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The “anchor” of Boston Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla’s life is his Catholic faith because “win or lose, you can go back to that faith at the end of the day.” Mazzulla’s faith was just one of many topics he covered during his September 11 visit to St. Charles Preparatory School. He encouraged the students to “desire to be close to God at all times.”  

St. Charles was proud to welcome more than 75 Aquinians to its campus on September 8 for a special annual luncheon held in the Campus Theater’s Cavello Center.

The school has hosted the Aquinas Alumni Association’s September meeting annually since 2012. St. Charles enlists T.A.T. Ristorante Di Famiglia, run by the family of the late Jimmy Corrova (AQ ’53), to cater the event.

On Thursday, September 4, in downtown Chicago, St. Charles hosted more than 30 of its graduates living around the area for a special gathering. Just as it had in downtown New York City's elegant Metropolitan Club, St. Charles organized a formal event in the Windy City's elegant LondonHouse.

 

The school had established a solid track record of meeting with alumni in Chicago, having previously hosted alumni events at summer Cubs baseball games on the ‘Wrigley Rooftops” from 206-2019. 

St. Charles celebrated the completion of its new Brotherhood Center, on August 22. Bishop Earl Fernandes visited campus to serve as the main celebrant of an all-school mass which was followed by the facility's dedication and blessing and a guest reception.

Two St. Charles alumni, Bob Corna '63 and Brent Foley '98 worked closely together as the design architect and architect of record of this new 30,000 square feet facility.  The four-story center took 11 months to construct and is built over the footprint of the school’s old gymnasium. Its first floor is a library that provides spaces for large groups and small gatherings, as well as flexible learning areas. This includes an amphitheater, large comfortable sitting areas, a school store, and cafe. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors are designed with classrooms, labs, learning spaces and offices that support the school's academic curriculum.

The building and its additional new classrooms and labs come at an opportune time for St. Charles. This year’s freshman class (228 students) and overall enrollment numbers (678 students) are the largest in the school's history.

 

Two legends, former head coach John Bluem, and All-American defenseman Troy Grigsby ’85, were inducted into the St. Charles Soccer Hall of Fame on August 24 before the Cardinals varsity took on the Braves of Olentangy HS.

Bluem coached the Cardinals from 1979-1982, reaching the state final four twice. During Grigsby's four-year varsity career, the Cardinals made four straight state final four appearances. The Cardinals went 43-1 in Troy's  last two seasons. Although they won the state championship in 1983, the Cardinals lost in the 1984 state finals, his last high school game. 

Bishop Earl Fernandes served as the main celebrant at a very special “Rite of Dedication” that took place August 13, blessing enhancements made to St. Charles Preparatory School’s Mother of Mercy Chapel. The ceremony marked 95 years to the day when the new chapel’s altar was consecrated, and the building was dedicated to “Our Lady of Mercy” in 1937.

 

The dedication of the chapel’s new hand-carved wooden main altar was a central feature of the liturgy. The “Prayer of Dedication and the Anointings” included a blessing and sprinkling of water, an anointing with oil and incense, and the lighting of the altar’s candles.

The day began with Mass at 11 a.m. in the newly enhanced Mother of Mercy Chapel, concelebrated by alumni priests and deacons. The liturgy was followed by a catered lunch from Berwick Manor in the Campus Theater's Cavello Center.

Head of School Jim Lower provided a "State of the School" presentation surrounded by memorabilia displayed on walls and tables throughout the room. A tour of the campus facilities, which featured a walk through the new four-story Brotherhood Center, wrapped up the event. 

 

This special event honors former graduates and students who attended St. Charles Preparatory School and/or the College Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo more than 50 years ago (before 1975). Wives or another family member are welcome, and we spouses are encouraged to attend in honor of their deceased husbands. 

 

As a preview to the 2025 boys soccer season, the high school sports staff of USA Today Network Ohio's 21 newspapers and websites has compiled its annual Ohio's Best list.

The staff determined a pool of Ohio High School Athletic Association athletes based on criteria including state and national recognition, team success with their leadership and more. Writers ranked that pool of athletes from 1 to 25. Each placement received points (first received 25, second received 24, etc.). The totaled points provided this final ranking.

Note: This list does not include players who decided to skip the high school season for a club team.

