“For us, Catholic threads connect everywhere, over and over,” said Mike, who was raised in Denver as the second oldest of nine children, and to this day has a wide circle of Catholic friends and business associates, including many alumni of Regis Jesuit. Mike followed his older brother to Regis Jesuit, and nearly 35 years later, his son Mike, Jr. graduated in 2001 and he’s sure his granddaughters and grandsons will attend one day too.

“The Jesuits know how to build community,” said Maureen, whose father attended Regis High School in New York City. Maureen met Mike while she was teaching at a parochial school in the Denver area and later, she became involved with RJ—working in the lunchroom and making homemade cookies. She also volunteered for various Catholic and social organizations.

“Kairos taught our son to speak up and be a leader,” says Maureen, “and those values have stayed with him to this day.” She regrets that they couldn’t send their daughters to Regis Jesuit because the Girls Division didn’t yet exist.

Mike added: “Our daughters had community at their schools, and they’re also very good people, but they missed out on the kind of Catholic community our son got at Regis. We really appreciate the school’s Catholic-centered approach to the world, which is so necessary today.”

Mike’s commitment to Catholic education also is deeply personal. He attended St. Thomas Seminary for two years and worked in religious education for Catholic parishes in the Denver area. He taught Theology at Regis Jesuit for three years. Through lunchtime conversations with science teacher Bob Guptil, he rediscovered his love of earth science, which manifested first in Guptil's classroom during his senior year. In search of a deeper understanding of the natural world, Mike next earned master and doctorate degrees at the Colorado School of Mines. He became an oil and gas geologist and continues to work prospecting in the western states today.

“We’ve been really fortunate, and it’s our pleasure to give back to the school,” says Mike. “Regis has done a lot for my family and me and continues to do a lot for people throughout the Denver area. I hope others will join me and Maureen in supporting educational experiences at Regis Jesuit where students can grow in their faith and their relationship with God.”

More than 20 years ago, Mike started the First Friday Choir at Regis Jesuit, to bring fathers and sons together for liturgy. Today, the monthly morning Mass, which celebrates the Jesuits' long-held dedication to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, draws parents, students, coaches and their teams, faculty, alumni and even nearby parishioners. And Mike still plays guitar with the choir.

Of their support for the Science & Innovation Center, Mike says, “I encourage others to join in supporting the Science & Innovation Center. First of all, they need space that is dedicated to science and technology. Those are big needs of society and also needs of the school. The fact that the building will be centered between the boys and girls buildings will help the students feel like they are all part of the Regis community." Maureen adds: “I have total faith in the leadership of the school. They’ll do the science building very well. Nothing they do isn’t done well.”