Saint Louis University Alumni News
Saint Louis University Alumni Set the World on Fire
With more than 134,336 Billikens living in 50 states and 154 countries, it is no surprise that SLU graduates' achievements impact communities and industries around the globe. Who are SLU's most famous alums, and how did they get there? What are your classmates doing now? How are they living out SLU's mission?
Read on to learn more about just a few SLU graduates in the news, plus find coverage of recent alumni achievements and events.
I loved every step of my journey at SLU. It taught me the importance of focusing on relationships and people.”
— Chris Ackels (A&S ’13)
05/08/25- Jody Sowell (GRAD AS ’11), the president and chief executive officer of the Missouri Historical Society, has observed a growing hunger in people to learn about what makes their communities unique and to explore the past in an engaging way.
05/05/25- Currently serving as a Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) fellow, Blake Bertrand, Ph.D. (DCHS ’18) is already living one of his dreams – working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Georgia State Public Health Laboratory.
04/28/25- The boots-on-the-ground approach Tiffany Anderson, Ed.D., (ED ’94, GRAD ED ’01) takes to education as the first Black woman and longest-serving superintendent of Topeka Public Schools has changed the history of Kansas’ academic landscape.
04/10/25- Saint Louis University’s Office of Alumni Engagement will host a series of events exclusively for the Class of 2025 in April and May.
04/08/25- Replacing Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT), FAB fosters philanthropy awareness, promotes school spirit and offers opportunities for professional growth.
02/19/25- Grounded in the University’s Jesuit education and mission, the Fister tradition of attending SLU has now thrived for three generations.
12/18/24- “I loved every step of my journey at SLU,“ said alumnus Chris Ackels (A&S '13). “It taught me the importance of focusing on relationships and people.”
12/09/24- Moii Coffee, founded in early 2023 by Firaol Ahmed, a senior in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, began with Ahmed selling coffee out of his residence hall at SLU. Today, with the addition of partner and SLU alum Andy Irakoze, the business is a supply chain and logistics firm connecting coffee farmers in Africa with roasters in North America.
09/16/24- Ginny Herrmann, M.D. (SOM 74), blazed a trail as one of the very few American female surgeons in the country when she launched her 45-year career as a breast specialist in the early 1980s. Now, 50 years after she graduated at the top of her class from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Herrmann’s legacy will continue to inspire new ways of serving others.
09/12/24- Here are just a few reasons why you should register for SLU's Homecoming and Family Weekend today and plan to see us Sept. 27-29, 2024.
07/08/24- Former Saint Louis University men's soccer standout Patrick Schulte is heading to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic Men's Soccer Team.
05/30/24- SLU alumna Lauren (Lobosky) Sullivan is an engineer with Team Penske. Sullivan won her first NASCAR Cup Series Championship while supporting NASCAR driver Joey Logano. Learn more about her journey from aerospace to motor sports.
05/28/24- Saint Louis University graduate Al Hrubetz (PC ’53) helped detect major oil reserves off the coast of Dubai – but like the journey to find the resource, acknowledgment of the discovery took time.
05/28/24- The public health graduate is a self-described “disease detective” who’s building a world where a cancer diagnosis isn’t a death sentence.
04/10/24- Fifteen distinguished Saint Louis University graduates from across 13 schools and colleges will be honored as Alumni Merit Award or Pioneer Award recipients this spring.
03/19/24- Newly named chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of St. Louis Delaney (Damberg) Clement (SSE ’07) credits her SLU undergraduate experience as being foundational.
02/20/24- Travis Hoffstetter (A&S ‘05) is a lead designer for Meta in the San Francisco Bay area, Hoffstetter uses game design to help build the tools needed to create the Metaverse.
02/09/24- Whether their thunderous cheers reverberated off the walls of the West Pine Gym, Chaifetz Arena or one of the other designated home courts at St. Louis-area sports centers, one constant remains: Saint Louis University graduates know how to rally their teams.
11/17/23- Production crews were on SLU’s campus for two days filming for the upcoming movie, “On Fire," which tells the story of SLU alum John O’Leary (CSB ’99).
11/08/23- Joe Koenig (CSB '87), president of World Wide Technology, and Meghan Gaffney (A&S '04) CEO of Veda, were recognized in October 2023.
11/08/23- Johnson, a former associate vice provost at Saint Louis University, founded SLU’s Black Alumni Association and created the Dr. Celerstine Johnson Book Fund to support TRIO students.
10/02/23- Following her graduation from SLU, alum Shreya Akula ('23 GRAD SPS) stayed on campus to craft a menu and manage Spice Market, a new Indian-food restaurant in Fusz Hall:
06/27/23- SLU alumnus Tim Bantle (A&S ’00) details how he went from philosophy major to CEO of Eddie Bauer.
06/27/23- This SLU alum's seven books often focus on STEAM/STEM themes to help children build an innovative and creative mindset. Her latest novel, Woven of the World, explores the ancient art of weaving and the ways lives are interconnected.
04/18/23- Dana J. Boente (CSB ’76, Grad CSB ’77, Law ’82), former general counsel for the FBI, is a veteran prosecutor who has dedicated his career to public service.
02/09/23- Today, Seoul Juice is growing rapidly and sells online and at retailers in six states, including 10 locations in the greater St. Louis area.
02/01/23- As the United States approaches a new golden age in space exploration, Saint Louis University aerospace graduates are involved at every level.
02/01/23- Sports fans rely on the stats, data and history that broadcasters share, but the announcers don’t pull that information off the tops of their heads. They rely on people like Bryan Beasley (CSB ’11).
02/01/23- Saint Louis University alumnus Dr. Jody Sowell (Grad A&S '11) is the president of the Missouri Historical Society.
01/20/23- Stanley Andrisse, Ph.D. (A&S Grad ’14) is the author of From Prison Cells to PhD, which chronicles his experiences with incarceration and higher education after his return to the community.
12/12/22- John Klein (CBS '21, Grad SPS '23), who recently concluded a highly successful career with the Billikens, was selected by St. Louis CITY SC with the first pick of the second round.
03/23/22- Andrés J. Gallegos (Law ’93) is the chairman of the National Council on Disability.
03/23/22- For nearly 50 years, Marianne Muellerleile (A&S ’71) has made her living as an actor.
11/02/21- Erin Loos Cutraro (Grad A&S ’02) is the founder and CEO of She Should Run.
10/12/21- Dr. Alexander G. Garza (GRAD PH ’03) is the SSM Health Chief Community Health Officer and Incident Commander for the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force.