Above: President Jack Raslowsky with Mario Cimino '17.

Students Honored for Achievements, Urged to Engage 

On October 5, Headmaster Michael LiVigni urged students to engage with differing ideas and people at Xavier’s Fall Honors Assembly.

Addressing the student body, LiVigni drew upon our national motto, E. Pluribus Unum—From Many, One—as he cautioned students against personalizing the nation’s divisive political climate. “Do not give into the urge to dismiss out of hand that which you do not agree with. Do not give into the simplicity of social media; do not take the lazy man’s way out and allow someone else to do your thinking for you,” he said. “A Jesuit education is a call to engagement with each other, it is a call to listen to each other, and more importantly a call to think critically. Even if you have a visceral and negative reaction to an idea, how will you ever formulate an intelligent counter argument if you don’t spend any time listening or thinking about what is wrong with that idea?”

“Today I am asking you to presume the good in your fellow citizens and in each other,” he continued. “I am asking you to develop habits that will help you solve the political problems that we face and not give in to spewing the mindless hatred that now exists in our public discourse. Be the men that stand separate from this mean conversation and instead add substance to it.” (To read the full text of LiVigni’s speech, click here.)

After LiVigni concluded his remarks, students were honored for various academic achievements, and student leaders addressed their peers. Student Leadership Council President Mario Cimino ’17 introduced his officers and goals for the year, and Cadet Colonel Ted Colter ’17 commissioned JROTC Officers.

As always, the assembly ended in a show of unity and pride in Jesuit education—the singing of "Sons of Xavier," led by religion department chair Robert Reinhart ’69 P’94 ’99.


Congratulations to all the award winners:

Boston College Book Award: James Lunny
James McCahery Memorial Award: David Montaleza & Chance Waxman
Clarkson University Leadership Award: Alexis Rosales-Hernandez
College of the Holy Cross Book Award: Nicholas Tucker
College of William & Mary Leadership Award: Eric Krebs
Fairfield University Book Award Sponsored by Mr. Joseph D’Agostino: Patrick Dormer
Le Moyne College Heights Award: Gian Angelo Tria
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medalist: Christopher LaMonica
Rochester Institute of Technology Award: Yosef Marion Uy
University of Rochester Bausch & Lomb Science Award: Christian Polydor
University of Rochester Frederick Douglass & Susan B. Anthony Award: Isaiah Blake
University of Rochester George Eastman Young Leader Award: Mario Cimino
University of Rochester Xerox Award for Excellence in Science and Technology: Albert Kulikowski
Yale University Book Award: Luca Romeo

College Board National Merit Commended Students: Eric Krebs, Albert Kulikowski, Jonathan Pappanicholaou
Prudential Spirit of Community Certificates of Merit: Isaiah Blake, Tim DeFonzo, Kevin Lopez, Phillip Ruddy
Prudential Spirit of Community Certificates of Achievement: Steven LaRussa, Kraig Puccia

College Board AP Scholars:
Isaiah Blake, Ted Colter, Patrick Dormer, William Feerick, Rory Kinsella, Kevin Kuranowski, Philip Labianca, Jack Manzo, Ryan McGraw, Sean McManus, Matthew Miani, Nijamanza Nwabueze, Thomas Profaci, Kraig Puccia, Thomas Rogers, Luca Romeo, Donovan Shanks, Zack Struthers, Michael Stumpf, Gian Angelo Tria, Stephen Vasile, Adam Vukosa, Devin Waney

College Board AP Scholars with Honor:
Donovan Brady, Raphael Chierchio, Kevin Daly, Eric Krebs, Albert Kulikowski, Steven LaRussa, Kyle Leahy, James Lunny, Joseph Murgida, Kevin O’Donnell, David Orlando, Robert Petersen, Christian Polydor, Eoin Sansevero

National Language Examination Awards:
French:
Angel Alcantara, Justin Caminero, Matthew Dubois, Eugenio Florindo, Nelson Elgue, Albert Kulikowski, Victor Podvalny, Louis Queneau, Jules Saint-Martin

Latin:
Mark Cheng, Keith Elam, Arthur Gange, Charles Goell, Christopher Gushee, Robert Hiatt, Ian Lui, Thomas McCusker, Michael M. O’Brien, Michael R. O’Brien, William Rugai

Spanish:
Emmanuel Aquino, John Bambury, Sean Cabrera, Alex Day, Ethan Espinoza, Marti Farre-Regincos, Elias Garcia, Matel Ghitan, Anthony Gomez, Milton Guzman, Andrew Hernandez, Thomas Knight, Christian Martinez-Aguirre, Matthew Miani, David Montaleza, Kerry Neville, Andrew Lopez, Aldayr Ochoa, Themis Pappas, Joseph Pastilha, Ramses Pena, Franklyn Pimentel, Greg Rigas, Josephalfonso Stellato, Jack Valderrabano, Andrew Weaver

Full List of Students Earning First and Second Honors