Ray Zammit

My father served on St. John Jesuit's board for several years during the time Fr. Vettese was president. Dad passed away in 2000. As a result of his passing, we were informed that dad had made SJJ a beneficiary of an insurance policy to help support the financial aid programs. That event started us thinking about SJJ's future. If dad thought so much of SJJ educating his two sons, maybe we needed to reconnect with the school.

As the years passed, we got involved with the alumni department, particularly as my 45 year reunion was approaching. During the planning of the reunion we got to meet the alumni director. We inquired about our dad's policy. Typical questions: how much was it for? How was it being invested? How/who was benefitting from the policy? The alumni director filled us in on the details and then asked me if I wanted to have a private lunch with one of the students who was receiving financial aid from dad's policy. A few weeks later, we met with one of the students . . . .wow!!! What an emotional experience!!! The young man was a senior, very nervous, and not quite sure why we were meeting. We gave him a bio of my dad and discussed our family connection to SJJ. Then, he told me his story. An inner-city family, an only child, and a single mom trying to get her son the best education possible. After graduation he was headed to Michigan State to major in engineering. We were sold. Our family needed to get involved at a higher level in the legacy circle. So, we upped the ante. We purchased a larger life insurance policy to work in conjunction with dad's policy when the time comes.

The alumni are proof of SJJ's positive influence on their lives, careers, and especially their families. The legacy circle ensures that SJJ's Jesuit traditions and education continues far into the future creating men of whom we can all be proud.