Insignis is celebrating one of the most important influences on young people: sports! Three extraordinary guests are our guides as we explore "Spirit in Sport."

Ben Rosario '98 is the Executive Director and Head Coach of Hoka NAZ Elite, a professional running team. In 2020, he coached Alaphine Tiliamuk to first place in the Women's Olympic Trials Marathon. That "mountain top" accomplishment capped a very competitive life, marked tremendous success in high school, college and professional running, as well as in business.  

Murphy Troy '07 joins us from his home in Newport Beach, California, where he works in technology sales analytics. Competitive sports played a formative role in making him who he is as a person and a professional. His athletic career took him from cheerleader on the Blue Crew, to All State All-American, to professional volleyball player and an Olympic Bronze medal winner. 

Steve Nicollerat is in his 42nd year of teaching at SLUH. But for 37 of those years he served as the SLUH head baseball coach. This winner of the Bob Broeg Award for Distinguished Service to High School Sports shows us why he's been called a  "Jedi Master" – both of the game baseball and the game of life.   

The latest episode is a celebration of the Ignatian Year. It's been 500 years since St. Ignatius was wounded in battle by an errant cannonball and experienced a profound conversation in recovery. You'll hear how his powerful, solitary experience still reverberates in the works and mission of the Jesuits, especially in education. 

Matt Stewart, SJ '98 talks about his own vocation story, and what it's like to begin a third chapter of life at SLUH.  Mr. and Mrs. Hap '82 and Mary Burke, parents of two SLUH graduates, discuss their work in adult spiritual formation. And Dr. Eric Clark '83, former SLUH Dean of Students and current President of Loyola Academy, gives moving and powerful testimony to a lifetime of commitment to Jesuit education. You'll also hear many student voices, some sharing what Igntatius and Jesuit education means to them and others raising their voices to celebrate that tradition in song.

Insignis in the Spotlight

Our first new and original Spotlight edition of Insignis – with departing Jesuit Regent Michael Mohr – gives you a preview of many more short programs coming soon taken from previous seasons of the podcast. 

In a vivid and moving conversation, Michael talks about being raised in the rich stew of family, music, faith and service in Louisiana and the unfolding of his vocation to the Jesuits that has taken him from a remote village in Central America, to three years at SLUH and now on to Rome for Theology studies.

You'll find the new Spotlight logo on the SLUH website. When you click on the name and photo of one of our past guests, you'll hear that single interview on its own. These Spotlight programs will also be published on iTunes and Spotify. Be sure to subscribe and watch for more long form episodes on Sports and Entertainment in the year ahead. 

This Insignis episode features two programs on one of the most disruptive – but also creative and inspiring – chapters in SLUH's 203-year history. Like a classic music track updated and enhanced for new audiences with better technology, you'll not only hear how SLUH endured the pandemic, but how, thanks to the efforts of so many from every corner of the school community, our school will be richer and more mission focussed when the pandemic is behind us.

Program 1
CRISIS: Spring and Summer 2020

Both programs are anchored by an ongoing interview with the SLUH Faculty Panel that led our pandemic response: Kevin Foy (Social Studies Chair), Steve Missey '88 (English teacher and Prep News moderator), Megan Menne (Science teacher and STUCO moderator), Craig Hannick (Math teacher and Financial Aid Director) and Tim Curdt '90 (English teacher, Summer School Principal and Learning Center Director).

In addition, you'll hear in-depth interviews with Music Director Jeff Pottinger and Admissions Director Ann Murphy, as well as short takes with a number of school leaders and taking a trip "down the hall" to hear from students. And in the spirit of our "Remastered" theme, you'll hear great music from students in our band programs and from two alum-rich musical groups, local rising stars The Mighty Pines and Chicago's Folk Options. 

Program Two

OPPORTUNITY: Fall 2020, Present and Future

The conversation with our panel continues as they describe not only the "Hyflex" mode of the past semester, but the profound ways this crisis will influence the future of SLUH. There's more great music from our student and alum groups and another trip "down the hall" that includes a preview of the "New Spoonriver Anthology" drama on the Schulte Theater stage, coming to you soon on video!

Featured interviewees include Spanish Teacher Maria Paz Campos, Science teacher Mary Russo and more short takes with school leaders and a closing reflection with Principal Fr. Ian Gibbons.

About our musical guests

The Mighty Pines include graduates John Hussung '07 (son of English teacher Chuck Hussung) and Neil Salsich '07. The group also includes Gerard Erker (husband of Maria Paz Campos) and Mike Murano.
>>> Learn more about the group and their music

Folk Options is Will Linhares '10 (son of Jim Linhares).
>>> Hear more music
 

Our new INSIGNIS podcast explores issues of authenticity, creativity and diversity in the context of high school education and formation. Among the questions we consider: How can we encourage and support young people (as well the adults who work with them) to find their own voices? You'll hear from: Mrs. Addie Akin and the SLUH Chorus; Dan Cornell '94, a national leader and entrepreneur in software security; Daniel Heard '04, a PhD statistician and risk analyst for USAA and recent speaker at our Black History Month assembly; Senior and Presidential Leadership Award winner Antwine Wills '19; and SLUH Director of Equity and Inclusion, Frank Kovarik '94. This show also features original music by Ramon Ortiz '20 and a reading from a recent essay in Sisyphus by Matt Friedrichs '20.

Pictured (from left): Antwine Willis '19, Dan Cornell '94, Daniel Heard '04 and Frank Kovarik '94

A worthy Bicentennial tribute to our Jesuit identity in conversations with (pictured from left) Fr. Joseph Hill, SJ, James Page, SJ, and Fr. Ralph Houlihan, SJ '52.

Fine arts teacher Kevin McKernan '01 draws from his experience and passion to reveal more about the art of improv.