Strive for more

I always tell students one thing when they come into my office: “You’ve gotta put a goal for the year on the wall.”

They show up for candy and leave with a purpose. At least, that’s my hope.

 I’ve had what some would call an abrupt career change. UD helped me get my first job in technology, and it led to a successful 30-year career that allowed me to retire early and pursue a different purpose.

Now I’m the president of my alma mater, Benedictine High School, an all-male Catholic school in Cleveland, my hometown.

I grew up in a middle-class, blue-collar family. My parents were divorced. When it was time for high school, I was ready to head to the local public school. But my mom stepped in and said, “No, you’re going to Benedictine, and you’re going to make something of yourself.”

Well, Mom was right. I learned how to come out of my shell at Benedictine. I had great opportunities to play football, serve on student council and build strong relationships with guys who looked, talked and acted differently than me. Benedictine taught me that life is hard, but we learned the importance of ora et labora (prayer and work).

When I got to UD, I met and made friends with people who had much different family and financial backgrounds than I did, and it motivated me to be successful. I worked 18 hours a week and took 18 credit hours at a time. My goal was to finish school in four years because that’s what we could afford.

I had the good fortune of getting an internship through UD the summer after my sophomore year. That experience introduced me to the business world early on, it applied directly to my degree in management information systems, and it showed me what I could reach for.

That was the beginning of my journey with major players in the technology industry that later included NCR, IBM, VMware and Dell Technologies.

What I also learned at UD is the importance of relationships, being yourself and accepting who you are and who others are.

That’s something I try to share with my students now.

The interview process for my position as high school president was more intense than any of my other jobs. I hadn’t been an educator or administrator; I had never taught a class.

But I had a solid business background to draw from, along with a foundation in faith that was fostered all the way through college.

Benedictine doesn’t need me to be an educator or a teacher. Changes in the neighborhood and in Cleveland’s busing system have meant a declining enrollment in recent years. What the school needed was a leader with business sense.

As Benedictine approaches its centennial, I’m trying to introduce the students to the values that I gained while at UD — in relationships, hard work and aiming high.

So, when one of the guys stops by my office and asks for a piece of candy, I say, “Sure. But write down a goal first.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________

A version of this article appears in print in the Spring 2025 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 56. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE