researcher for California State Polytechnic University. His work at Cal Poly elicited an increasing interest in human biology, and led to his enrollment in medical school at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his M.D. Tom elected psychiatry, and completed his psychiatric residency at University of California San Francisco, launching an intellectually stimulating, emotionally rewarding, forty-year career as a psychotherapist, psychopharmacologist, and medical director, in both private practice and the public sector.

Tom has been married for nearly 50 years and enjoys the company of his sons, their wives, and four mischievous granddaughters. He now serves as a member of the Board of Trustees at Cathedral High School and remains involved in several educational and environmental activities.

Thomas E. Dillon Class of 1968

President, Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, California

Education: B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Notre Dame (Philosophy) Ph.D., University of Notre Dame (Philosophy)

Tom began teaching at Thomas Aquinas College in 1972, one year after its founding. From 1976 to 1981, he served as assistant dean for student affairs, and then as academic dean from 1981 until his first appointment as president in 1991. Tom remained president of Thomas Aquinas College until his death in 2009.

Under Tom's leadership, enrollment at the College increased from 198 students to the maximum capacity of 350, and the number of teaching faculty doubled from 18 to 36. Meanwhile, the College achieved a national reputation for excellence, reflected in its rankings in both Catholic and secular college guides.

Widely recognized as a national leader in the reform of accreditation in higher education, Tom was active in the early 1990s in organizing a new national accrediting agency, the American Academy for Liberal Education. In 2003 the United States Secretary of Education appointed him to a three-year term on the 15-member National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, a group that, in effect, accredits the accreditors. In the late 1990s, the United States Congress appointed him to two consecutive three-year terms on the 11-member national Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, which advises Congress and the Secretary of Education on the disposition of over $60 billion in financial aid annually.

In 2009, Tom tragically died in an automobile accident while at a conference in Limerick, Ireland. "The loss of such a fine figure, emblematic of the good work done at Thomas Aquinas College, leaves a gap in the life of any institution — and more so when it is a figure of such stature and history," wrote Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Prefect for the Congregation for Catholic Education, upon receiving the news of Tom’s death. Tom was married to his wife, Terri, for 42 years. They have four children and fifteen grandchildren.

Tom Flynn Class of 1969

Chief of Appeals, US Attorney's Office; Administrative Law Judge (Retired) Sacramento, California

Education: Mont La Salle Christian Brothers' School, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., University of Chicago (Mathematics) Ph.D., University of Chicago (Mathematics) J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

A native of Sacramento, California, as a Brother of the Christian Schools, Tom taught for the Institute in the high schools, then, for a time, at Saint Mary's College (in the Department of Mathematics and the Integral Curriculum). Upon leaving the Brothers, he entered law school and made a subsequent career, first, as a federal law clerk in Alaska, then with the US Attorney's office in Sacramento, for some twenty-five years: from 1989–2008 as the office's Chief of Appeals, arguing some 65 criminal cases before Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. After leaving the US Attorney's Office, Tom served a further six years as a judge for Administrative Law. Over six months spanning 1992–93, Tom and his wife Rita (also an attorney and 1976 graduate of the Integral Curriculum), served as legal advisors to the Justice Ministry of the Republic of Bulgaria, helping to rewrite that nation's criminal code after the fall of the communist regime.

In the course of his undergraduate studies, Tom was a Hunt Foods Scholar (1965–69), a National Science Foundation Fellow (1969–73), and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow (1969-73). His article, "The Complex Bordism of Periodic Groups," appeared in the Osaka Journal of Mathematics (1974).

Today, the cultivation of mathematics, cacti, and grandchildren (not necessarily in that order) dominate the list of things that most excite Tom.

Brother Kenneth W. Cardwell, FSC Class of 1971

Professor, Integral Program (Retired) Moraga, California

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Grad. Study, University of Washington (Biomedical History, 1975) M.A., Oxford University (Philosophy and Theology) Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley (Rhetoric, 1986)

Brother Kenneth grew up in Berkeley, California. He entered the Christian Brothers after high school and an extended sojourn through Europe and the Holy Land. After graduating from SMC, he taught at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles.

The next chapter for Brother Kenneth was graduate school. He enrolled in the University of Washington and was happily pursuing a doctorate in Biomedical History when the program was cancelled. He came back to SMC and taught Collegiate Seminar for a year. He then landed at Oxford and earned an M.A. Oxon. in Philosophy and Theology. He finished his graduate studies with a doctorate in rhetoric from UC Berkeley. While a graduate student at Berkeley, Br. Kenneth lived and taught at St. Mary’s.

After receiving his doctorate, Brother Kenneth joined the faculty at St. Mary’s. He retired in 2020. Brother Kenneth taught in the Integral Program and the Collegiate Seminar Program, for which he served as Chair. Brother Kenneth lived in the dorms, most notably in Mitty Hall. He also found time to teach and serve as Dean at Deep Springs College in the Sierra.

Brother Kenneth has a great love of hiking and camping. He has backpacked throughout the Sierra mountains and foothills. He served as faculty liaison and chaplain for the Integral Alumni Council Board of Directors and has been instrumental in its fundraising efforts. The Gospel of Mark is Brother’s chief research and writing interest.

As he retires Brother has this to say, “in spite of many personal flaws, mental lapses, intellectual and academic shortcomings, I have as a student received and as a teacher carried as if in a small pouch at my side the seeds of attentive thought, love of fine distinctions, and concern for consequence and scattered them as best I could in the fields I have passed through. There may be harvesting and more sowing yet ahead …”

Brother Donald Mansir, FSC Class of 1971

Professor, Integral Curriculum, Middle East Expert, Vatican Diplomat Moraga, California

Education: St. Augustine High School, San Diego, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of San Francisco Ph.D., Union Institute and the University of Cincinnati (Theology)

Donald Mansir was a San Diego native. After graduation from St. Mary’s, he entered the Christian Brothers.

Brother Donald became an expert on the relationships among religions in the Middle East. He taught at the Bethlehem University and was an adviser to the Vatican on Palestinian issues. Brother Donald also served many years as a tutor in the Integral Program.

Brother Charles Hilken, a fellow Saint Mary’s professor, said despite his wealth of knowledge, Mansir treated students as peers. “Donald could work with anyone,” Hilken said. “Great community builder, very gregarious personality, break out into song in an instant. A very peaceful and kind man.”

At Saint Mary’s, Mansir was a member of the board of trustees, chairman of the Cummins Institute for Catholic Thought, Culture and Action, among other committees, and lived in the residence halls as a counselor.

Mansir was president of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine in the 1990s, assisting in diplomatic and humanitarian missions in Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. He was a representative to the United Nations and UNICEF and served in New York and Vatican City as the chief overseas operating officer of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

In addition to Saint Mary’s and Bethlehem University, Mansir also taught at the Latin Patriarchal Seminary in the West Bank and La Salle High School in Pasadena. He served as principal of San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno.

Brother Donald died at age 62. “He’s going to be missed by friends and colleagues all over the world,” Hilken said. “In Jerusalem, New York, in Fresno, in Rome, in Venice, in Lebanon.”

Anthony (Tony) Shelton Class of 1971

Professor of International Agriculture and Associate Director of International Agriculture Programs, Cornell University (Retired) Geneva, New York

Education: Loyal High School, Los Angeles, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., University of California, Riverside Ph.D., University of California, Riverside (Entomology)

Tony grew up in Pasadena, California. He was admitted to SMC as a pre-med student. In the registration line he switched to the Integral Program after a lengthy discussion/sales-job by Dr. Norm Springer about the program. He remained in the program until graduation and then worked for a couple of years in business before returning to school to study biology. In a zoology class, he was introduced to the fascinating world of insects, Charles Darwin’s first love. The study of insects (entomology) blended Tony’s passion for biology, ecology, food security, and environmental sciences.

Immediately after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside, he became a professor of entomology at Cornell University where he was faculty for 41 years. Tony notes that “as an Ivy League university, Cornell has a wealth of excellent disciplines from agricultural sciences to physics, from philosophy to mathematics, from law to medicine, and that within this rich and diverse environment a graduate of the Integral Program can flourish because one can see the connectivity of the various disciplines and apply it to one’s own discipline.” Tony is eternally grateful for having been in the Integral Program.

Tony’s career at Cornell has included research in basic and applied sciences, teaching and mentoring students from around the world, and working in more than 50 countries. As a capstone to his efforts, he directed a USAID-funded project on food security in Bangladesh that uses agricultural biotechnology to increase farm income and dramatically reduce the use of harmful insecticides. See http://bteggplant.cornell.edu/. Tony has published over 250 journal articles and 40 book chapters and received many awards, including the Entomological Society of America (ESA) National Award for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (1995), the New York State Award for Excellent in IPM (2007), the ESA National Recognition Award for Research (2005), Cornell’s Award for Applied Research (2007), the ESA Eastern Branch L.O. Howard Award (2011), and the ESA National IPM Team Award (2013). In 2010 he was elected an ESA Fellow. When asked what he was passionate about, he said: “I am fascinated by the diversity, elegance, evolution, life histories and ecology of insects, and finding ways to manage their interactions with humans and the environment. I strongly believe that science can help solve many of the problematic interactions insects have with humans and the environment. Thus, I develop strategies, including using biotechnology, to help farmers globally reduce insect injury to crops in a more sustainable manner.”

Tony has enjoyed coaching little league and crew at a local college, sailing in the beautiful Finger Lakes of upstate New York, and being on the board of directors of local efforts in the arts. In retirement Tony plans to spend winters at his condo in Santa Barbara. Tony served a term on the Geneva New York School Board.

Michael Bayne Class of 1972

High School Teacher and Administrator (Retired), College Professor Bakersfield, California

Education: Christian Brothers' School, Mont La Salle, Napa, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Teaching Cred., California State University, Bakersfield M.S., University of California, Berkeley (Chemistry) M.A., California State University, Bakersfield (Science Education) Admin. Cred., Fresno Pacific University Ed. D., University of Northern Colorado (Science Education) Post Grad Research, University of California, San Diego Post Grad Research Stanford (Using Technology in Classroom)

Mike grew up in Bakersfield, California. After college he went home and began a career in education. He taught at Garces Memorial High School for five years and then taught in public high schools for 10 years. He was a public high school administrator for ten years, ultimately serving as principal at two schools. Mike taught graduate education classes at California State University, Bakersfield, and at La Verne University. Since he retired from public high schools, Mike has worked for a soil engineering company and he is currently Professor of Chemistry (Adjunct) at Bakersfield College.

Mike has received numerous honors, including: Who's Who among American Science Teachers (1977); Teacher of Year (1977, 1982, 1984, and 1987); Who's who among American Administrators (2001).

