Meet Ryan Flynn '13
We were excited to welcome back Ryan Flynn ’13, a seasoned communications expert with a dynamic background in digital strategy, media relations, and public affairs.
Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Spring Hill College and is currently pursuing his MBA at The Citadel. Throughout his impressive career, he has worked alongside prominent leaders such as Mayor Sandy Stimpson, U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Ryan serves as the Director of Paid Media at the American Petroleum Institute, where he leads national advertising campaigns for some of the largest oil and natural gas companies in the country.
Ryan met with students and shared valuable insights from his professional journey. His visit was both inspiring and informative, offering a glimpse into the impactful world of strategic communications.
| | Celebrating our Alumni Under 35 | |
In August 2024, De La Salle Institute began its 135th year of educating students, we invited nominations to recognize alumni under 35 who are making a difference in their communities and living out De La Salle’s mission.
While the nominations represent just a glimpse of the many remarkable graduates impacting the world, the selection committee is proud to announce the 35 Under 35 honorees who will be honored at a special event in fall 2025 on campus.
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Kyrie Agee '17
Ronald Beach '10
James Baugh '12
Darryl (DJ) Bland '10
Curtis Blaydes '09
Alexandra Brist '20
Anthony Bryant '12
Arianna Canales '17
Kyrah Davis '14
Jenna Duddleston '11
Justin Earls '13
Ryan Flynn '13
Elizabeth Galka '10
Karl Harris '15
Chantz Henry '15
Edgar Herrera '11
Jamarco Jones '14
Kevin Malec '13
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Luc McAlpin '10
Claire Moravec '09
Lea Rose Moravec Markham '11
Charles Muse '09
Jeremy O'Brien '12
Katie O'Leary '12
LeeVonn Overton '22
Norberto Ramos '12
Christopher Razo '13
Breandan Rook '12
Lauren Rubio '12
Michael Rubio '15
Shelby Spence '14
Jillian Vilimas Kerwin '09
George Willborn '16
George Witowski '19
Caroline Wood '19
| | Introducing the De La Salle Hall of Fame | | |
We are excited to announce the new De La Salle Institute Hall of Fame, uniting the Honor Key Award, Young Alumni Award, and Sports Hall of Fame into one prestigious recognition. This change highlights the outstanding achievements of alumni, employees, athletes, coaches, and community members who have significantly impacted De La Salle and beyond.
Nominations Close Friday, May 30, 2025
Key Dates:
- Nominations Open: April 30, 2025
- Nominations Close: May 30, 2025
- Selection Begins: June 9, 2025
- Candidates Selected: June 30, 2025
- Inductees Announced: August 1, 2025
- Alumni Banquet Celebration: Saturday, October 11, 2025
Nominate Now: Nomination Form
View past honorees:
Questions? Contact Anna Fratto at frattoa@dls.org or 312-842-7355 ext. 141.
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Save the Date 2025 - Golf Classic
You’re invited to the De La Salle Alumni Golf Outing, a day dedicated to reconnecting, networking, and celebrating the Meteor spirit with fellow alumni, friends, and supporters.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025
Location: Silver Lake Country Club
14700 S 82nd Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462
Time: Shotgun Start at 9:00 AM
Spend the day on the green enjoying great golf, delicious food, prizes, and memorable moments with the De La Salle community. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just there to enjoy the fellowship, this is a summer event you won't want to miss.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses looking to support our mission and gain valuable visibility at this well-attended event.
Registration is now open:
https://one.bidpal.net/dlsgolfclassic25/welcome
Questions? Contact Chlyla Wilson Lewis at wilson-lewisc@dls.org.
We look forward to seeing you on the course!
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Alumni Banquet - Reflect & Reignite
We are thrilled to invite you to our annual Alumni Banquet, a beloved tradition that brings together generations of alumni for an evening filled with joy, memories, and community spirit.
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
Reception: 5:00 PM – Enjoy cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres, and conversation with fellow alumni.
Dinner: 6:00 PM – A delicious plated meal followed by special presentations and recognitions.
Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, this is your night to return home. All class years are invited to attend—this is a perfect opportunity to reunite with classmates, celebrate our school’s legacy, and see what’s new on campus.
Highlights include:
- Recognition of distinguished alumni
- Class shout-outs
- School updates from leadership
- A chance to walk down memory lane!
Mark your calendars and spread the word—we can’t wait to welcome you back!
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D-Final Viewing Party
Thank you to everyone who attended the D-Final Viewing Party at De La Salle on April 5th!
It was an incredible night filled with Final Four excitement, delicious food, and outstanding company. Your participation helped create a festive and supportive environment, showcasing the strong community spirit that makes De La Salle so special.
Best of all, proceeds from the evening went directly to the General Scholarship Fund, ensuring that we can continue to provide quality education opportunities for students who need it most.
