Two of a Kind, Kind

The Bannan Award and the Locatelli Award: “Jesuit doctor” and “Jesuit thinker” honored for their contributions to the University community.

President Michael Engh and Karrie Grasser

Bannan Award: Bart Lally ’59 (above) headed to college with very specific instructions from his mother: Become an engineer. But medicine was his calling, a realization he came to through the influence of Fr. Lou Bannan—whom Lally calls the epitome of a Jesuit: holy, sincere, and warm. Bannan also got Lally involved with the Alumni Association; he has served as national president and reunion chair. He has been an SCU regent, and, through his internal medicine practice, he became known affectionately as the unofficial doctor for Jesuits of the California Province.

Locatelli Award: Then there are the little things—which all have to be right for the big events in the life of a university. Thank event planner par excellence Karrie Grasser ’70 for orchestrating everything from presidential inaugurations for Fr. Locatelli and Fr. Engh, 150-year celebrations for the University in 2001, and the historic visit of the Dalai Lama. Her secret? Call it “Jesuit thinking”—the notion that no challenge is insurmountable. She also oversees the annual Golden Circle gala, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016.

post-image Photo by Paul Kitagaki Jr.
A Bilingual Storyteller

Producer Griselda Ramirez ’08 shares her experience producing Rihanna’s NFL halftime show interview and how studying Spanish at SCU impacted her career.

How to Dress to Save the World

Innovation analyst Jyotsna Gopinath ’19 discusses small steps to addressing a big fashion problem.

Keeping Current

Alexis Loera ’21, M.S. ’21 signed a new three-year contract with the Kansas City Current getting her one step closer to the U.S. Women’s National Team.

What Goes Round

Dennis Awtrey ’70 recalls his career as a pro basketball player.