Mike was chosen by the Kern High School District to introduce technology into the classrooms in 1987 following post-grad work at Stanford. He was fortunate to have Steve Wozniak (Apple- Cupertino) as one of his mentors for a short period of time. Mike said of Steve Wozniak, “He is an extremely bright and unconventional man in every sense of the word.”

Mike’s view of Integral: “What the Integral process does to students is addict them to learning. In my case I could never get enough. Additionally, my profession always compensated me well for continuing my education. My late wife Kathryn, who was also extremely well educated, always referred to me as a ‘learning junkie’".

Mike continues teaching and learning. He also volunteers at his local parish and cooks for the homeless as a member of The Knights of Columbus. Mike also goes to Mexico every fall to build a house for a family through a project called Corazon. He enjoys visiting his 4 children and 2 grandchildren.

Will Wyn Geselbracht Class of 1972

Barrister and Solicitor Nanoose Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Education: Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, Burbank, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Post Grad., University of British Columbia (Greek and Latin) L.L.B., University of British Columbia Diploma, Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies (French) Diploma, Universite de Sherbrooke (common law/civil law exchange) Diploma, University of British Columbia (Russian)

Will grew up in Burbank, California. At St. Mary’s he played rugby, football, and soccer. He also acted in several plays and was student body Vice President. After graduation he headed north to Canada where he first worked as a lumber jack. He is now engaged in the general practice of law on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Will has worked as a federal prosecutor handling cases under various federal statutes, including the Narcotic Control Act, Fisheries Act, Excise and Customs Act, and Income Tax Act. In the past, Will was appointed as a legal member/chairman of a federal review tribunal, administered by the Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals (OCRT) and sat as chairman on approximately 200 appeal hearings and was responsible for writing approximately 150 decisions.

In August 2015, Will was elected a municipal councilor of the District of Lantzville, British Columbia.

Michael Gorman Class of 1972

Tax Analyst, Business Executive, Educator Sacramento, California

Education: Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Mike is a native of Sacramento. He has had a varied and interesting career.

Immediately out of St. Mary’s College, Mike was a math teacher at Saint Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, California. While there, he was instrumental in establishing the Catholic High School Teachers Association which won a hard-fought battle with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and negotiated the first contract between the Archdiocese and the secondary school teachers. He moved back to Sacramento to accept a position at Bishop Manogue High School, where he met his future wife.

He used his skills in assessment, analysis, and synthesis to successfully transition to a supervisory position in Transportation, eventually managing the San Francisco terminal for one of the three largest trucking companies in the U.S.

Returning to his family’s stationery business, he took over as Retail Operations Manager, where he remained for twenty years. He is currently a Senior Tax Analyst for H&R Block.

Michael is passionate about singing. He has been with Schola Cantorum of Sacred Heart Church in Sacramento for the past 26 years and with that group has travelled extensively, including the West Coast from Seattle to San Diego, Canada, and Europe. His choir was invited to perform for the 500th anniversary celebration of the Julian Choir at the Vatican. Michael has sung for two Popes. Schola Cantorum has produced a number of recordings and performed Michael’s choral setting of Ave Maria in 2009.

Michael reports that he is about to complete his 600th blood donation.

What excites him? His newest passion is his granddaughter, Charlotte. Michael and his wife Shelly love to travel to Europe, primarily France, to study history and architecture. Most recently they visited Lascaux and watched two stages of the Tour de France.

William “Bill” Gray Class of 1972

Procurement Manager, Hewlett-Packard Company (Retired) Auburn, California

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Post Grad., Indiana University (History and Philosophy of Science) M.B.A., University of California, Berkeley A.A., Sacramento City College (Library Technology)

Bill Gray’s hometown is Kensington, California. He was valedictorian for his high school graduating class and for his class at St. Mary’s College.

Bill worked for Hewlett-Packard Company as a Procurement Manager and was responsible for engineers, buyers, and analysts designing and managing international supply chains.

Bill has been active in the civil life of his community. He recently ended an eight-year term on the Placer County Library Advisory Board. He is a docent with the Placer County Museums and president of the local branch of a retired men’s club. He previously was on two public school boards and the County Grand Jury.

Bill is passionate about his grandchildren, history, and travel. He enjoys reading about history, especially American history, and then visiting places where the history happened. He has been on several trips following the Civil War battles and Revolutionary War events. Bill visited the Normandy D-Day beaches. (Unfortunately, a lot of history revolves around war.) Recently he has been exploring the Gold Rush history of Placer County. Bill likes to travel through the United States and Europe and Asia. In just the last year he has been to Washington D.C., England, Spain, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

Brother Edmond Larouche, FSC Class of 1972

High School Administrator (Retired) Berkeley, California

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., Norte Dame University (Administration)

Brother Edmond grew up in San Pablo, California, and currently lives on the Saint Mary’s College High School campus in Berkeley. He joined the Christian Brothers in 1966.

After graduating from the Integral Program, Brother Edmond taught at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, later becoming the financial administrator at Justin-Siena High School in Napa, California. In 1987 he returned to Cathedral High School as Vice-Principal. In 1988 he was the Director of Formation and Auxiliary Provincial for the Christian Brothers District of San Francisco. In 1995 Brother Edmond attended the Generalate, Centro Internzionale LaSalliano (C.I.L.). Afterwards, he was appointed President and CEO of Saint Mary's College High School. Brother Edmond is now the President Emeritus of Saint Mary's College High School after retiring in 2018.

During his busy teaching and administrator’s life, Brother Edmond earned a Master of Science in Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

When asked what he was passionate about, Brother Edmond said: “My passion has been my religious life as a De La Salle Brother and my educational work as an administrator in Lasallian secondary education. These days I most enjoy a good night of sleep, a day of good health, and most of all seeing students, alums, and former colleagues.”

Christopher Miller Class of 1972

Senior Deputy County Counsel, Orange County, California (Retired) Bluemont, Virginia

Education: Damien High School, La Verne, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Southwestern Law School

Ontario, California, is Chris’ hometown. He resides in retirement in Bluemont, Virginia.

A Dean’s List student in law school, Chris was sworn in as a member of the California Bar in 1975. He became a Certified Specialist in Family Law in 1981 and continued in private practice until he joined the County Council’s office for the County of Orange, California in 1990.

During his legal career, Chris served as a member of the State Bar of California Custody/Visitation Committee, Southern Section, 1988-90. He served as Judge Pro Tempore, San Bernardino Superior Court, West End District, and as a Mediator of Family Law cases in the same district at the request of the Presiding Judge, 1977-90. He served upon request as a Judge Pro Tempore of the Small Claims Court, Pomona Judicial District, and the Pomona Judicial District, 1977-80. He also served as a voluntary mediator for the Pomona Superior Court Family Law Mandatory Settlement Conference Pre-Trial Program, 1986-90.

Chris also served as a volunteer for the California State Bar Legal Services, indigent program, 1984-90.

In the County Council’s Office Chris practiced various fields of municipal law, including Juvenile Court Litigation, Health Care Agency Work, representation of the District Attorney in civil matters, and for the Marshall for all civil process and debt collection matters and representation of the Department of Waste and Recycling. He spent a considerable amount of time on public works law and environmental law.

Chris single-handedly handled all legal work for the roll-out of the county-wide implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

In recognition of his expertise, Chris was invited to speak to the Los Angeles County Bar Association on Environmental Law, the Orange County Elder Law Section, and on multiple occasions for the County Counsel’s Association Health and Welfare Study Section and Hazardous Materials and Solid Waste Study Section.

Now retired, Chris has become a member of the Knights of Columbus and is a Lector in his parish. He is also a docent at the George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, Virginia, where he provides the professional and personal background on General Marshall.

Chris and his wife, Mary, travel locally to battlefields and points of interest in Virginia and other adjoining states, as well as religious shrines and churches. They are devoted to their grandchildren.

Howard L. Pennington Class of 1972

Medical Doctor (Retired) Inglewood, California

Education: Fermin Lasuen High School, San Pedro, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) M.D., Autonoma de Gudalajara Medical School

Howard did his residency in Family Practice at the New York Medical School. After finishing his residency, he joined the Navy and served as a physician with the rank of Lieutenant. For many years he practiced in the Family Practice Clinic at UCLA from which he retired

Howard loves learning different branches of mathematics. For leisure in his retirement Howard has gone back to college to study advanced mathematics.

Ernest S. Pierucci Class of 1972

Attorney (Retired) Lafayette, California

Education: Garces Memorial High School, Bakersfield, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law

Ernest grew up in Bakersfield, California. At Saint Mary’s he was active in drama and student government. In 1975 he became a member of the California State Bar and practiced law in Oakland and later San Francisco, retiring in 2014.

Ernest taught part-time at Holy Names University and Saint Mary’s College. He served as President of the Saint Mary’s College Alumni Association and was on the New Century Committee which wrote the current Saint Mary’s mission statement. Ernest cofounded SMC’s John F. Henning Institute for Catholic Social Teaching. He is a founding member of the Integral Alumni Council Board of Directors. Ernest also served on the Board of Visitors of his law school.

He volunteers at Loaves and Fishes and previously worked with the Diocese of Oakland’s ministry to young men in the juvenile justice system.

Ernest has helped organize and/or participated in twenty international conferences on Catholic higher education and Catholic social teaching, including two at the Vatican. He has published a number of articles and book chapters. The latest article, "Wonder, the Person and the Common Good in Catholic Social Teaching,” appears in the Journal of Catholic Social Thought winter 2020 edition.

Woodworking is one of his hobbies. Ernest and his wife Adrienne have been married 49 years. They spilt their time between Lafayette and Sutter Creek. Their son Richard and his three children live in Texas. Their son Peter lived in Colorado with his two children prior to his death.

Michael Riley Class of 1972

Professor, Integral Program, St. Mary’s College Oakland, California

Education: St. Vincent Ferrer High School, Vallejo, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Washington (Classics) Ph.D., University of Washington (Classics)

Mike grew up in Vallejo, California. He has devoted his life to study, teaching, and the Integral Program.

After graduate school, Mike taught at Solano Community College in Fairfield, California, and Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

In 1982 he joined the faculty of the Integral Program where he has remained ever since. Mike has served as Director of the Program. He has also served as Chair of the Classical Languages Department. Mike has published a book, Plato's Cratylus: Argument, Form, and Structure (2005) and is working on another book, this time on Plato’s Statesman. What excites Mike? Well, of course, talking about books!

Ken Shackel Class of 1972

Professor of Plant Science, University of California, Davis Davis, California

Education: Saint Genevieve High School, Panorama City, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Further Study, Fullerton Jr. College (Physics, Calculus/O-chem)) M.S., University of California, Riverside (Plant Science) Ph.D., University of California, Riverside (Plant Physiology) Post-Doctoral, University of Bayreuth, Germany University of California, Davis

Ken grew up the third of eight children in Panorama City, California, and was the first to attend a 4-year college. Ken was active in drama at St. Mary’s. He joined the Pomology Department (now Plant Science) at UC Davis in 1986 and continues to teach and research as a full Professor.