This is one of a four-part series that includes girls volleyball, and girls soccer and football in the coming weeks.

St. Charles is pleased to announce that Joe Mazzulla, Head Coach of the Boston Celtics, will be our featured speaker at this year’s  “An Evening With…” Gala on Thursday, September 11, at 5 p.m. in the Robert C. Walter Student Commons.

Mr. Mazzulla will share his devotion to his Catholic faith and how it serves as an anchor guiding him throughout his life and in his coaching career with the Celtics.

There are two meaningful ways for YOU to take part in this special evening… an inspiring night dedicated to celebrating the impact of a St. Charles education and the importance of ensuring every student has access, regardless of financial circumstances: 

Host a table - Gather friends and join us at the $7,500 level to experience a memorable night; as table hosts, you will be invited to meet Joe before the event at a special cocktail reception.  Reserve your table HERE.

  

Make a gift - If attending isn't possible, consider making a donation HERE to honor the spirit of the evening and the students it supports. 

 

To secure your table with a personal or company check, a stock transfer, or a transfer from your donor-advised fund, please email Kristin Williams at kwilliams@scpre​p.org or call 380-209-2239.  

St. Charles is pleased to announce that this year’s annual Platinum Reunion is being held on (NEW DATE!) Tuesday, August 26, 2025. We hope you will join us!

Husbands and wives or significant others are invited to join us for this special gathering of former students and graduates who attended St. Charles Preparatory School and/or the College Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, more than 50 years ago (before 1975). We especially encourage spouses to attend in honor of their deceased husbands.

 

 

Total number of graduates:126

 

Dollar amount of scholarships earned:The Class of 2025 earned $34,298,256 in scholarship dollars.

 

 The number of service hours the class contributed: 7,500 service hours

 

 

 

• 10 were recognized by the National Merit/College Board. Four were named National Merit Finalists (Alexander Dininni, Arav Fernandes, Jack Miller, and Jackson Soder) and six were named National Merit Commended Scholars (Edward “Quaid” Cahill, Emmett Galvin, Miles Hockenberry Eli MacKim, John Paul Orenchuk, and Ian Rotruck.).

 

• 10 were recognized by the National Merit/College Board. Four were named National Merit Finalists (Alexander Dininni, Arav Fernandes, Jack Miller, and Jackson Soder) and six were named National Merit Commended Scholars (Edward “Quaid” Cahill, Emmett Galvin, Miles Hockenberry Eli MacKim, John Paul Orenchuk, and Ian Rotruck.). 

 

The St. Charles Robotics Team, with alliance partners from Shaker Heights, Warren, and Cleveland, placed third in the 32-team Ohio State Championships on May 10.  

(Front, from left) Jim Lower (Head of School), Lee Hanna '86 (lead mentor), Gary Cyrus, Dylan Trovato '25 (drive coach), Aaron Cyrus '25 (team captain), and Eli Simms '28; (Middle, from left) Fletcher Gesue '28, Charlie Malerich '28, Michael Martin '28, and Jimmy Manzano Pereira '28; (Back, from left) Domenico Pietropaolo (Mentor), TJ Putz '28, Luca Pietropaolo '28, and Karl Putz (Mentor).

 

2024-2025 Year Recap: The "Cardinalbots" participated in FIRST Robotics Competition's game "Reefscape" this year, attending the Greater Pittsburgh and Buckeye Regional competitions. Of the 50+ teams at each competition, the team finished in the middle of the pack both times. In Pittsburgh, St. Charles was selected for the event playoffs and finished in the equivalent of 5th place.

Well done Cardinalbots!

 

Football                            
Fred Ailabouni - Ohio Dominican University
 

Soccer     
Will Tramain -  Mars Hill University

Ivan Canas - Ohio Northern University    
Ransom Perkins - Alleghany College                                               
Aiden Rice - Wittenberg University                                               
Ian Rotruck - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

                                                                                

Liam Miller  -  Washington and Jefferson College     

 

 

 

1987 alumnus Otto Beatty III was appointed to Columbus City Council on January 27, 2025 to fill the vacant District 7 seat, bringing decades of experience in business, law, and real estate development to his role.

