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| Volume #1 Issue #3 Date: April 2017
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|  | Jamal Nixon '17 grabs a rebound in the Friars'
semi-final victory over the Bloomington Raiders. |
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Thank you for the opportunity, Peoria! As most of Friar Nation knows, this past season on the hardwood marked an historic run for the Fenwick Friars boys’ basketball team, which claimed its first sectional title since 1998 and advanced to play for a state championship in Class 3A. Yes, we ultimately lost the final game in soul-draining fashion: 69-67 in overtime. But let’s not allow foul troubles and Morgan Park’s flurry of three-point shots in OT diminish what the Friars accomplished during a magical season that included 30 victories – the most wins ever in a season at Fenwick -- versus only five defeats.
For those alumni who did not get a chance to see the Friars hoop it up in person or on TV, here are some highlights from Fenwick’s best hardwood finish in 87 years: In addition to their IHSA 3A Regional, Sectional and Super-Sectional championships, the Friars went undefeated (a perfect 9-0) in the Chicago Catholic League (CCL) North Division for the second consecutive year and were
back-to-back CCL Tournament champs. Fenwick has dominated league play, winning 27 straight CCL games; its last conference loss came in February 2015. The Friars also are 2016 Fenwick John Malone Thanksgiving Tournament champions and placed fourth at the ultra-competitive Proviso West Holiday Tournament.
Hear from the coaches and read about some of the boys' individual accomplishments.
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| Mulcahy Wins Beering Scholarship from Purdue
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| Senior student Garrett Mulcahy '17 is the proud recipient of a Beering Scholarship from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. The 18-year-old, who resides in Elmhurst, plans to study mathematics in the fall of 2017. Garrett’s father, Patrick, is an English teacher on Fenwick’s faculty.
The generous Beering Scholarship will pay for all of Mulcahy’s educational expenses, including undergraduate tuition, room and board, and extends beyond his bachelor’s degree to cover graduate school expenses: either a master’s degree or MBA as well as one doctoral degree or medical school degree (the latter through Indiana University). Each year, only eight students from around the country are selected to receive the honor, based on their high school credentials and leadership skills, explains Catharine Patrone, student services director in Purdue’s Honors College.
“Garrett Mulcahy truly is an interdisciplinary student who loves everything from literature and languages, to science and math, and looks forward to reading French existentialist thinkers in their own tongue,” praises Diane Facinelli, Ph.D., assistant dean for recruitment and admissions at Purdue and a clinical professor in the university’s Honors College. “His plan at this stage in his life is to eventually obtain a Ph.D. in mathematics, but currently he is looking forward to absorbing as much of Purdue’s rich academic and extracurricular culture as possible as a member of the Purdue Honors College’s Class of 2022.
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Fenwick's WYSE Team Sectional Champions |
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After winning February's Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering (WYSE) competition against St. Ignatius and other local competitors, the Fenwick WYSE team advanced to the sectional competition held at North Central College in Naperville, IL. In a pool of five teams that each took first or second place in their respective regionals, Fenwick again grabbed the number-one spot with a perfect team score of 500 and advances to the state competition on April 20 in Champaign, IL.
The student's success is a testament to their hard work and the efforts of their coaches and teachers. A special "shout out" to faculty members Amy Christophell '06 and John Schoeph '95 for their efforts in prepping the students. On to state!
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| CCL Hall of Fame to Induct 4 Former Friars
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|  | A cardiothoracic surgeon in California, Tedesco '74 was an ironman at Fenwick. |
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Congratulations to former Fenwick football standout Dominic Tedesco '74, who on May 4 will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame. Tedesco was a two-way starter at Fenwick, playing tight end on offense and strong safety/ linebacker on defense. His fourth-quarter and overtime heroics -- a touchdown tying catch at the end of regulation and game-ending interception in overtime -- culminated in a Friars' victory over the Weber Red Horde. His senior season (1973) saw Fenwick defeat two different teams that each ranked #1 in the state. Dominic was named to the Catholic League All-Conference Team on offense and the All-State Team on defense. He received the Outstanding Student-Athlete Award from the Holy Cross Club of Chicago and was named to the New World All-America Team.