Over the course of his career as a scientist, Ken, ‘Dr. H2O,’ has published over 100 peer- reviewed papers, served on editorial boards, and was awarded the American Society for Horticultural Science Fruit Publication Award in 1999. In 2016 Ken was the Brother Sixtus Robert Smith Lecturer. Ken’s area of research is plant/water relations. He developed a method for measuring water stress in plants that is becoming widely used as a tool in irrigation management as well as in plant physiology and ecology research.

Ken is a founding member of the Integral Alumni Council Board of Directors.

“My road to research and teaching in plant/water relations has not been straight. As a senior in the Integral program, I took freshmen chemistry and biology so I could apply to medical school. That summer, prior to entering a junior college to finish Med. School requirements, I worked as a laborer at a wholesale plant nursery. At the nursery, we had a question: if the label only gives tablespoons per gallon, how much goes into a 500-gallon spray tank? I was able to answer this question and hence started to get all the ‘technical’ jobs, including fixing the irrigation system. Little did I know that this was my first step in the direction of my graduate work in plant/water relations. Integral was the best education possible to prepare me for working in management at a large wholesale nursery (which I did for 3 years), attending graduate school, and becoming a professor.”

Ken and his wife Christine have been married for 49 years and have two daughters.

Michael Shea Class of 1972

Regional Sales Manager, Asia Pacific and Europe, Chemithon Co. Kirkland, Washington

Education: St. Mary’s High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Mike grew up in Berkeley, California. While at St. Mary’s College, he was in the Navy ROTC at the University of California, Berkeley.

After graduating from college, Mike had a remarkable career. He worked for Berkeley Pump Co., John Crane, Inc., and Chemithon Co., Seattle, in international sales. In his various positions, Mike travelled throughout South America and later was an early and frequent visitor to China. For Chemithon Co., Mike was the regional sales manager for Asia Pacific and Europe and sold industrial plants in China, working collaboratively with his counterparts in various companies in Italy and other western countries.

Mike loved to work on his MG and enjoyed model railroading. He died from cancer on Good Friday, April 22, 2011, in Kirkland, Washington. Mike made friends everywhere he went. Upon learning of his passing, his family received countless condolences from friends and acquaintances throughout the world.

[The editors would like to add that Mike was the nicest and most decent person one could hope to meet.]

George Yribarren Class of 1972

Aerospace Manager (Retired) Arizona

Education: San Joaquin Memorial High School, Fresno, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

George grew up in Fresno, California. After graduating from the Integral Program and taking a year to work and travel, he taught high school for several years at Cathedral High in Los Angeles. During this time, he participated in efforts to unionize the LA Catholic schools in order to improve teacher pay. George met his future wife while they were both on strike against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

After teaching, George went to work as a technical writer for a small aerospace company in Southern California that specialized in evacuation slides for airliners. Working at a small company was a great experience as it allowed him to gain experience with the technical aspects of a commercial aviation supplier, from the initial proposal, to the design and test phases, to field support. Through subsequent acquisitions, he became part of BFGoodrich Aerospace and then UTC Aerospace Systems, one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerospace and defense products. In his various positions over the years, he worked with Boeing and Airbus and has travelled to six of the seven continents meeting airline customers. He also represented the company in accident investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (one of those involved an incident with then candidate Obama’s leased MD-80 campaign aircraft) and in tort litigations. Before retiring, George was the Product Support Manager for UTC Aerospace Interiors, Evacuation Systems.

George and his wife live in Arizona.

Bruce McClish Class of 1973

Environmental Educator and Author Queensland, Australia

Education: Campolindo High School, Moraga, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) Teaching Credential, Saint Mary’s College (Early Childhood Education)

Bruce has taught environmental education at the Gould League of Victoria and Bunyaville Environmental Education Centre (Queensland) and is a freelance writer. He has published more than sixty books for Macmillan Education, Heinemann, Harper Collins and the Gould League of Victoria. Some of his many books include A Time Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Australia, A Time Traveler’s Guide to Future Australia and The Australian Church Story.

Bruce's passions are earth science, geography and culture, history of mathematics and science, music, hiking, and Australian football.

Richard Tres Class of 1974

Teacher (Retired) and Man of Letters Napa, California

Education: LaSalle High School, Pasadena, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, Classical Languages) M.A., University of California, Berkeley (Classics) M.A., University of California, Berkeley (English)

Richard grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, and Sierra Madre, California, but became a confirmed Northern Californian though Saint Mary's, settling at last in Napa, where he taught English (mainly) for the Christian Brothers' Justin-Siena High School (and offered occasional college classes), while his wife, Janice (Dunlap, '75), operated the Sunrise Montessori School.

Devoted not merely to English literature (his master’s thesis treated The Pickwick Papers), but to literature tout court: Richard has read and studied in Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Russian. His academic awards include a summer Fulbright Fellowship for Latin archaeology in Italy, and three National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awards (on Jack London, Roman Comedy, and Lucian the Skeptic). He translated 200+ MS pages of Aquinas' Latin for Matthew Fox’s Sheer Joy; and wrote and delivered the essay, “Friendship and Trickery in Huck Finn” for a CATE (California Association of Teachers of English) Conference. Roles in The Bacchae and The Tempest at Saint Mary's stoked a taste for the stage, later extended to Tartuffe, The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, Up the Down Staircase, Arsenic and Old Lace, Of Mice and Men, and Fahrenheit 451.

Richard is the editor into free verse of hundreds of passages from Thoreau’s Journals, under the title Eau de Thoreau (available on Kindle), and the author of The Man without a Party: The Trials of Carl von Ossietzky (Beacon Publishing Group), historical fiction about a journalist- editor who won the ’35 Nobel Peace Prize while being tortured in Hitler’s camps.

Now retired from full-time teaching, Richard continues to cultivate his love of philosophy, literature, the arts, and young people: he substitutes at Justin-Siena, tutors in literacy for Napa County Library, volunteers at the Di Rosa Arts and Nature Preserve. He is at work on a second volume in the People of Weimar series, which focuses on German philosophers faced with the rise of Nazism. Richard and Janice rejoice in two accomplished children—son, David, and daughter, Lauren—and two granddaughters, Ella and Harper. Richard's Illinois childhood survives in a lifelong, undiminished Chicago White Sox fandom—but he will allow at least a vagrant interest in the fortunes of the Giants, A's, and Warriors.

Walter Englert Class of 1974

Omar and Althea Hoskins Professor of Classical Studies, Emeritus, Reed College Portland, Oregon

Education: Serra High School, San Mateo, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, Classical Languages) M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara (Classics) Ph.D., Stanford University (Classics)

Walter grew up in San Carlos, California. After graduating from Saint Mary's with baccalaureates in the Integral Curriculum and Classical Languages, he went on to earn his doctorate in Classics from Stanford, and an appointment to Reed College, where he spent his entire career as a teacher of classics and humane letters and as a noted author and translator. Walter's translation, Lucretius On the Nature of Things, in the Focus Philosophical Library, is the required text for the Integral Sophomore Seminar's reading in Lucretius.

Walter is the author of two scholarly books and more than 20 scholarly articles, encyclopedia entries, and chapters in learned anthologies. Most recent among Walter's many scholarly publications are the chapter entries, "Roman Epistemology," in volume one, The Ancients, ed. Nicholas Smith, of the four-volume The Philosophy of Knowledge: A History (Bloomsbury Academic Press, 2018), and "Voluntary Action and Responsibility" in The Oxford Handbook of Epicureanism, ed. P. Mitsis (Oxford University Press, 2018).

In the leisure of retirement, Walter is embarked on a book-length study of Cicero's philosophical writings, under the working title, "Cicero and the Creation of Roman Philosophy."

As he remains deeply involved in reading, discussing, and writing about ancient philosophy and literature, so Walter also continues his long-standing commitment to volunteer support for environmental organizations, especially those addressing climate change. He recreates through bicycling, hiking, and walking, and through the company of family and friends.

Alexis Doval Class of 1975

Professor of Theology and Tutor, Integral Program, (Emeritus), Saint Mary's College Moraga, California

Education: Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A. Oxon., Oxford University Ph. D., Oxford University (Patristic Theology)

Alexis grew up in Sacramento, California. In his senior year of high school, he was poised to pursue pre-medical studies, but when tutor Glen Ballard from the Integral Curriculum visited his English class and gave a presentation on the Program, Alexis was immediately fetched by the opportunity to study all branches of knowledge rather than devote himself to natural science. Impressed by the Brothers who had gone through the Program, Alexis entered the Order in his Junior year. After graduation, Alexis taught in the Brothers’ high schools in Portland, Oregon, and Berkeley, California, and pursued degrees in theology at Oxford University, completing his studies in 1993 with a study of Cyril of Jerusalem. While at Oxford, he taught the Junior Seminar (1989–1993) for Integral students studying abroad at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Oxford.

Upon his return to Saint Mary's College, Alexis taught for the (then) Department of Religious Studies and the Integral Curriculum; latterly, he has taught exclusively as an Integral tutor. In 2000 after a sabbatical and long reflection, he decided to withdraw from the Brothers, but continued at Saint Mary’s.

Alexis has published widely in Patristics, including articles in the discipline's flagship journal, Studia Patristica: "The Location and Structure of the Baptistry in the Mystagogic Catecheses of St. Cyril of Jerusalem" [Vol. XXVI, 1993]; "The Fourth Century Jerusalem Catechesis and the Development of the Creed" [Vol. XXX, 1997]; "Cyril of Jerusalem's Theology of Salvation" [Vol. XXXVII, 2001]. He is also the author of the monograph, Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogue: The Authorship of the Mystagogic Catecheses, Vol. 71 in the Patristic Monograph Series (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2001) and the editor (with an introduction) of St. John Baptist De La Salle's The Duties of a Christian to God (Landover, Maryland: Lasallian Publications, 2002).

Alexis is an accomplished musician, regularly featured as vocalist, guitarist, and flutist in the Integral Program's annual Advent Concert.

Among his many intellectual interests, two deserve special mention: mathematics (he devoted a recent sabbatical to working up new materials for Integral Junior mathematics Tutorial), and Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (on which he periodically lectures to the Integral tutors and students). His interest in theology continues. He recently gave an Integral Tutor lecture to

56 the Program on the Parable of the Sheep and Goats from Matthew’s Gospel and presented a paper at a conference on the notion of universal salvation.

Alexis' solicitude for cats (feral and domestic) is the stuff of campus legend.

Alexis retired in 2020 to a loving wife and six cats.

