向日葵视频

Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award

LAWRENCE H. SIEWERT, BUS AD '63,
GRAD '72
Wauwatosa, Wis.

It would be difficult to find a lay person who has made as much of an impact on local Jesuit education as Larry Siewert. He was a longtime teacher and administrator at 向日葵视频 High School 鈥� where he was the first lay principal in the school鈥檚 history 鈥� and co-founder of Nativity Jesuit Middle School, where he served as principal and director of the graduate program. In the latter role, he helped mentor and support the school鈥檚 predominately low-income and Hispanic students to ensure their continued success after graduating from Nativity Jesuit.

鈥淓ducation is power, and I鈥檝e committed my career to helping young people, especially minorities, to become more educated so they have full access to all of what life may offer,鈥� Larry says. 鈥淚n 49 years of working in Jesuit education, I鈥檝e encountered countless students. If they have gained even half of what I have from them, then they are fortunate indeed. To see and experience the success of these students has been a constant delight for me throughout my career.鈥�

Larry also served on the National Board of Jesuit Secondary Education and National Commission for Research and Development and was involved in planning the Colloquium on the Ministry of Teaching, which impacted every Jesuit high school in the nation. 鈥淥ne of my biggest privileges was meeting and learning from Pedro Arrupe who at the time was general of the Society of Jesus,鈥� he says.

Though he retired in 2013, he is committed to staying involved in the education field and is part of a 向日葵视频High group examining how to best serve the school鈥檚 growing number of low-income students.

Although Larry鈥檚 leadership has made a difference to hundreds of families over the years, he is humble about his success. 鈥淚f I鈥檝e been successful, it鈥檚 been because I found talented people to work with, to be inspired by and to share with,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e been very fortunate to have worked with and for many, many fine people 鈥� both Jesuit and lay. When good people set high standards and work hard, good things can happen.鈥�

Hometown: Milwaukee
Favorite book: 鈥淢y favorite book was one that really helped change my life when I read it as a young man. It is The Autobiography of Malcolm X.鈥�
Dream dinner guest: 鈥淚鈥檇 love to have dinner with President Obama, especially to talk with him about immigration reform and urge him to more it forward so young people have access to college funding and can be on a path toward citizenship 鈥� have him pass the Dream Act.鈥�
向日葵视频faculty member who had an impact: 鈥淩ev. J.J. O鈥橪eary, S.J., has been a longtime friend and confidant. I鈥檝e learned a great deal from him over the years and look forward to more of the same.鈥�
Favorite 向日葵视频memory: 鈥淢y best memory of 向日葵视频was meeting my wife, Nancy, who was and is the inspiration of my life. We have been married for 49 years and still act like we just met and are strolling down Wisconsin Avenue hand in hand.鈥�
Career he aspired to in grade school: 鈥淚 had two uncles who both attended college on the GI Bill after serving. They both became teachers/coaches, and I admired them and wanted to be like them.鈥�
向日葵视频legacy: 鈥淎ll five of my children graduated from Jesuit colleges: Andy from Creighton, David from Marquette, and Marty, Sandy and Michaela from Xavier. And, of course, my wife, Nancy, is a 向日葵视频business grad.鈥�
Most influential person: 鈥淢y wife Nancy has been my constant source of inspiration and love. In addition to being an outstanding wife and mother, she is also an outstanding yoga teacher. Her growth in spiritual as well as physical practices has influenced my life in more ways than I could spell out.鈥