Celebrating Saint Leo: Homecoming ’22 Presidential Brunch and Alumni Awards

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By Alora Peters, Editor-in-Chief

Saint Leo University celebrated community, family, the future, and the accomplishments of the university’s many distinguished alumni during the Homecoming 2022 weekend.

Events included the Lions Rally Fall Festival, the 50^th reunion of the class of ’72, a student talent show, the annual Brews and Bites dinner, and alumni baseball, basketball, and softball games.

Notably, however, the morning of October 22 opened with the Presidential Brunch and presentation of the ’21 and ’22 Alumni Awards.

The ceremony was held in Saint Leo’s Wellness Center for the first time. Many returning alumni were impressed with the new building and other recent updates made to University Campus.

“We’re amazed at the new buildings, especially the Wellness Center,” said Robert Gibree ’85. “This wasn’t here when we were.”

*Christine Gibree, the recipient of the ’21 Distinguished Alumna Award, is pictured here with her husband, Robert Gibree. Both of them met as freshmen at Saint Leo in 1981. (Photo by Alora Peters)*

The event opened with a brunch, which provided alumni and their families an opportunity to interact with each other and with current faculty, staff, and students.

“All of the alumni I’ve met so far have been nothing short of fantastic,” said J. Paul Schellenberg, a junior majoring in business management and a student representative on the Alumni Board of Directors. “They are nothing but accommodating and welcoming to new students.”

Following introductory remarks by Dr. Stephen Kubasek, the vice president of university advancement, and a blessing by Fr. Lucius Amarillas, the prior of Saint Leo Abbey, Saint Leo Alumni Association President Gary Gustafson presented awards to honor 17 alumni.

Awards presented included the Roaring Onward Award, which recognized outstanding alumni who graduated in the past ten years; the Benedictine Spirit Award, which recognized alumni who live out the Benedictine Core Values and who are devoted to the Saint Leo community; the Distinguished Alumnus/a Award, which recognized an alumnus or alumna who excelled in professional goals; and the Global Service Award, which recognized alumni who served the community in another country.

Many of the award recipients expressed a love both for Saint Leo and for the ways they are able to serve the community now. “I look forward to going to work every day,” said awardee Christine Gibree, who owns an assisted living facility in Seminole, Florida. (Photo by Alora Peters)

The awardees are as follows:

Roaring Onward Class of 2021:

Andrew Specht ’17, ‘22

Seth Gross ‘17

Jerry Blash ‘14

Anthony Santa ‘12

Mercy Figueroa ‘17

2021 Benedictine Spirit Award:

Joseph Byrne ‘74

2021 Distinguished Alumnus/a Award:

Christine Gibree ‘85

2021 Global Service Award:

Gianfranco Pagan ‘21

Roaring Onward Class of 2022:

Allison Baldwin ‘15

Krystal Cox ‘12

Benjamin Larison ‘14

Mohammed “Ammar” Mohrat ’17

Bobrenti “Brent” Patterson ’21

2022 Benedictine Spirit Award:

Natoy Baker ’11, ’20

2022 Distinguished Alumnus/a Award:

Peter Mulry ’67

James Salgado ’07, ’14

2022 Global Service Award:

Haywood Barnes ’93

The Presidential Brunch and Alumni Awards marked one of the first occasions for the Wellness Center to be used for a formal event. “We’re really blessed to have this new facility,” said Dr. Stephen Kubasek. (Photo by Alora Peters)

Maureen Wickert ’77 and ’98, who helped to evaluate the nominations for the Alumni Awards, said it was an “amazing” experience to learn about the achievements of Saint Leo’s alumni.

“I got to hear these incredible stories of accomplishment,” Wickert said. “When we’re here as kids, we don’t realize the opportunities or the things we’re going to accomplish. It’s humbling.”

Many of the award recipients expressed an appreciation for the Benedictine values present in their Saint Leo education.

“I was deeply impressed by the Core Values,” said Christine Gibree, recipient of the ’21 Distinguished Alumnus/a Award. “I use them in my business model.”

Other alumni awardees credited the Saint Leo community with their success.

“The one thing that keeps us connected is caring,” said Peter Mulruy, a ’22 Distinguished Alumnus/a awardee.

*Over 100 members of the Saint Leo University community were in attendance for the Presidential Brunch and Alumni Awards. (Photo by Alora Peters)*

The strength of the Saint Leo community was one of the most frequently cited sources of inspiration for the award recipients.

“Saint Leo altered the course of my life,” said Joseph Byrne, who received the ’21 Benedictine Spirit Award. “You were close, you looked out for each other, you cared for each other.”

Awardees also stressed that helping others and making a positive impact in the community around them is one of the most important parts of their work after graduation.

“To make a difference in the lives of others is the best thing that you can have,” said James Salgado, a ’22 Distinguished Alumnus/a Awardee.

*This year, Saint Leo combined the annual Fall Family Festival with Homecoming Weekend, branding it as the “Saint Leo Family Reunion.” (Photo by Alora Peters)*

Following the Alumni Awards, Dr. Edward Dadez, Saint Leo’s President, gave a brief presentation on the recent accomplishments of the university.

Among other achievements, Dadez highlighted the increasing number of students in the Honors program, Saint Leo’s 50^th anniversary of providing education for military students, the recent success of the Sporting Clays and GoldRush Dance teams, renovations made to the Marion Bowman Center, and the introduction of the new Leona chatbot and Navigate tool for students.

“I’m excited by the opportunities ahead of us,” said Dadez.