Rembering the Class of 2007

David Hajoglou
Computer Science Department

“You should get us on the front page of the alumni magazine," suggested, nay, demanded John Fitzgerald ’07 at Frank Suera ’07 and Rachel Dolton ’06’s wedding. That’s the style of this group, all of whom were or are students of Saint Mary’s University.

John may be a little overzealous, but this group has always been ambitious. I had the unique privilege of being on their hall staff for the first three years of their college lives with a front-row seat to their antics and adventures.

For instance, in their freshman and sophomore years, they “reallocated” picnic tables to the lawns in front Benilde and Gilmore Creek dorms. Later, concrete pads were created to keep these tables off the grass. Their actions dictated, in a small way, physical campus improvements. They also managed to change things in not so constructive ways, like when Frank (the groom) decided to play baseball in front of the tall pane glass windows in Gilmore Creek dorm. The resultant breakage and bill led this group, as sophomores, to put on their own benefit concert to raise the funds.

They’re creative and motivated. A legacy that persisted (at least until the end of this recent academic term) was the Fairly Organized Wiffelball League. They not only organized the league, but kept stats and printed game-day flyers. Two years after they graduated, this unofficial league was still in existence.

A year after John went though graduation, he came back to win Battle of the Bands with Adam Stasica ’07.

These students took a great deal of pride and distinct ownership in their education and tenure here. Most graduated two years ago, and nearly all of them are either employed or in graduate programs, including medical school, biology, and psychology programs. Several were in the La Sallian honors program in addition to serving as class presidents, members of student government, and mission trip attendees. Jake Olzen ’07 and most of the wedding party organized their own mission trips to Biloxi, Miss., to assist in hurricane cleanup during two of their February breaks.

A few of these students are legacy family members of SMU graduates with one alum parent in attendance. For me, this is a group of Saint Mary's community members carrying on the values and education they picked up in the short time they were here. This was the third wedding for this group, and over the next year or so they’ll come together for more of these very special occasions.

Of course, the family members of Frank and Rachel have started in on the (inevitable) badgering of when the grandkids will arrive. In 18 to 20 years, I'm sure there will be a kid or two who will quite likely be padding around the plaza, attending Father Fabian’s classes, and breaking things all in the name of college life. We needn't wait for Frank and Rachel, though. One-year-old Alayna Atkinson, daughter of Emily Prigge ’07, is here and kicking! The next generation is already here and it couldn’t be in better hands.