A lifelong Columbus resident, Councilmember Beatty has worked extensively in economic development, small business support, and real estate investment, with a focus on increasing access to affordable housing and expanding opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

With over 30 years of experience in real estate, Beatty has worked as an investor, developer, landlord, consultant, and attorney, participating in more than $250 million in transactions. As President of Otto Beatty Companies and Otto Beatty Real Estate, he played a key role in affordable housing initiatives and workforce development in Central Ohio. His leadership in the Emerging Developer Accelerator Program, Project REAP, and the Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Diversity Initiative has contributed to expanding access for new developers in Columbus.

In addition to his work in real estate, Beatty is a leader in business development and entrepreneurship support. As Owner and Managing Director of Intelligent Office of Columbus, he provides virtual office solutions for small businesses and nonprofits.

Through OB3 Advisory and Management, helps entrepreneurs secure funding and achieve long-term  sustainability. His contributions to Columbus’ business community have been recognized on the Columbus Business First Power 100 List in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

 

Beatty previously served in multiple public service roles, including positions on the City of  Columbus Downtown Commission, Development Commission, and Northeast Area Commission, where he helped shape policies on housing and economic development. He has also chaired the Ohio Elections Commission and served as a Commissioner on the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Beatty holds a degree from Morehouse College and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law 

School, with additional executive education in real estate from Rice University and business  coaching from Kent State University.

Columbus, the 14th largest city in the U.S. and the fastest-growing city in Ohio, is home to over  900,000 residents. A hub of innovation, culture, and economic opportunity, Columbus continues to  grow as a center for business, education, and community development.

 

“In 2006 and 2007 we were state runners-up to (Cincinnati) St. Xavier and coming into 2008, we felt like we had a pretty good, deep squad that could contend for a state title,” Goodrich said. “We weren’t afraid to put it out there for the guys … and by the time we got to the state championships, they had a little bit of a lead and we ended up winning a close meet.”

Considering few of the Cardinals’ swimmers were born at that time, this year’s group ended up writing its own thrilling story Saturday at Branin Natatorium.

In one of the more dramatic finishes at the state meet in recent memory, St. Charles junior Austin Carpenter erased a 1.34-second deficit on the fourth and final leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay, powering the Cardinals to first place in 2:59.97 – 0.05 of a second ahead of St. Xavier, winner of 15 of the past 16 team titles and a state-record 44 overall.

That win gave St. Charles 311 points, one more than the Bombers. 

St. Charles returned to the Big Apple February 6 to reprise its 2021 visit to the grand Metropolitan Club in downtown New York City.

 

Special thanks go out to to Bob Dilenschneider '61 and Paul Kuppich '05 for serving as hosts at this magnificent location. The event welcomed more than 30 alumni whose grad classes spanned six decades! Some traveled more than 2 hours by train to attend!

The group representing St. Charles included  Jim Lower (Head of School), Jaime Lawler (Advancement Director), Kristin Williams (Director of Donor Relations), and Louis J. Fabro '83 (Director of Communications and Alumni Affairs).  

 

Stay tuned for more details about a future alumni gatherings in the New York region as discussions begin about creating a formal regional "Alumni Group."

Good food and warm camaraderie was the hallmark of the recent St. Charles Spaghetti Dinner. The annual community gathering, sponsored by the St. Charles Alumni Association, was held from 1:00-6:30 p.m. in the Walter Student Commons on Sunday, February 2nd. More than 980 people enjoyed dinner in-person while the kitchen handled more than 300 carryout orders! 

 

We are especially grateful to:

• …Band Director Philip Meyer and the students in the St. Charles Concert and Jazz Band for entertaining us throughout the afternoon.  
• …Mr. Ey and Mr. Lower for being on hand to welcome and interact with our guests.
• …Mrs. Lawler for providing tours of the Brotherhood Center and for sharing her bubbly personality and energy with everyone.
• …Mrs. Hanna and her team of volunteers selling “Sprit Gear.”
• …the students and parents who coordinated the “50/50” raffle to benefit the Dominican Sisters of        Peace at Mohun Health Care Center.
• …the members of the St. Charles Alumni Association who handled our front-door duties and helped direct the kitchen volunteers.
• ….our annual “First Shift” line crew made up of the Ralston (five brothers!), Sweeney, and Davidson Families.
• …and of course, TJ Susi of Berwick Manor Catering as well as his staff, for the hot, intense, and messy job of preparing our food all day long!