Brother George Van Grieken, FSC Class of 1975

Director, Lasallian Resource Center Napa, California

Education: Justin-Siena High School, Napa California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., Saint Mary's College (Theology) Ph.D., Boston College (Religion and Education)

Brother George was born in Holland and immigrated to Napa, California with his family. Upon graduating from high school, he entered the Institute and, with encouragement from Br. Robert Smith, FSC, the Integral Curriculum. After graduation, Brother George taught in many of the Christian Brothers high schools in California; latterly, he was assigned to Brothers organizations in various countries, most recently as Secretary Coordinator for Research and Resources at the Casa Generalized (the "Mother House"), Rome.

Br. George is fluent in his native Dutch and in English, and has studied Spanish, Latin, and Greek (although he admits that the latter two are with him less in memory than as memories).

In recent years, Br. George has devoted himself to producing—as editor, author, composer, webmaster—resources on Lasallian spirituality and practice for use by the Brothers and their Lasallian partners. A sampling—

As author: The Teacher's Saint: John Baptist de La Salle - Patron Saint of Teachers (Winona: Minnesota, Saint Mary's Press, 2019). Let Us Remember: Stories of the Holy Presence of God (Winona, Minnesota: Saint Mary's Press, 2018). Touching the Hearts of Students: Characteristics of Lasallian Schools. (Washington, D.C.: Christian Brothers Publications, 2015).

As compiler, editor: The Pastoral Letters of Br. Johnston, FSC, 1986–2000 and of Br. Alvaro Rodriguez, 2000–2012 (Rome: Brothers of the Christian Schools, 2015).

As composer: "Let Us Remember," Octavo, arr. Otto Wild and Br. Martin Yribarren, FSC (Portland, Oregon: Oregon Catholic Press).

Through Br. George's creative efforts, Lasallian Resources are very much a presence on the web: www.lasallianresources.org.

Brother George lists as his hobbies: keyboard, guitar, musical composition, travel, reading, writing.

Br. George's sense of the Integral Curriculum's role in his formation is best summed up in his own words: “For the record, Br. Robert's Smith's intervention when I was a freshman at SMC was key to transferring to Integral, and the subsequent preparation the reading-talking-writing- interaction process provided for my teaching career was transformative. We only seem to discover these blessings when we see the road straightened out behind us. This has certainly been my reality, and I thank God for the program, the Brothers, and those who keep the Great Books chugging along.”

Eugene C. Bradford Class of 1977

Attorney, Travelers Indemnity Co. (Retired) Northridge, California

Education: Bishop Amat Memorial High School, West Covina, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Loyola Law School

Eugene grew up in West Covina. After graduation from Saint Mary's, he worked his way through the Loyola Law School night program in Los Angeles. In his first position as an attorney, his assignments involved workers compensation cases, and Eugene went on to become a State Certified Specialist in Workers Compensation. In addition to his legal work, Eugene was an instructor for the Insurance Educational Association, teaching workers compensation law to insurance claims personnel. He retired from Travelers Indemnity Co.

While his children were in elementary school, Eugene taught confirmation at Our Lady of Peace Church in North Hills, California, and became involved, on behalf of his sons, in the Boy Scouts. Ultimately both sons became Eagle Scouts, through Troop 307, Northridge, California. Thereafter, Eugene continued his involvement with scouting, founding a Cub Scout Pack and Troop of Scouts through Our Lady of Peace Church, serving as Scoutmaster through 2009. He remains active in scouting as a Unit Commissioner for Troop 431.

Since his retirement from Travelers Indemnity in 2018, Eugene and his wife, Karen, have traveled the world, reaching (to date) China, Japan, the British Isles, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

Eugene devotes himself to the Scouts, motorcycles, and international travel (not necessarily in that order); he continues to cultivate law standing intellectual interests in philosophy, law, wide reading, and writing.

Steve Smith Class of 1977

Safety Trainer, Construction and Hazardous Materials (Retired sort of . . .) Jenner, California

Education: Saint Mary's College High School, Berkeley, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Steve grew up in Oakland, California. After graduation from the Integral Curriculum, he embarked on a career in the precise sense of the term: he went "careering" from this to that.

Beginning as a construction driver with the Teamsters Local 291, Steve rose in the union to become the Local's President and Business Representative, undertaking, along the way, studies in labor law. He became, in due course, the founding Co-Chairman of the Northern California Teamsters Apprentice Training Trust. Apprentice training led him to safety training, and into a host of specialized certifications—Hazardous Waste Instructor, US Department of Transportation Hazardous Material Transportation Specialist, California Department of Consumer Affairs Hazmat and Commercial Driving Instructor—to cite three of some fifteen. For the Teamsters, Steve became Lead Instructor for workers' training programs in Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste, Construction Safety, and Commercial Driving.

On his own account, Steve operated HazardousMaterialSafety.com, instructed OSHA compliance programs for Network Environmental Systems, and authored articles on materials- and driving-safety for industry publications. As a contract instructor, he has also provided Hazardous Material Training for the US Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and for the California National Guard.

Now (mostly) retired from instruction, Steve serves as a volunteer firefighter and engineer for the North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District, and as Director and Recording Secretary for the North Sonoma Coast Volunteer Firefighter Association.

Steve notes that, some years ago, he worked as a motorcycle test rider for A&S Powersports, "for the fun of the ride." "For the fun of the ride" has the ring of a motto.

Steve lists his most important achievement as "husband and father," and notes (with evident pride) that his son, Alex, is an Integral alumnus, class of 2011.

John Robert Spangler II Class of 1978

Attorney, Criminal Defense (Retired) Woodland, California

Education: Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Lincoln Law School

John grew up in Sacramento and has practiced law in next-door Yolo County for more than thirty years. His route from Sacramento, through Saint Mary's, and back to the neighborhood (so to speak) constitutes something more than a longish round trip on I 80.

Post-graduation from Saint Mary’s, John worked as a truck driver and "engaged" (his term) in fast food management. Whether "fast food management" carries spiritual implications or not may be debated; in any case, John's departure from that endeavor carried him to Korea, and to 2½ years' monastic study of Buddhism. After returning to the U.S., he ran a landscaping business before managing a legal bookstore as he put himself through law school.

For many years, John was a Public Defender for Yolo County. For some of those years, he was also an appellate attorney with the State Public Defender's Office.

Today, John is retired.

John is an Eagle Scout and has served as both a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster. He is presently an Assistant Scoutmaster and teaches leathercraft at Scout Camp during the summer.

"To work [his] leisure"—σχολὴν ἀγεῖν, as Aristotle has it—John turns to reading and woodworking.

Jon P. Tonsing Class of 1980

Attorney Dobbins, California

Education: Burbank High School, Burbank California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law

Jon grew up in Burbank, California. He became a member of the California State Bar in 1983.

Jon has practiced law for over thirty-six years and is currently of counsel with the Horner Law Group, Walnut Creek, California. He is experienced in a number of practice areas including business, commercial, real estate, contract, professional liability defense, and employment related matters, with an emphasis upon civil litigation.

Prior to Horner Law Group, he was with Archer Norris from 1992-2018, serving as a shareholder from 1994 to 2015. His first job as an attorney was with his brother and fellow Integral graduate Dennis Tonsing ‘69 from 1983-1992, at what ultimately became Tonsing & Tonsing. One of his most memorable cases is Lambert v. Carneghi (2008) 158 Cal. App. 4th 1120 where he prevailed at the trial court and Court of Appeal.

Jon is also the (uncompensated) President of a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, Trevor’s Eagle Blanket Foundation. Since its inception in 2010, the Foundation has donated 5,621 fleece tie blankets to the patients of Children’s Hospital Oakland in memory of Jon’s son, Trevor, and in furtherance of the Eagle Scout leadership project Trevor had started. See www.trevorsblankets.org. In addition to practicing law and serving as President of Trevor’s Eagle Blanket Foundation, Jon cites as his passions:

• “My wife and I have enjoyed traveling about 45,000 miles throughout 47 states (including Alaska) and much of Canada since we purchased an RV in 2016. This year’s trip will focus upon Glacier National Park in Montana.”

• “I have almost completed my second year on the Yuba County Grand Jury; this fiscal year I’m serving as foreperson. It can be demanding work, but it is interesting and a great way to learn about, and contribute to, the local community. When my term is complete in June, I will start volunteering as a trainer with the California Grand Jurors’ Association, educating grand jurors throughout the state about their duties and responsibilities.”

• “Since moving to our rural residence in the Sierra Foothills in 2016, I have volunteered with the Cal Fire Volunteers in Prevention (VIP) program, serving shifts in a local fire lookout tower.”

• “I enjoy cooking (oftentimes on my Traeger or sous vide), fine wine (mostly red), good discussions, and hanging out with my wonderful family, friends, and trusty dog. In 2018 we hosted a weekend long mini reunion for many of my awesome Integral classmates and their spouses, and we hope to do so again in the very near future.”

Cheryl Wilcox Class of 1980

Professor of Mathematics, Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill, California

Education: The York School, Monterey, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., California State University, Dominguez Hills (Mathematics)

Cheryl is from a career Army family and moved many times as a child. Her family lived in Monterey when she attended Saint Mary’s, but later moved to Pleasanton, California.

After graduating from the Integral Program, Cheryl went to work for a computer book publishing company. In 1980, she was working in the forefront of the personal computer revolution, constantly learning new programs and developing her computing skills. Nevertheless, her love of mathematics sent her back to school . . . just for fun! Soon enough, she earned her Master’s in Mathematics (with two small children at home!) and began teaching, at Cal State East Bay, Saint Mary’s (in both the Integral Program and for the Mathematics Department), Los Positas College, and finally at Diablo Valley College, where—now tenured—she has remained for 24 years.

Cheryl is always learning something new: guitar, Latin, painting. Her older daughter graduated from St. John’s College, Santa Fe; so, the Program may yet pass into a third generation!

Mark Anthony Cesare Class of 1983

Manager, St. Martin de Porres Print Shop New Hope, Kentucky

Education: Irvington High School, Fremont, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Mark and his family are members of the St. Martin de Porres Lay Dominican Community, located in New Hope, Kentucky. The main apostolate of St. Martin de Porres is evangelization in the spirit of St. Dominic, principally through publications which outline the Church's teachings on topics from family life to doctrine. A large part of Mark's work goes to enabling Catholic organizations to promote the Gospel and a new Culture of Life through the printed word. Mark is, and has for decades, been personally involved in offering concrete alternatives to mothers who might otherwise seek abortion.

Mark has been active in The Knights of Columbus, Council #2208, New Haven, Kentucky, receiving Double Star Council Award during his tenure as Grand Knight, 2007-2008.

