O'Dowd in Brief May 2024: News for alumni, parents, and friends

O'Dowd in Brief

News for O'Dowd alumni, parents, and friends

Finding God in All Things

May 2024

2024 COR UNUM COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

In June, the Class of 2024 will process onto the Lower Field on campus to commemorate their four years as O’Dowd students. Alan McIntosh, alumni parent, Board of Regents member, and this year’s Cor Unum Awardee, will be the Commencement Speaker to celebrate the graduates’ achievements. “Catholic education has always been important to my family,” reflects Alan McIntosh. “It’s about well-rounded learning - how the values and charism are intertwined in all areas of the curriculum.” Read more.

GRATITUDE FOR OUR TEACHERS

At O’Dowd, we are indebted to the dedicated teachers who inspire generations of Dragons to make an impact in the world. Their commitment to academic excellence, holistic teaching practices, and care for our students influence the paths they take after graduating from O’Dowd. In showing their gratitude, over 150 generous donors gave more than $109,000 to the endowed Fund for Faculty Excellence this year through the Senior Class Gift campaign, ensuring the best and brightest for our students.

MAMMA MIA! DELIGHTS AUDIENCES

From “Dancing Queen” to “Mamma Mia,” the James T. Bill ’55 Theater was filled with the melodies of the fan-favorite musical Mamma Mia! The 58-person cast and crew performed the delightful show to seven packed crowds on a stage set in a Grecian paradise. Claire Fung ’25, journalist of The Crozier, our student-run paper, wrote a review of O’Dowd’s rendition of the smash hit show. Read more.

ALUMNI HONORED BY SF BUSINESS TIMES

Courtney Welch ’05 and Christine Keener ’07 were both included in the 2024 San Francisco Business Times 40 under 40. Courtney is the Mayor of Emeryville, and Christine is the Director of Government and Community Affairs at Verizon. “[At O’Dowd] I also developed an interest in art and history, which led to an appreciation of our diverse but shared cultural heritage,” comments Christine in her featured interview.

ALUMNI REUNION: FOREVER CONNECTED

We welcomed 350 alumni and guests to the Cummins Center for an afternoon of celebrating several milestone reunion years, classes from 1959 to 2019. The sharing of memories represented their deep and lifelong connection to the O’Dowd community. “Attending my 45th reunion taught me how fortunate I was to have been educated at O’Dowd, in the classroom, on the sports fields, in my friendships,” shares Jackie Goldsby ’79. “O’Dowd remains important to me, and seeing how it has evolved since I graduated makes me feel more connected.” View Pictures!

CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITY

Last month, our Associated Student Body led the community’s annual Multicultural Assembly. The event included a flag procession representing 56 cultures that comprise O’Dowd’s diverse community. Each cultural group performed dances, songs, and a fashion show to celebrate their culture. “I am so proud of our students for sharing parts of their culture with the community,” praised Marguerite Green, Associate Director of Student Activities. “The more we share, the more we feel united.” View the assembly.

Campus News

2024 VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN

We are excited to share that Elias Grant ’24 has been named the Valedictorian, and Cocoa Young-Perez ’24 has been named the Salutatorian for the Class of 2024! Elias and Cocoa will speak at Commencement in June, reflecting on the class’s journey to graduation and looking forward to the future.

ALUMNI LIVING LAB WORK DAY

In April, alumni from across the generations joined current students and families in the Living Lab for a day of service. They cared for the lab’s gardens and propagated plants for spring planting. Together, the group planted a tree on the hillside in memory of Ana Costa ’90.

NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING DAY

Congratulations to our seniors who signed their National Letter of Intent last month. We are proud of their commitment to academic and athletic excellence.

Tobias Aisien - Basketball - Azusa Pacific University

Michael Bruin - Rugby - University of Washington

Sam Chavarin - Basketball - UC Merced

Miles Dixon - Football - Diablo Valley College

Meara Hayes - Volleyball - Occidental College

Polina Marakhtanova - Tennis - UC Davis

Cecilia Otuhiva - Rugby - University of California, Berkeley

Nolan Rittenberg - Soccer - Macalester College

Raven Robinson - Rugby - Princeton University

Ben Skiles - Baseball - Grinnell College

Sean Sweeney - Soccer - Macalester College

Cole Thorne - Football - Diablo Valley College

Hendrik Van Niekerk - Rugby - San Jose State University

Natalia Villanueva-Hernandez - Rugby - Harvard University

WELCOME CLASS OF 2028

Last month, we celebrated the Class of 2028's decision to become O’Dowd Dragons. The students and their families enjoyed a morning of connection and community on the Lower Field and the Quad. We can’t wait to see them in August!

Alumni News

KRYSIA V. POHL ’93 finished her assignment working for Admiral Fagan, Commandant of the Coast Guard, as her Senior Strategic Analyst on the Commandant's Advisory Group. Now, she is the Chief of Prevention at US Coast Guard Sector San Francisco, overseeing marine safety missions throughout Northern California.

TERIQUE OWENS ’18 was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent. NBC Sports Bay Area reported that two Niners scouts attended a pro day Terique participated in and had the younger Owens attend the team’s local pro day in Santa Clara prior to the draft.

BIANCA PAHLER ’21 is one of the education coordinators of the Whole Earth Festival, a three-day zero-waste festival at UC Davis that celebrates community, sustainability, and collaboration.

Upcoming Events

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Upcoming Events

June

6 Dragon Pride Challenge Begins

17-28 Summer Academy Register

July

1-3 Summer Academy Mini Camp Register

8-18 Summer Academy Register

DRAGON PRIDE CHALLENGE BEGINS JUNE 6!

Whoever you are, whatever your story, O’Dowd is where your passion was unlocked, your friendships began, and your dreams took flight. Give our students the very best experience by joining our third annual Dragon Pride Challenge. You can invest in the programs you're most passionate about AND your gift will be matched $1 for $1 by fellow alumni and O’Dowd families! Show your Dragon Pride and make your gift today!

Bishop O'Dowd High School