Alumni of the Year
Established 22 years ago, the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award has recognized outstanding alumni, and their commitment to the goals and objectives of Bishop McGuinness. It highlights the importance of what it means to be a person for others through their actions not only in the Irish community, but also in their community and church.
You may nominate as many outstanding alumni as you wish. We just ask that the nominees have served the school, their church and/or community well during their postgraduate time. The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented in May during graduation. If you have any questions about nominations, please email Stephanie Ledet, alumni coordinator.
Dr. David Chansolme '89 has been selected as the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. He was recognized during the graduation ceremony on May 19.
“This year’s alumni award is presented to someone who could not be more deserving, especially during the last year,” said Carly Wilson, Bishop McGuinness Alumni Executive Committee President. “David Chansolme has demonstrated Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School mission statement: to be a person for others, a million times over.”
Dr. Chansolme cares for those in the community on a daily basis through his work at the hospital, educating the community with social media videos, volunteering at church, Bishop McGuinness, and the many boards he serves on. He is never afraid to take a phone call, give advice or take on a leadership role. Dr. Chansolme supports many causes and often does so anonymously. He does these things not for recognition but with a giving and caring heart because he truly cares. Those experiences have grounded him in the Catholic faith and supported his involvement in the Catholic community.
Award Recipients
1999 Fr. William M. Eichhoff ’56
1999 Larry Shaw ’55
2000 Linda Cavanaugh Clark ’69
2001 Greg Burns ’65
2002 Dr. Louis V. Lepak, Jr. ’61
2002 Dr. William H. Bernauer ’65
2003 William R. Cathey ’76
2004 Judy McCarthy Love ’55
2005 Michael J. Milligan ’73
2006 Jerry Kelley ’70
2007 Tom Ward ’65
2008 Rear Admiral Greg Slavonic ’67, U.S. Navy
2009 Dr. J. Peter Kierl ’72
2010 James A. Connelly, Jr. ’73
2010 Jack O’Meara ’66
2011 Lil Ross ’56
2012 Fr. Joseph Uhen ’76
2013 David Riesenberg ’75
2014 Carol Scanlon Lester ’74
2015 Richard Tuohy ’69
2016 Chris Engel ’78
2017 Greg Love ’80
2018 Amy Feighny ’86
2019 Ryan Maxwell ’98
2020 Bentley Edmonds ’81
2020 Lisa Ruffin Edmonds ’82
2021 Dr. David Chansolme ’89