Dickson Chu Class of 1986

Head of Portfolio Management, BBVA Bank San Francisco, California

Education: Lowell High School, San Francisco, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum)

Dickson grew up in San Francisco, California, and graduated from Lowell High School. He has been involved in finance, technology, and startups since graduating from Saint Mary’s.

Dickson is an accomplished general manager and innovative product builder with over 30 years of experience working at the intersection of financial services, customer insights, and the strategic use of technology. He has held leadership roles at prominent companies – BBVA, Wells Fargo, Yahoo!, PayPal, Citi – where he created or grew sizeable new businesses. He is also an investor, board director, and active advisor to a number of emerging companies working to redefine the next generation of payments, commerce and business services. He is currently the head of portfolio management for BBVA’s New Digital Businesses where he has overall responsibility for the governance, budget, and strategic direction of BBVA’s growing portfolio of Fintech businesses, such as Simple in the US, Holvi in Finland, Atom Bank in the UK, Muno in Spain, and OpenPay in Mexico.

Currently, Dickson serves on the boards of Simple, Azlo, OpenPay, Denizen, Upturn, Ingo Money, Boomtown, and Opportunity Fund (a non-profit providing loans to small and emerging businesses); he had previously served on the boards of Bluefin Payments and CFY.org (a non- profit that provides a digital learning platform to public middle schools: www.powermylearning.org). Dickson was a Strategic Advisor to LoopPay (acquired by Samsung), Leapset (acquired by Sysco Foods), Cortex MCP (acquired by Uphold), Confirm.io (acquired by Facebook), Anywhere Commerce, and Sequent. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Opportunity Fund, a non-profit focused on changing the lives of unrepresented entrepreneurs (women and minorities) through low-cost loans.

Dickson has a number of other interests: “I have always liked to cook, and I'm thrilled that it's an interest my kids have taken up, so we explore recipes and cook together as well as go on trips to sample different cultures and cuisines. Recently I've taken up beekeeping out of intellectual interest as well as contributing to the honeybee population given the massive demise in recent years. Integral certainly served me well professionally by encouraging constant questioning, looking at disparate aspects of a situation/problem and cultivating an ability to synthesize non- obvious variables for solutions, aka, inductive vs. deductive reasoning.”

Dickson's appreciation of the Integral Program has evidenced itself in his membership on the Saint Mary’s School of Liberal Arts Dean's Advisory Board—a further opportunity for Dickson, who 'gives back' in many ways, to give back to the school and to promote the value of a liberal arts education.

Janine Ogando Class of 1989

Attorney Orinda, California

Education: Winters High School, Winters, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Georgetown University Law Center

Janine is a member of the California Bar Association. Her firm, Ogando Law, is based in Orinda, California, and her practice includes trusts, real estate, and litigation. She has had experience as a General Counsel for a number of large and emerging corporations.

Janine is active in supporting cancer research programs and was the founding Chair of the Integral Alumni Council Board of Directors. She received the De La Salle Award, the highest award for graduating seniors, and the Thomas Aquinas Award, the highest award for students graduating from the Integral Program.

Janine is a great cook and is passionate about her three children.

Anita Torrano Class of 1992

Director, West Area Field Logistics Team, Mondelēz International San Ramon, California

Education: San Benito Joint Union High School, Hollister, California Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Oxford B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.B.A., Saint Mary's College of California

A native of Hollister, California, Anita launched her career in business as a Customer Service Coordinator for Kraft Foods in 1994. Over the next several years, she rose steadily through a series of increasingly responsible positions in Customer Service, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, and Human Services, both in the field and at corporate headquarters. Anita distinguished herself as a manager and strategic leader: she successfully led the Change Management work of an SAP integration within Customer Service and Warehouse Distribution and, prior to the split between Kraft Foods and Mondelēz International, was an integral part of creating the West Area Logistics organization, while leading the Supply Chain Women's Employee Resource Group at Kraft Foods and efforts models for both companies prior to the split – ensuring viability and presence for both into the future.

On Anita’s account, her education in the Integral Curriculum was fundamental in helping develop much needed critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. As a senior leader in her organization, her ability to influence and develop a strategy for teams to follow is crucial to business success, much of which she learned and developed through the classroom dialogue and debate curriculum in the Integral Program. Earning her MBA from Saint Mary’s after 8 years in business helped provide further business acumen and enhanced skills.

In her current position as a Director at Mondelēz International, responsible for leading the West Area Field Logistics team, Anita oversees supply chain operations supporting annual sales of $2.3 billion and the management of $187 million in budgeted spending and associated productivity. She leads a team of 71 salaried and 900 hourly employees in Warehouse Delivered and Direct Store Delivery business. Her operational team manages 27 distribution facilities, 30 drop yard/cross dock locations and 4 Broker/Distributors.

In 2016, Anita led the Customer Service & Logistics Center of Excellence where she developed the COE Strategy focused on delivering value in business process effectiveness and capability development across the Plan to Cash organization. Anita has served as the lead on the Mondelēz International Global Diversity Task Force and as an Officer for the Network of Executive Women’s Northern California Region.

An avid reader, Anita also delights in travel—through Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States as well as a few countries in Central America. Anita is married and makes her home in Northern California.

David Martindale Class of 1993

Marketing Director, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Oakland, California

Education: San Joaquin Memorial High School, Fresno, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) M.A, California State University, San Francisco (Literature)

Once Director of Community Relations for the Oakland Athletics, David is currently the Marketing Manager for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). He has won the prestigious “AdWheel Award” from the American Transportation Association three times.

David spends his free time learning the guitar, raising children, and is currently the Vice Chairman of the Integral Alumni Association. His passions include baseball, reading, and travel.

Anthony S. Musich Class of 1994

Real Estate Broker and Custom Auto Builder San Mateo, California

Education: Serra High School, San Mateo, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) B.S., Saint Mary’s College (Business Administration)

After graduation, Tony travelled around Europe. Upon returning, he went to work in the San Francisco Peninsula before joining the Family Real Estate Company in 1997. Tony became a Real Estate Broker in 1999 and has worked in the company ever since.

Tony worked on the Downtown San Mateo Association from 2000 to 2012 and served as a board member and President during that time. The Association worked on branding and redeveloping the future of the downtown area of San Mateo. In 2017, Tony opened an auto shop to build custom vehicles.

He drives ahead in both his vocations today.

When asked what affect the Integral Program has had on his life, Tony said: “In terms of how the Program has helped me, I would say that the way I approach things and how I deal with people has been better due to the Program. Thinking carefully about what you say and how you say it is critical and the Program helps sharpen that skill. I find that many times people may share the same words but mean different things by them. Identifying an agreed use and definition helps avoid mistakes and misjudgments. The Program helps when working on legal documents and contracts in the business world. While I did not go to law school, the Program exercised me in reading complicated texts and identifying their true meaning. This is very helpful in the business world today. I feel one of the best results of the Program is the ability to discuss politics and world issues with almost anyone, and to be able to objectively argue subjects without being impersonal or closed to new ideas. Readiness to discuss a subject on the facts, while being open to opposing ideas, is a real challenge in today's world but very important if we are to make progress and improve things that we feel need to change.”

Aaron Nelson Class of 1995

Author, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, State Fund Insurance Co. Shingle Springs, California

Education: Granada High School, Livermore, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Chicago (Philosophy)

Aaron’s hometown is Livermore, California. Upon finishing his M.A. at Chicago, he began pursuing writing as a vocation. Aaron's unlimited appetite for narrative in all forms was fed copiously as an undergraduate, as he read great books and translated ancient Greek literature. In the Integral Curriculum, he began to seriously consider the nature of the stories and the ideas behind them. Greek tragedy and 19th-century science fiction deeply influence his writing.

Aaron has published poetry, comics, essays, and graphic novels. His most successful graphic novel, Marlowe (Arcana Studios, 2008, 2012) takes its inspiration from Conrad's Heart of Darkness; “Simulating Terror" in the anthology Jack Bauer for President: Terrorism and Politics in 24," ed. Richard Mintner (BenBella Books, 2008) is among his most frequently cited essays.

Clearly, Aaron's business career is strictly avocational (press the point, and he may remind you that Wallace Stevens worked for an insurance company . . .).

Aaron is an enthusiast for Gaels basketball, barbequing, and (in his words) "watching my daughters play volleyball—though not necessarily in that order."

Lee A. McBride III Class of 1997

Associate Professor of Philosophy, College of Wooster Wooster, Ohio

Education: Hiram Johnson High School (West Campus), Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., Claremont Graduate University (Philosophy) Ph.D., Purdue University (Philosophy)

Lee grew up in Sacramento, California. From Saint Mary's he went directly into graduate study and is presently on the faculty of the College of Wooster. In 2018 he was appointed to the (visiting) D’Angelo Chair in the Humanities at St. John’s University in Queens, New York.

Lee’s areas of specialization are American Philosophy, Ethics, Political Philosophy, and the Philosophy of Race. He is currently working on two books, both under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing—a monograph (working title: Ethics and Insurrection: Boldly Confronting Oppression), and an edited collection of Leonard Harris’s philosophical work (A Philosophy of Struggle: The Leonard Harris Reader). Some of Lee's recent publications include:

• “Culture, Acquisitiveness, and Decolonial Philosophy,” in Decolonizing American Philosophy, eds. Corey McCall and Phillip McReynolds. Albany, New York: SUNY Press, forthcoming • “Race, Multiplicity, and Impure Coalitions of Resistance,” in Philosophizing the Americas: An Inter-American Discourse, eds. Jacoby Adeshei Carter and Hernando A. Estévez (New York: Fordham University Press, forthcoming) • “Racial Imperialism and Food Traditions” in The Oxford Handbook of Food Ethics, eds. Anne Barnhill, Mark Budolfson, and Tyler Doggett (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 333-344) • “Anger and Approbation,” in Moral Psychology of Anger, eds. Myisha Cherry and Owen Flanagan (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018, pp. 1-13) • “Insurrectionist Ethics and Racism” in The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Race, ed. Naomi Zack (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 225-234) • “Leftist Democratic Politics,” in Jahrbuch, Praktische Philosophie in globaler Perspektive [Yearbook Practical Philosophy in a Global Perspective], eds. Michael Reder, Dominik Finkelde, Alexander Filipovic, and Johannes Wallacher (Freiburg: Verlag Karl Alber, 2017, pp. 74-92)

Lee reports that the Integral Program benefited him in at least three ways. First, it trained him vigorously in both Euclidean deductive reasoning and Socratic dialectical inquiry—invaluable skills. Second, it provided him with the space and a nurturing environment to articulate hard questions and pursue unpopular lines of questioning. And third, it instilled in him self-reliance, a confidence in his own interpretation of a text or situation.

Apart from his academic life, Lee finds restoration and fulfillment in family, food, travel, cooking, and yoga.

Aco Alvarez Class of 1998

Chief Executive Officer, The Mice Groups San Mateo, California

Education: Fortuna High School, Scotia, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Aco is currently the CEO of The Mice Groups, a certified minority-owned California corporation founded in 2000, which provides customized staffing solutions. Under Aco's leadership, The Mice Groups has been recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in the Silicon Valley and one of the top 5000 fastest growing companies nationwide. Aco and his company have been featured several times in Silicon Valley and San Francisco Business Journal, profiling “Fastest Growing Private Companies” in the Bay Area.

Aco is deeply involved in helping the Integral Program grow and fund itself.

He is passionate about wine (and winemaking under his own label), about cooking (with panache and joy), eating (with joy and panache), music, reading, discussion—all things Integral, and all things at which Aco is at serious play.

75 2 Eric G. Fernandez Class of 2000

Attorney and Litigator, Lowenthal APC Sacramento, California

Education: Servite High School, Anaheim, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Paralegal Certificate, Saint Mary's College J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

Eric grew up in Brea, California. After graduating from the Integral Program, Eric spent an extra year obtaining a paralegal certification from St. Mary's College and spent a few years in paralegal practice, later attending law school. He was admitted to the California State Bar Association in 2010.

Eric currently works for Lowenthal APC as an Of Counsel Litigation Attorney, where he is growing the firm’s Real Estate Litigation practice. Eric is also a Real Estate Broker and owner of the real estate brokerage firm Collaborative Integrated Real Estate Services, Inc. If that is not enough, Eric is also an Adjunct Professor at MTI College ABA Paralegal School, where he teaches Introduction to Paralegalism, Basics of Legal Writing, Contract Law, and Advanced Legal Research and Writing.

Eric was counsel in the appellate case of Harbour Vista, LLC, v. HSBC Mortgage Services Inc. [(2011) 201 Cal.App.4th 1496], which was named one of ten most influential cases in 2011.

Apart from his legal work, Eric serves as a Lector at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Sacramento, California, and as a Recreational Youth Soccer Coach for Natomas Futbol Academy. He is a frequent speaker for the Sacramento Bar Association Real Property Section.

As to his own recreations, Eric reports: “I am truly passionate about ‘outdoor living.’ Part of the reason I love living in Sacramento is because I am minutes away from beautiful and serene hunting and fishing locations. I also enjoy camping with my family in the summer and taking my family to Tahoe to play in the snow during the winter." And he mentions, "Day trips to Napa, Amador, and Yolo Counties, where I can sample the variety of wines that Northern California has to offer.”

Staci Osborn Class of 2007

High School Civics Teacher and Attorney Sacramento, California

Education: Rio Americano High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of California, San Diego (Linguistics) J.D., Santa Clara University Teaching Cred., California State University, Sacramento (Biology and Social Science)

Staci grew up in Sacramento, California. During her time at St. Mary’s, Staci lived on campus all four years (including being a Resident Advisor her Senior year). In the fall of her Junior year, Staci studied abroad in Oxford through the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and traveled during Jan Term her Junior and Senior years to Ireland, Italy, Turkey, and the Holy Land.

After graduating from St. Mary’s, Staci took a year off to work as an administrative assistant and to teach science enrichment programs to elementary school children as a Mad Scientist. She began a PhD program in Linguistics at UCSD, focusing on neuro and cognitive linguistics. While at UCSD, Staci worked as a teaching assistant in the Revelle College writing program (HUM), which combined lectures on texts from Ancient Greece through the Twentieth Century with argumentative writing classes. Staci translated one of the texts for class (Gorgias’ “Encomium of Helen”) from Ancient Greek to English and lectured on that text to the class in lieu of the professor; she later delivered that lecture to the Integral students at St. Mary’s as a guest presentation.

With her master’s degree in hand, Staci began law school at Santa Clara University. After graduating and passing the California Bar Exam, Staci returned to Sacramento. While awaiting results from the bar exam, Staci taught community college classes in Government and US History. She worked briefly as an attorney in estate planning, then Staci returned to school to earn her teaching credential. She currently teaches in the North Natomas area of Sacramento at NP3 High School. The school is a civics themed school and has a high immigrant population. She teaches a variety of classes depending on the current needs of the school, including: Biology, AP Biology, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Economics and Civil Law, and AP Research. She also coaches the school’s Mock Trial and Moot Court teams.

Staci is a lifelong learner who enjoys studying languages, learning more about history, and traveling internationally.

Laura F. Gibble (Gibble-Fisco) Class of 2009

Principal Tax and Estate Attorney, LFGF Law San Francisco Bay Area/Mill Valley, California

Education: Notre Dame High School, San Jose, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Golden Gate University LL.M., Golden Gate University (Taxation)

Laura is a practicing attorney and the Founding attorney of LFGF Law. She earned a number of honors during her years in law school, including graduating with her LL.M. in Taxation with Honors, Certificate of Distinction Taxation, Honors Lawyering Program, Dean's List throughout Law School, and Witkin Award in Wills & Trusts. At Saint Mary’s, Laura graduated magna cum laude.

Laura has been engaged in a number of interesting and varied activities in addition to her day-today law firm life, some of which are or have been Events Chair for the Hive at the Academy of Sciences; Co-Historian and active member Queen's Bench Bar Association; ALRP Panel Attorney; Urban Forester San Francisco; Heritage Foundation, San Francisco; Estate and Probate Section Co-Chair of the MCBA; Board member of the Solo/Small Firm Section of BASF; Board member of the Marin County Women Lawyers; and active member of the Pro Bono Society. She also participated in the J.A.G. Officer Training Program for the USMC.

Laura is an active Catholic and is passionate about life. She says,” Life! Life is never dull. Life is an Adventure meant to be experienced, not a movie to be watched. There is always something to learn, something to do, beauty to marvel at. I am particularly passionate about learning and growing as an individual, which was reinforced and nurtured in me by my time in Integral. Contributing my time to the world around me is incredibly important as well. I focus in on nature and animals, but also give what time I can to anyone who might need my assistance. Sharing what knowledge I have and spreading the passion of learning, are really key aspects of life for me. I could go on and on and on....”

She is also passionate about her experience as an Integral graduate. “There's so much that can be done with our Integral background. The teachings and open approach to education really shaped who I am today. Emphasizing and focusing on thinking is such a fundamental, yet forgotten, part of life. I absolutely love how every graduate of the program has chosen their own path and really embraced the possibilities.” Laura is always open to meeting other Integral graduates and students.

Laura enjoys living life to the fullest with her husband, Gavin, while building her own legal practice after years in the corporate world.

Chris Orme Class of 2009

Global Sales Operations Lead, Amazon Web Services El Sobrante, California

Education: San Joaquin Memorial High School, Fresno, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law

Born in Huntington Beach, Chris grew up (from age 2) in the Central Valley, just north of Fresno, and found his way to Saint Mary's and the Integral Curriculum in part through the historical connection of SJMHS to the Brothers of the Christian Schools. At Saint Mary's, Chris (like many) underwent a "destiny adjustment" at the hands of Br. Donald Mansir, FSC, whose January Term travel class introduced Chris to Israel and the West Bank. After graduation, Chris returned to Israel, spending nine months as a volunteer at the Creche (Holy Family Children's Hospital), Bethlehem. Between spending time with the children, shuttling supplies between Israel and the West Bank, and being the hospital's lone native English-speaker, Chris found time to travel all over the West Bank, Israel, and Jordan. He has been a traveler (not a tourist) ever since.

Upon returning from the Middle East, Chris went to work in sales for a technology company. Directly, he discovered that cold-calling was no part of—was not so much as instrumental to— his notion of flourishing, so he applied to law school and enrolled at the University of San Francisco, nights. While working full time and going to law school, Chris stumbled into a career in Finance Operations. He has worked at several technology companies around the Bay Area and ran his own consulting company for a couple of years before returning full time to a tech start-up in the Spring of 2018.

Chris’s interests are varied. Professionally, he enjoys the intersection of law and technology, and likes to poke around among the nuts and bolts of what makes a business run. Personally, he enjoys attending almost any type of performing art event. He tries to run about 30 miles a month and still finds some time to play indoor soccer. He aims to explore at least one new country a year and has been to 34 of the 50 US states. He reads world history and drinks craft beer—both judiciously.

Amanda Pimentel Class of 2009

Attorney Stockton, California

Education: Merrill F. West High School, Tracy, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Humphrey’s College School of Law

Amanda is currently employed in private practice, focusing on representing children and parents in the dependency system.

Amanda's interests include traveling, reading, and singing (loudly and poorly). Amanda speaks Portuguese and Spanish (conversationally). She also enjoys playing poker, cooking, gardening, crocheting, and dancing. Thanks to Integral, she also loves bird watching.

Amanda’s comments on Integral: “I cannot express how critical the Integral Program has been to me. While I was in the program, I was not only able to acquire life-long friends and bonds, but wonderful tools that I utilize every day. These are the same tools that I use in my work. The Integral Program taught me to be logical, persuasive, clear, concise, and critical. I learned to question others, texts, and myself.”

Alex Branch Class of 2010

U.S. Navy, Linguist Somewhere with the Fleet

Education: Columbia Falls High School, Columbia Fall, Montana B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) A.A., Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA (Persian-Farsi)

Alex grew up in Columbia Falls, Montana. Columbia Falls has about 4,800 year-round residents and is located only 14 miles from the western entrance to Glacier National Park. He graduated from Columbia Falls High School. Alex matriculated at St. Mary’s in the Integral Program and was the Valedictorian for his class of 2010.

After graduating from the Integral Program, Alex obtained an Associate degree in Persian-Farsi from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He is currently employed as a US Navy Linguist on Active Duty in the Navy as a Petty Officer First Class (Enlisted, E-6).

During his military service, Alex has deployed onboard submarines in the US CENTCOM area of operations and has worked as a shore-based language analyst in Georgia and Maryland in support of national and naval intelligence missions.

In addition to the service to his country, Alex has also served the less fortunate. He lived in community with the Christian Brothers for three years after Saint Mary's. “I served with them as a Lasallian Volunteer for two years at LaSalle School for Boys in Albany, NY, and independently for one year as a volunteer at Universidad de La Salle, Proyecto Utopia, El Yopal, Casanare, Colombia.”

When asked what his passions are, he said: “My passion for public service began at St. Mary's. Through contacts with the Brothers there I was able to volunteer as a math teacher in New Zealand while still a student, then as a recreation coordinator in Albany, NY as an LV, and as an EFL professor [English as a Foreign Language] at a university in South America. When I returned to the United States, my passion for service led me to join the military, and my talent for languages and interest in culture naturally inclined me toward becoming a linguist. After the military, I intend to apply for a position as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the US State Department, continuing to leverage my passion for service and my love of cultures while furthering American foreign policy.”

