Paradise Found

Refugee Story Inspires Gratitude, Legacy of Service

In 1975, a young woman named Hanh fled South Vietnam with her parents and seven siblings just before the government collapsed and was overtaken by communist rule. Her father, who worked at the U.S. Embassy, had arranged for a flight to the Philippines. From there the family flew to Guam and eventually landed at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith, Arkansas, which became a temporary home for more than 50,000 refugees fleeing the fall of Saigon.

The family’s successful escape marked the beginning of a new chapter. A rebirth. A chance to seize the American Dream.

Today, Matt Paradise ’04, son of Hanh and Alan Paradise ’72, recalls his family history with pride and gratitude. “My paternal grandfather was on the parish council at St. Justin the Martyr [located in Sunset Hills]. In 1975, the parish sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family.” The parish helped Hanh and her family integrate into American society and culture with lodging and access to education and employment.

Alan met Hanh soon after her family arrived at St. Justin Parish, and the couple married in 1978.

According to Matt, his parents “strongly believed in Catholic education.” After graduating from St. Justin, he and his brothers (David ’98 and Tim ’02) attended SLUH, and his two sisters went to Cor Jesu.

Matt fondly recalls many SLUH teachers who were formative in his development, including Dr. McConaghy, Mr. Schulte, Mr. Zarrick, Mr. Moran, Mr. Missey, Ms. Whitaker and Dr. Koestner. The volunteers in the Alum Service Corps, a post-college program for alumni/ae of Jesuit secondary and higher education institutions, also left an indelible impact.

“SLUH was extraordinary and transformative,” says Matt, who participated in theater, choir and dance as a Jr. Bill. “It was there that I became interested in becoming a teacher.”

More importantly, he adds that “SLUH helped me to really find myself. I realized that we are all made by God, loved by God, and called to respond with love by living a life of service in gratitude to God.”

“Matt embodied the SLUH motto of being a Man for Others,” recalls Dr. McConaghy, his Latin teacher (now retired). “He was an ideal student – bright, attentive, conscientious, responsible, well-mannered and sincere. When he was chosen to be a senior advisor to a freshman homeroom, I thought he was an excellent choice as the seniors were selected on the basis of their leadership ability and dependability. The time he spent in this area reflected not only his sincere concern for the well-being of the freshmen but also spoke well for his selfless attitude on behalf of others.”

After graduating from Saint Louis University with a degree in computer science, Matt joined the ASC. Although he wanted to volunteer at SLUH, he was selected to serve at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver. During high school, Matt had participated in the SLUH community service program and worked at the International Institute of St. Louis, which offers programs and services for immigrants, their families and the wider community. His experience of gaining a global mindset by serving the immigrant community matched with a need at Arrupe.

Upon his arrival at Arrupe, Matt says, “I immediately fell in love with the community, the work and the mission.”

Arrupe Jesuit was founded in 2003 in the Cristo Rey Network, a unique Catholic high school model for students and families with limited economic resources, combining rigorous college prep academics with a mandatory, paid Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP). As part of the CWSP, students work one day each week, offsetting tuition and acquiring professional skills, character and career readiness for life-changing outcomes. At Arrupe, 95 percent of the Class of 2025 are first-generation college students.

Since Matt started at Arrupe in 2008, he has served as a math teacher, assistant principal for academics, and now as director of information technology. He feels proud to have found his vocation and to intimately understand the heart of the mission of a Jesuit school, and he enjoys serving a primarily Hispanic student body.

Passion and emotion fill his voice when asked what advice he gives to students, simply stating, “Remember that you belong, and you are loved. In return, be kind to others.”

Although Arrupe is relatively young, the school leadership aspires to grow enrollment from 425 to more than 500 students. Matt is committed to being part of this long-term effort.

Meanwhile, Matt’s parents and siblings are all thriving, in their own way, in their own lives – no small miracle considering his mother narrowly escaped the grip of communism. Alan, a computer science professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and Nanh can be found frequently in St. Louis spending time with their eight grandkids. Grateful to the U.S. – and particularly St. Justin Parish – for serving as a refuge for his mother’s family decades ago, Matt is paying it forward by helping the immigrant community in Denver in a key educational role.

“My hope is to work with our team to establish Arrupe as a school that endures for more than 100 years,” he says. “If I can continue to contribute to this endeavor, my life’s work will be a success."