Tedesco went on to play at the University of Michigan while studying pre-med. He played on three Big Ten Championship teams, an Orange Bowl and Rose Bowls his junior and senior years. He was recognized by Sports Illustrated as one of the stars of the 1977 Rose Bowl game. He received All-Big Ten Academic Team honors in 1976 and 1977 and was named to the All-Big Ten Team in 1977. He was the first recipient of the Ernest T. Siglar Award presented annually to the outstanding University of Michigan scholar athlete.
Dominic attended Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and later did his general and cardiothoracic surgery residencies at Rush Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Center. He has been practicing cardiothoracic surgery in Southern California for 27 years and has performed more than 5,000 heart surgeries. Tedesco was invested as a Knight in the Order of Malta and serves on the medical team for the Order’s annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.
"I thank my mother, Delores, for being my biggest fan and supporter," says the soon-to-be Hall of Famer, who lives in Southern California with his wife, Carolyn, "who gave me my three greatest treasures in life: Nicholas, Quentin and Carina."
Joining Tedesco in the CCL HOF are three other 2017 inductees with Fenwick connections:
- Don Sebestyen, dean of students and head varsity football coach from 1981-86.
- Will Rey, Friars’ head varsity basketball coach from 1982-85, who also coached at Gordon Tech (now DePaul Prep) and is still coaching at the collegiate level.
- Ed Formanski, who served as a counselor for years at Fenwick before moving to Hinsdale Central High School.
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| Faculty Focus – Mary Marcotte
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| "In a word, the answer is atmosphere. But to explain atmosphere, I would point to the Dominican philosophy. The aura surrounding a Friar is one of developing leadership, seeking discourse in scholarship all the while united in Prayer. As a teacher here at Fenwick, I am constantly in awe of our students’ potential and am privileged to help them realize that potential."
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Ted Steinmeyer '16
Northwestern University | |  |
Jane Farrell '16
University of North Carolina | |
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Originally from Oak Park, Michael Hayes, Jr. '89 is the first of five siblings to graduate from Fenwick. Professionally, Hayes is an attorney and partner at Odelson & Sterk, Ltd. (Evergreen Park, IL), where he has worked for 10 years. The firm primarily represents municipalities, school districts, and other local governments and officials. “We cover a range of practice areas, for public and private clients, from litigation and appeals to contract and ordinance drafting,” he notes.
In addition to being a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Hayes recently was named president of the Fenwick Bar Association (FBA). In this new role he helped connect the FBA with Fenwick’s mock trial team, and he coordinated the FBA’s co-sponsorship of the Howlett Cup, a mock trial competition for Chicago area Catholic schools. Next, Hayes and the FBA will host the 21st Annual Accipiter Award Luncheon on Friday, May 12.
After Fenwick, Hayes went to the University of Illinois and then to law school at and DePaul. “My father is an attorney, and he worked for the State of Illinois until I was in college,” Mike says. “I became interested in law and government in large part because of that. I also worked for the state in a few different positions after becoming a lawyer, including positions in the General Assembly, Illinois Appellate Court, and Illinois Attorney General’s Office. I am in private practice now, but most of our work is government-related and for government clients and officials. Those prior experiences have helped me.”
Personally, Hayes and his family have resided in Riverside, IL, for the past nine years. Nicole, his wife, works in the marketing/advertising field in Chicago. The couple has a son, Jack (age 7), and two daughters, Caitlin (3) and Nora (2), all of whom attend St. Mary School in Riverside.
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New York Alumni Gathering
Tuesday, April 18 Young Alumni Association Boat Cruise
Thursday, June 22
Class of 1967 50th Reunion
Friday & Saturday, September 8 & 9 Pass the Torch Golf Outing
Thursday, September 21 at Oak Park Country Club
Homecoming and Reunions for Classes Ending in 2 and 7
Friday & Saturday, September 29 & 30 Grandparents Day
Wednesday, October 11 Mass of Remembrance
Sunday, October 29
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College acceptance letters are landing in our seniors' mailboxes. Do you remember the rush of nerves and excitement you had when your letters came to your mailbox? The Class of 2017 is certainly feeling the same way. By making a gift to Fenwick High School, you are helping to ensure that every class of graduates is as prepared for the college years as you were.
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Got something to share with your fellow alumni? Please send all of your alumni news and happenings to Director of Alumni Relations Cameron Watkins at cwatkins@fenwickfriars.com.
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