Patrick Buelna Class of 2010

Attorney Oakland, California

Education: Providence High School, Burbank, California B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., University of California, Hastings College of Law

Patrick’s hometown is Healdsburg, California. However, he graduated from Providence High School, in Burbank, California.

Patrick is a practicing attorney, graduating cum laude from UC Hastings. After graduating magna cum laude from the Integral Program and before law school, he taught Middle School in Bronx, New York, for Teach for America and volunteered for a year at an orphanage in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Patrick is a civil rights Attorney with the Law Offices of John Burris, representing families of the victims of police brutality. Many of the cases he works on are regularly in the news.

Aside from the law, Patrick is passionate about the Oakland Raiders and Golden State Warriors and surfs as often as possible. He says, “I still love reading the classics (Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, & Plato remain my favorites). I love to garden and travel with my wife.”

Natalie Franzini Class of 2010

Law Student, University of California Hastings College of Law San Francisco, California

Education: Terra Linda High School, San Rafael, California B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum)

Currently Natalie is studying law at University of California, Hastings College of Law in San Francisco.

After graduating from the Integral Program, Natalie worked for a number of non-profits and later was a loan specialist for a lending firm. Natalie is currently working in criminal defense and plans on doing criminal appeals after graduation.

Aside from studying law, Natalie enjoys ceramics, watercolor, rock climbing, gardening, and cooking. Before law school, she took two years of ceramics classes at Diablo Valley College for, as Natalie has said, “I’m planning on continuing to take classes and explore other areas that interest me. The Integral value of being a lifelong learner still resonates with me.”

Stefanie Wang Class of 2010

Assistant Professor, Smith College Northampton, Massachusetts

Education: Glen A. Wilson High School, Hacienda Heights, California B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) Additional Study, Smith College (Mathematics) Ph.D., Iowa State University (Mathematics)

Stephanie grew up in Hacienda Heights, California, and graduated from Glen A. Wilson High School. After graduating from the Integral Program, Stephanie entered Smith College to study mathematics where she was Post baccalaureate Program in Mathematics (2010-2011). This is a one-year bridge program for women who wish to pursue doctorates in mathematics and have a math minor/light math major background. After a gap year of working, she went on to earn her Ph.D. at Iowa State University in May 2017.

Stephanie is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Smith College. She has published numerous academic papers and has received a number of awards, among those are:

• 2018-2019 Writing Fellow, Allan K. Smith Center for Writing and Rhetoric, Trinity College ($2,000) • 2017-2019 Harold L. Dorwart Research Award ($1,500 annually) • 2017-2018 Project NExT Fellow, Mathematical Association of America • Apr 2017 AWM Research Symposium Poster Session, First Place • Fall 2016 Robert J. Lambert Mathematics Research Award, Iowa State University ($1,000) • Fall 2015 Graduate College Teaching Excellence Award, Iowa State University ($500)

When asked what her passions are, she said: “My hobbies include powerlifting, yoga, reading, knitting, and cooking. These hobbies developed over time as positive creative outlets and as methods of destressing. Diving into a good book excites me. I’m in the long con of making friends in math who like to hold Integral-esque conversations.”

George Emmons Class of 2012

Attorney San Ramon, California

Education: California High School, San Ramon, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law

After graduating summa cum laude from Saint Mary's, George (a native of San Ramon), worked in the Bay Area as an Account Executive for Comcast Spotlight (2012–16), then entered Golden Gate University School of Law, where he was elected to the Law Review and graduated among the top 5% of his class. George is a member of the Oregon and California Bar Associations.

George's 2019 Schulman Essay in Criminal Law, "Domestic Violence Laws & the INA: How Domestic Violence Perpetrators Attain Immigration Benefits," for the California Lawyers Association was an award winner (one of five statewide). That essay joins his "The Unseen Harm: U.S.-Indian Relations and Tribal Sovereignty" (48 Golden Gate University Law Review 185 [2018]), as an earnest showing of George's intention to make authorship intrinsic to his legal career.

From his days in the Integral Program, George has been an avid student of comparative politics (his Senior Essay treated Tocqueville's Democracy in America, assessing Tocqueville's analysis of 19th century "administration" against the "No Child Left Behind" Act). George professes himself regularly amazed at the capacity of regimes to evolve against theorists' expectations.

By way of less scholarly recreations, George is an accomplished juggler and is known to shoot a pretty respectable game of pool.

Ian Parelius Class of 2013

Theology Teacher, Cardinal Newman High School Santa Rosa, California

Education: St. Vincent De Paul High School, Petaluma, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum, Philosophy) M.T.S., Boston College (Theology)

Ian grew up in Petaluma, California. Catholic religious life has always been a very important part of his world. He was a Dominican Novice for eight months in the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and stayed in the Priory at St. Dominic’s in San Francisco, California. Ian left the Novitiate and later married. He and his wife have a daughter.

When asked what excites him, Ian said: “First and foremost my Catholic faith. It animates my entire life, from my marriage and family to my vocation as a teacher. Also, I love craft beer, bourbon, and Bible studies. Before COVID-19 I led a weekly Bible study at the local taproom with some friends from church. Finally, I grew up learning to play piano and fell in love with classical music. My wife and one-year old daughter love to hear me play anything by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, or Chopin.”

Alexis Reynoso Class of 2013

Financial Advisor, Centaurus Financial Riverside, California

Education: Riverside Polytechnic High School, Riverside, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.S., University of Southern California (Psychology)

Alexis grew up in Riverside, California. Upon completion of her graduate studies, she returned to Riverside and joined Centaurus Financial. In 2018, she became a junior partner, having achieved licensure by State examination as a Life Agent, authorized to offer financial advice and execute commodities, futures, and securities transactions on clients' behalf. In addition to curating the company's marketing, web, and social media presence, Alexis is in the process of taking over a financial practice.

Asked what her passions are, Alexis wrote: "I spend a lot of free time with my music collection, digital and vinyl. My Master's is in psychology, so I keep one foot in the social-psych realm, reading up on new developments and training in the Meyers-Briggs system. I'm starting a side project as a freelance writer, and I've started picking up the piano: I get bored easily, and I like new puzzles. Other than that, traveling takes up most of my free time: I try to go to at least one new place every year--so far, my favorite is New Zealand."

Shane Blunk Class of 2014

Medical Student Elk Grove, California

Education: Rosemont High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) Further Study, Bennington College (Pre-Med Certificate) Medical Student, Northstate University College of Medicine

Shane grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated from Rosemont High School. On orientation day at Saint Mary’s, he felt drawn to the Integral Program and changed his plans from pursuing the traditional pre-med route. While in the Integral Program he was awarded the Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for 2014. After graduating from St. Mary’s, Shane attended Bennington College for a one-year post baccalaureate pre-med certificate. Shane is currently a medical student at California Northstate University College of Medicine. He is attending medical school through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) with the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant.

When reflecting on his route to medicine, he notes his time in Integral as key to his journey. As a student, he feels confident in his ability to read and digest primary material or information from textbooks. As a clinician, he recognizes that the thought patterns he cultivated in the Integral Program guide him through the detective work of diagnosing illnesses. And finally, as a physician in training, he appreciates the interpersonal skills he developed while in Integral, most notably communication, teamwork, and leadership. Above all this, however, he feels that the Integral Program helped transform his naive desire to be a doctor into a well-developed motivation to live out his sense of being through a career in medicine.

Before going back to school for his medical degree, Shane taught in an Elementary school and was an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Sacramento County.

Shane wrote a reflective piece about the whirlwind delivery of his son entitled “Everything Goes Smoothly Until It Doesn’t” which was published in the journal Progress Notes by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2019.

After medical school, Shane will complete residency training through the U.S. Army and practice medicine for at least four years in the military before either continuing his career in the military or entering civilian practice. He is passionate about the art of medicine, serving others, and, of course, the Sacramento Kings. He derives joy from quality time with his wife, daughter, and son amidst the busyness of medical training.

Shannon O’Leary Class of 2014

International Librarian Novi, Michigan

Education: Mercy High School, Farmington Hills, Michigan B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) MLIS, Wayne State University

Shannon grew up in Birmingham, Michigan and graduated from Mercy High School in Farmington Hills. After graduating from the Integral Program with a minor in East Asian Studies, Shannon received her Master of Library and Information Science with Archival Administration certification from Wayne State University.

She is currently an International Librarian at Novi Public Library in Novi, Michigan. She presented at the 2019 Statewide Librarian’s Conference (MLA) on “What to do with an International Collection.”

Shannon has loved Japanese culture for a long time. In college she found the Japanese Popular Culture Club and, through the help of her friends in that club, she discovered that Saint Mary's College actually offered Japanese. “I did a Jan Term for Japanese I and I was completely hooked,” she said. “The language is a beautiful, complex, lyrical language and I had tons of fun studying and learning about Japan. With the help of my friends and family I spent about 1 month wandering around Japan, and another month studying in Tokyo. I loved that country so much I went back this year for 2 weeks of absolute bliss. Between the castles, the people, and the beautiful landscape of Mt. Fuji, I really fell in love with a country and culture. I'm so happy that I can use my knowledge of Japanese language and culture here at my job. I get to meet not only people who are from Japan, but people who, just like me, fell in love with the country.”

When asked what excites her, Shannon said: “I enjoy reading and speaking Japanese. I love my job as it enables me to work with people from various cultures, speaking various languages. I order books in about 16 different languages and films in about 40. I am currently full-time, and my job is to meet the needs of our hugely diverse Novi Community. Since I love reading, this job as a librarian is perfect for me. I am able to select and recommend books for all different people and talk to others who also enjoy reading.”

Gabriela Siller-Michel (Gabi Michel) Class of 2014

Market Researcher, Sacramento Municipal Utility District Sacramento, California

Education: Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.P.A., University of San Francisco

Gabi is an accomplished policy and public opinion researcher: her turnkey policy research on the McKinley Vento Act and its effects on homelessness earned Capstone Master's recognition from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

A self-described "political junkie," Gabi writes regularly on politics, social justice, and public policy as an Editorial Fellow for the on-line Tempest, and blogs on her own Political Junkie Wire; she's been a facilitator for the Chicano Youth Leadership Project and volunteers as a tutor.

As to more leisurely leisure, Gabi notes, "I'm currently taking up Bikram Yoga, and I have a nephew that I adore and love spending time with."

Gabi is currently applying to doctoral studies in political science, looking to concentrate in political theory and methodology.