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Gala Recap: $400,000+ Raised for Scholarships!
We are overjoyed to share that our Inaugural Signum Fidei Valentine’s Gala at The Ritz-Carlton was an extraordinary success, with more than 400 attendees coming together to celebrate and support De La Salle Institute.
Thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised over $400,000 to directly benefit our financial assistance programs—ensuring that even more students have access to the transformative education that defines De La Salle.
Thank you for making our Gala a truly unforgettable night! We cannot wait to build on this momentum for years to come.
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Career Day at The Institute
Thank you to all who participated in our Career Day event!
We welcomed over 50 alumni, community partners, and representatives from eight Trades Organizations who shared their time, talents, and experiences with our students.
Career Day was an incredible opportunity for students to explore potential career paths, ask questions, and connect with role models who are making a difference in various industries. Your support and willingness to invest in our students’ futures mean more than you know. We hope to see you there next year!
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1st Place for our App Development Class
We are thrilled to announce that our App Development class, under the outstanding leadership of Ms. Diniah Dean, has won 1st place in the prestigious Congressional App Challenge!
This incredible achievement highlights the creativity, innovation, and hard work of our talented students. Their app stood out among hundreds of entries and demonstrated the very best of what De La Salle students can accomplish.
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Your 2025 State Champion!
Please join us in congratulating David McCarthy '25 on winning the Wrestling State Championship at 285 lbs.!
David's hard work, determination, and relentless drive have earned him the top spot in the state. We're proud to celebrate his incredible achievement and can't wait to see what the future holds for this outstanding athlete!
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Dr. Charles Bell '06 Inspires Students with Live Open-Heart Surgery Experience
We had the honor of welcoming back one of our distinguished alumni, Dr. Charles Bell, Class of 2006, for an unforgettable in-school field trip experience. Now a practicing physician, Dr. Bell brought the world of medicine directly to our students by guiding them through a live viewing of an open-heart surgery.
The event combined cutting-edge medical technology with interactive learning, as students observed the intricate procedure in real time. Dr. Bell provided expert commentary throughout the surgery, breaking down each step, explaining medical terminology, and answering thoughtful questions from the audience. His engaging approach helped students gain a deeper understanding of human anatomy, the cardiovascular system, and what it takes to work in the medical field.
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Spring Open House: A Bright Future Ahead!
Our Spring Open House was a tremendous success! We were honored to welcome 60 prospective students and their families, including 38 families from schools across the city and 22 students from Learn Romano Butler School.
Kudos to our admissions team, student ambassadors, faculty, and staff for creating a welcoming environment and showcasing all that De La Salle has to offer. We are excited to continue growing our family of Meteors!
| | Alumni Giving Opportunities | | |
Mark your calendars to celebrate the feast day of St. John Baptist de La Salle and the Day of Giving on May 15th. Get ready to follow us on social media in the coming weeks as we tell the story about why De La Salle Institute is a special place and why it is important to carry forward the vision of St. La Salle for accessible, transformative education. For over 300 years, Lasallian education has been about nurturing both the heart and mind of each student.
You can make a difference in the lives of our students and honor the legacy of St. La Salle on May 15th with a donation to Day of Giving. An investment in De La Salle is not just an investment in education—it is an investment in the future. By participating in the Day of Giving, you will be helping to shape the lives of students who will go on to make meaningful contributions to society. You can enable us to continue our mission of educating young people, regardless of their financial background, and to ensure that all who seek a De La Salle education have the opportunity to receive one.
Save the date and help us make history! Make your plans to support De La Salle Institute on May 15th. Donations go live on our giving day site on May 1st.
For more information about Day of Giving contact:
Anna Fratto, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at 312-842-7355 ext. 141 or
frattoa@dls.org
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2nd Annual Signum Fidei Valentine's Gala
De La Salle Institute is proud to announce that the 2nd Annual Signum Fidei Valentine's Gala will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
This event will raise funds in support of tuition assistance, academic programs and community enrichment at De La Salle Institute. For over 135 years we have been dedicated to bringing quality Lasallian education to students who are preparing for great futures! We hope you will save the date to join us for this wonderful event and help us continue the tradition that has brought great futures to more than 23,000 graduates.
Please contact Anna Fratto, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at frattoa@dls.org or 312-842-7355 ext. 141 with any questions.
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Alumni Highlights
Do you want to be featured in our next alumni newsletter? We’d love to hear about your accomplishments, weddings, births, and other significant milestones!
Share your updates with us so we can celebrate your achievements and keep the De La Salle community connected.
Send your submissions to Chlyla Wilson Lewis, Director of Alumni Engagement wilson-lewisc@dls.org. We can't wait to highlight your exciting news!
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