Alumni eNews - April 2025

Dear SFHS Alumni,

You might remember the feeling that comes at this time of the school year – the buzz around spring sports, the sense of renewal as we celebrate the Easter season, and the bittersweet anticipation of graduation for our seniors.

There's a strong sense of community and faith that continues to be the cornerstone of our students' experience here and we're grateful to share it with you through our ongoing updates.

Below, check out some of our specific alumni highlights and upcoming events that you might be interested in. Wishing you and your families a blessed Easter!

Todd Shaw '89

Alumni Relations

tshaw@

sfhscollegeprep.org

(630) 668-5800 x1143

Calling all Classes from ‘0s and ‘5s – it's time to organize your next reunion! We're here to help, please reach out to start planning your event.

Request a Transcript

Update Your Information

Alumni Career Panel - Thank You!

Thank you to our alumni who participated in a career panel for our sophomore students at the school on March 27!

Dan Alholm ‘95: Lawyer
Susan Jania ’04 Foley: CEO, Diamond Envelope Corporation
Krystian Link ‘07: Engineer
Matt MacPhail ‘89: Lawer/Entrepreneur
Mary Pat Keane ’90 Smith: Senior Director of Human Resources
Christina Tibble ‘06: PT, DPT, Brain Injury Coordinator
Nancy Wolfe ‘69: Lawyer

The panel was hosted in conjunction with the SFHS Counseling Department and Alumni Relations. "Our alumni shared great insights and perspectives with our students, and it was great having them in the building," said Same DePorter, SFHS Counselor and co-coordinator of the panel.

Alumni Spotlight: Meghan Shearer ‘09

Alumni Spotlight: Meghan Shearer '09

Meghan Shearer '09 first fell in love with the art of film making during Mr. John Schuller's class and the "UFO Club" he moderated after school.

"He would show us a film, and we'd talk extensively about the symbolism and the story, and it opened up my mind," she said.

Her passion has since blossomed into a successful career in Los Angeles. After two years at a new media startup, she began working at DreamWorks Animation, where she most recently served as the Production Supervisor on the Oscar-nominated DreamWorks film “The Wild Robot.” Her impressive resume continues with contributions to “Boss Baby 2” and “Kung Fu Panda 4” and internships at “Saturday Night Live” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

“I knew I wanted to get into entertainment,” she said. “I did theatre all four years at St. Francis and I love putting on a show.”

Read More About Meghan's Career in Film

2025 Art Show & Jazz Night

Join us for the 2025 Art Show and Jazz Night from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Friday, April 11, in Slantdome!

Enjoy an evening of artwork and music showcasing the talents of our Visual Artists and the SFHS Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Admissions is free!

Alumni Organize Book Fair in Batavia

McKenzie Burns '14 and Liz Vohasek '15 recently organized a special local author fair called "Book Fair & Brews" in Batavia.

The event was co-hosted by neighboring businesses Sturdy Shelter Brewing (which is owned by former Director of Pastoral Ministry Diane Mercadante) and Hearth & Hammer.

Over 35 local authors that span 13+ genres participated, many of whom were St. Francis alums.

"This event is a testament to the lasting connections fostered at St. Francis and how alumni continue to support one another long after graduation," Burns said. "The idea for this event came from my passion for supporting the local community, specifically small businesses and local creators, a value that was instilled in me during my time at SFHS!"

Spartan Sweethearts: Spring Edition

Spring is in the air...and our Spartan Sweethearts are back! These couples met during their time at SFHS and went on to get married. We have 186 married couples in our records, and we're sure there are more! If you and your spouse are Spartan Sweethearts, please email tshaw@sfhscollegeprep.org.

Alumni Updates

Congratulations to Wide River Winery owner and winemaker Dorothy O’Brien '67 on 20 years in business! To celebrate, a commemorative bottle of Dorothy’s favorite blend, Felony Red, was released with its original label. Cheers, Dorothy!

Aatish Patel ’14, is now co-founder, president and head of operations of XCharge, a high-power EV charging solutions provider. After graduating from SFHS, Aatish went on to New York University to earn his bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, then followed up with his Master's of Liberal Arts in Management at the Harvard Extension School. Congratulations on your amazing successes, Aatish! Read more here.

We look forward to seeing many of you at the Easter Egg Hunt this upcoming Saturday! Thank you to the St. Francis High School Alumni Association for co-hosting this event!

Upcoming Reunions

SAVE THE DATE - 1975 50th Reunion: Friday and Saturday, September 19-20, Saturday reception at the school. Details will be shared via email and Facebook. For questions, email Mark Sawko at marksawko@aol.com.

SAVE THE DATE - 1965 60th Reunion: Friday and Saturday, October 10-11, Pal Joey's in Batavia. Information will be shared through email, Facebook, and phone calls. If you have changed email addresses or have questions, contact Maureen Crowley Rogina at marogina@sbcglobal.net.