Somel Talwar (née Jammu) Class of 2014

Proposal Manager, Armanino LLP California

Education: Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, CA B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

My name is Somel (pronounced SO-mull). I loved reading and writing growing up and knew I wanted to do something in English, journalism, or communications for undergrad. The Integral booth caught my eye during orientation – I remember speaking with Tutor Riley and being fascinated by the idea of reading and discussing texts instead of being told what to memorize for a degree. There are times, since graduation, explaining my background in Integral has been difficult and I’m sure I’ve been passed over in job apps for not having the clear-cut English major background. But Integral changed my life, personally and professionally.

I was already a thinker but Integral really encouraged and taught me how to think critically and intelligently question everything around us. I’m proud to tell people what and how we studied, and I’ve still kept in contact with many of my tutors. While I might have been passed over for certain jobs, I’ve also gotten certain jobs because interviewers and prospective employers love hearing about the unique background Integral gives me. I minored in Creative Writing while at SMC and had an internship in New York right after graduation, screening manuscripts and proofreading for a fiction publisher. I knew I wanted to have a career related to writing, marketing, or teaching, and I’ve been able to do that. Now, about 6.5 years later, I’m a Proposal Manager for the largest accounting firm in California (Armanino LLP). I work with executives, partners, business development managers, and marketing folks across the firm. I have no background in accounting or business, but I’ve been able to adapt and excel simply because Integral taught me how to think. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without Integral, and Saint Mary’s overall.

Michael Gonzalez Class of 2015

School Teacher, Glendale Preparatory Academy Glendale, Arizona

Education: Serra Catholic High School, Aliso Viejo, California B.A., St. Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum, Ancient Greek) M.A., University of Chicago (Humanities)

Michael grew up in Aliso Viejo, California, and graduated from Serra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California. While at Saint Mary’s, Michael graduated with a double major in both the Integral Liberal Arts Program and in Ancient Greek. After graduation, Michael received an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago with an emphasis on Philosophy and Ancient Greek.

Michael is currently teaching at Glendale Preparatory Academy, a liberal arts public charter school in Glendale, Arizona, that aims to deliver a classically based education. All his classes aim to use primary sources to deliver the content of each class. In his 6th grade Science class, he teaches the Philosophy of Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, one topic each quarter. He often describes the class as teaching Aristotle to 11-year-olds. He also teaches a 9th grade Humane Letters class, a daily 2-hour seminar alternating between American History and Literature units. The goal of the class is to understand American History through the primary source documents that have shaped the country. Lastly, he teaches 11th grade Ancient Greek where the goal is to build a strong foundation for 12th grade Ancient Greek where the students read Plato, Lysias, Homer, and various chapters of the Gospel. He especially enjoys reading Aesop’s Fables with his 11th graders.

Michael has been honored this past summer with acceptance in a week program (7/21/19- 7/26/19) hosted by the White House History Teacher Institute in Washington D.C. This program included seminars, lectures, and private tours of the White House, State Department, Library of Congress, and the National Portrait Gallery. Many of his colleagues use the summer for professional development programs and he hopes to discover more programs to attend and deepen his passion for teaching.

When asked what excites him, Michael said, “I love reading the Great Books with my students and sharing my excitement for philosophy and Ancient Greek with them every day. I coached basketball for 2 years as a JV head coach and Varsity assistant but now I just announce each home game. I still play basketball often and organize a weekly on-campus game with the dads of students. In my spare time, I enjoy going to the Symphony, Suns (NBA) games, and traveling during our school breaks. But most of all, I love teaching. I miss my years in the Integral program and teaching at my particular school has allowed me to stay close to the Great Books while also sharing that passion with my students.”

Patrick Jameson Harrington Class of 2015

Attorney, Legal Extern Compliance Department, Sands Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada

Education: Servite High School, Anaheim, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) J.D., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Boyd School of Law LL.M., University of Nevada, Boyd School of Law (Gaming Policy and Regulation)

An interest in gaming law led Patrick to the UNLV Boyd School of Law where he earned Highest Pro Bono Honors and where he authored (with Jennifer Roberts and Andre Wisenach) "Let's Not Forget About Internet Gambling" in Nevada Gaming Lawyer (2018). Patrick is currently working in the Legal Extern Compliance Department of the Las Vegas Sands Hotel. “Gaming law," he avers, "is a fascinating area of law that many don’t know about."

Now launched on a career, Patrick looks forward to marrying his SMC sweetheart.

Andrew Nguyen Class of 2015

Graduate Student, Theology and Philosophy Berkeley, California

Education: St. Francis High School, Mountain View, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum) M.A., University of Notre Dame (Education) M.A. Cand., Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

Andrew grew up in the Bay Area, principally in San Jose, California., and graduated from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View. He was honored as the Saint Mary’s class of 2015 Valedictorian.

While working on his graduate courses, Andrew was a middle school English teacher at Saint Anne’s Parish School in Santa Ana, California, from 2015 through 2017, and then was a Residential Faculty member for sophomores at Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto, California, from 2017-2019.

Andrew has been recognized by the following academic awards, conferences, and memberships:

• University of Notre Dame, presentation at ACE Teaching Fellows Conference, 2016 • Saint Mary’s College, Class Valedictorian, 2015 • Saint Mary’s College, Integral Program, St. Thomas Aquinas Award, 2015 • Saint Mary’s College, Intercultural Center, Student Leader and Student Scholar Awards, 2015 • Saint Mary’s College, School of Economics and Business Administration’s Guyette Leadership Fellows, inaugural member and alumni mentor, 2015

When asked what his passions are, Andrew listed: The intersection of Education, Philosophy, and Theology along with topics of identity, diversity, and culture. His current areas of interest and research are Christian ethics, moral philosophy, and theology at DSPT. As an example of his interests, Andrew listed his Integral Program Senior Essay topic: “Seeking Truth: Pistis and Episteme, Faith and Knowledge”, a comparison between Plato’s Republic and Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason on the limits of human reason and the role of faith in reaching Truth and God. His goals are acceptance into a PhD program and academic life; or continued teaching and working in education.

Jonathan "Jon" Gumz Class of 2016

Senior Annuity Product Coordinator, Pacific Life Insurance Company Newport Beach, California

Education: Woodbridge High School, Irvine, California B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

A native of the Orange County city, Tustin, Jon grew up in Southern California. After graduating from the Integral Program, Jon began working in the Insurance Industry, moving rapidly into financial analysis and his current position with Pacific Life (a Fortune 300 company).

Jon is a Series 6, FIRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) licensed financial professional. For Pacific Life's Retirement Solutions Division, Jon teaches financial advisors from various Pacific Life-affiliated brokerages about the company's annuity products, services in-force annuity contracts, trains new employees, and helps update internal documentation to ensure the various resources used by his department are current.

A member of the Junior Classical League (JCL) in his high school days, Jon continues to promote education in the classics as a volunteer with the National Senior Classical League (NSCL) and the California Senior Classical League (CASCL), organizations that support the National Junior Classical League (NJCL) as it promotes the study of Latin and ancient Greek in middle school, high school, and college (see https://www.cajcl.org and https://www.njcl.org ). Currently, he serves as Advisor to the CASCL Executive Board and on various committees of the NSCL. In the past he has served as an officer on the NSCL Executive Board. Jon’s work for the JCL has ranged from building websites to helping write competitive tests for middle and high school Latin students to take at annual conventions, refereeing various athletic events for the JCL students. Jon has been recognized twice by the NSCL for merit in service to the organization through NCCL's 2014 and 2017 Hal Rather Award.

Jon is an outdoorsman who frequents the national parks, local and regional hiking trails, campgrounds, and the Southern California beaches, surfing with his younger brother. He is also dedicated to promoting conservation and sustainable practices. As a volunteer with the Parks Project, he helps to restore hiking trails, to remove non-native species, to clean up watersheds, etc.

Alyson Runke Class of 2016

Librarian, Saint Mary's College St. Albert Library Moraga, California

Education: Bourgade Catholic High School, Phoenix, Arizona B.A., Saint Mary’s College (Integral Curriculum) MLIS, University of Arizona As a professional librarian, Alyson supervises the service desk and manages the reserve collection at the Saint Mary’s College Library. When asked what she is passionate about she stated: “I love stories. I am an aspiring Young Adult Author and read as much as I can. I also enjoy cosplaying as characters from my favorite stories such as anime or Disney characters. I create the costumes and go to comic conventions to show them off and socialize with other nerdier fellows.”

Jack Iles Class of 2017

Sales Representative, Otis McAllister, Inc. Oakland, California

Education: Clovis High School, Clovis, California B.A. Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Jack's employer, Otis McAllister, Inc., is a global trade company based out of Oakland, California. Work occupies much of Jack’s time, but he still enjoys getting out for a little birding or fly fishing.

The Integral Program and St. Mary’s College, Jack reckons, have fostered his love of learning and of intellectual adventuring: he continues to read from a diverse selection of books.

Jack intends to enroll, in the near future, in law school.

Dylan Connell Class of 2018

Poet, Performer, Author Oakland, California

Education: Boulder High School, Boulder, Colorado B.A., Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Dylan is heavily involved in Oakland’s poetry scene. He does slam poetry solo, but also rap, and he performs with a group. He and his group have performed in Oregon and Colorado, but mostly in Oakland, at the Alan Blueford Center for Justice, the Legionnaire Saloon, and the Quilumbo Community Center. In addition to performing, Dylan runs a monthly series of articles on Bay Area artists with the non-profit Tatu Vision.

Dylan’s performance and writing careers can be traced back to Saint Mary’s and the Integral Program: he first began performing at "Open Mic" on campus, and the Junior Language Tutorial set him to analyzing poetics, which helped him develop his craft. In his senior year, he self- produced an album. Dylan’s Senior Essay was a mixed text as it incorporated a work of short- story fiction, paired with a reflective essay—a bit "non-traditional," it let him work with a certain freedom and allowed him to grow as a writer.

Dylan is currently applying to graduate programs for creative writing and working on a first novel, which aims to explore issues of homelessness and climate change.

Ornella Tchoumie Class of 2020

Cisco Systems Oakley, California

Education: Freedom High School, Oakley, California B.A. Saint Mary's College (Integral Curriculum)

Fluent in English and French, her native language, Ornella had a multi-year internship, and extensive training, with Cisco Systems while at SMC. After graduating, she went to work at Cisco and, perhaps, in due course, will find a start-up company to engage her. In the meantime, she finds that the skills she has homed in the Integral classroom and laboratory—asking profound questions, listening with open attention, leading conversational inquiry—have helped her excel at work.

Ornella has discovered how much she enjoys philosophy. The readings from the Junior Laboratory and Seminar have her wondering whether, and how, the way of practicing philosophy has changed over time. As she nears completion of the Program, Ornella says, in retrospection: "I had always hated math and the sciences, but now I am intrigued by Euclid, Newton, Galileo, Einstein, Lavoisier, Descartes, all of them! The Integral Program has opened my eyes to a different way of understanding the world around me and I am thankful for that.”