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On Friday, June 14, 2024, Mike Smiley ‘96, Group Vice President of Preconstruction for Walbridge, took a group of current students out to lunch at Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor to teach them about career opportunities in the construction industry. 

On June 12, 2024, Catholic Central held CC Family Night at Comerica Park for alumni, current students, and friends and family. 

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, Catholic Central High School hosted its annual Legacy Reunion for graduates 50 years or more removed. Nearly 200 graduates attended. 

Join us as we take a look back at our timeline to relive some of the most memorable moments of the 2023-2024 school year that made this year so special

Kevin Boyle ’97, Senior Strategy Analyst in Space and Launch at Boeing, visited Catholic Central and toured the new STEM center.  

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the 35th Annual Alumni Association Dinner and All Classes Reunion was held at the St. Mary’s Cultural Center in Livonia, honoring the recipients of the 2024 Fr. Canning F. Harrison, CSB Distinguished Alumnus Award, Veno Hesano ‘67 and Hon. Sean Cox ‘75. 

On Tuesday, April 30, Catholic Central High School held their final career conference for the school year featuring guest speakers Jimmy Burns ‘04 and Mitch Eisenstein ‘05, who spoke on the topics of financial planning, accounting, law, being a sports agent, and marketing.  

On Monday, April 22, 2024, Zach Sprys Tellner ‘17 and Ryan Kerry ‘10 discussed the benefits of becoming a firefighter and paramedic with Catholic Central students as part of the school’s career speaker series.  

Last week, John Smith ‘22 visited Catholic Central to talk to students about West Point Military Academy. During his presentation, Smith discussed his daily schedule, how CC helped prepare him, and what students should do now if they are interested in applying.

Catholic Central’s long-time English and Creative Writing teacher, Kevin Griffin ’96, will be celebrating the publication of his second chapbook of poems, Note the Tone, with two readings in the next week. Get to know him here. 

On Friday, December 29, 2023, a basketball fundraising game was held in honor of Jack Swamba ’22 at St. Edith Parish in Livonia. The game was a tribute to Jack Swamba’s tremendous spirit and character during his 19 years of life. Admission to the event was made possible by donating to the Jack Swamba ROTC Memorial Scholarship in his honor.

Catholic Central alumnus Deacon Patrick Bruen and his wife Irene celebrate nearly 70 Valentine's days together. The couple has seven children, 19 grandchildren, and 32 great grandchildren. 

Airline Transport Pilot Alec Thurber ‘16 talked to Catholic Central students about going into aviation after graduation. His presentation was part of the school’s Career Speaker Series, a program designed to provide students with more information about various careers after they leave CC. 

On Wednesday, January 24, Spencer Hicks ’09 discussed his career as an engineer with Catholic Central sophomores as part of the school’s Career Conference speaker series. During the presentation, he discussed what an engineer does, the different types of engineering fields, how to become one, and why students should pick this as their career choice.

Todd Nadeau '80 lived and breathed basketball. The Catholic Central High School graduate even dreamed of playing D1 basketball in college. However, all of that changed in the blink of an eye the summer before his senior year. Read about Todd's incredible journey here. 

Established in 1952, Boys’ Day allowed a group of teenage boys to take over the Detroit city government for a day, and it was inspired by the Catholic Central High School's Boys' Bowl game. 

Catholic Central’s Director of Advancement, Dan Collins ‘84, was awarded the 2023 Carol McNish Service Award for his dedication to supporting Catholic education and helping young people with educational opportunities to reach their full potential.

The 12th Annual Eating For A Cause event was held at the Texas de Brazil in Detroit in support of the Dominique Fischer ’05 Memorial Foundation. During the event, Domonique’s parents gifted a check in the amount of $15,000 to CC to help young men fulfill their dreams of a CC education.  

Last Thursday, the Alumni Association visited Ford’s Garage restaurant in Dearborn for the University of Michigan – Dearborn Campus Crusade. The event attracted several Catholic Central High School graduates, including Ford Garage’s Head Executive Chef, Darin Thompson ’86. 

On Saturday, November 4, the Catholic Central Alumni Association visited Adrian College for its annual Campus Crusade and cheered on Jack Sasiela ’19 during his last home game.  

On Sunday, October 29, the Catholic Central Alumni Association held its annual Memorial Mass and Breakfast. The mass and breakfast are held in correlation with The Feast of All Saints.  

On Thursday, November 2, over 15 Catholic Central alumni attended the annual MSU Campus Crusade held at Pizza House in East Lansing for complimentary dinner and refreshments. Alumni had a chance to catch up with each other, enjoy a free meal, and continue the tradition of CC fellowship and brotherhood.

Detroit Catholic Central High School is excited to welcome Chris Okoye ’14 as Coordinator of Diversity, Student Engagement, and Community Outreach.  

On Friday, October 13th, Detroit Catholic Central High School Alumni Dr. Patrick Hammer presented to students in Rebecca Mulrooney’s class about his career in Aerospace Engineering and job as a Research Air Space Engineer at the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. He hopes to encourage more young men to pursue careers in the aerospace field, whether it is in STEM, the military, Air Force, or another branch of service.  

On Saturday, September 23, the Detroit Red Wings Alumni will face off against the Detroit Catholic Central Alumni in a charity hockey game to raise funds for the Whaley Children’s Center. The event has been organized by CC senior Matthew Kuzner, class of '24.

Detroit Catholic Central High School, in collaboration with Pure Barre Novi, is proud to announce the success of their first annual fundraising event held on August 19th in support of the Kiefer Foundation. With over 100 enthusiastic attendees and the generous contributions of community sponsors, the event raised an impressive $2,500.

Dr. Donald E. Jablonski '61, DO, FAODME, FACOFP, was recently honored with the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of osteopathic family medicine.

Among the 140 member senior class - the Class of 1951 - was an ambitious graduate named Harold Lloyd Brock.  Harold matriculated to CC from the east side of Detroit where he attended St. John Berchmans school and parish.  Harold loved his time at CC and cherished his experience.  He was an active student who participated in the French Club, the school Drama Program including the production of Detective Story his senior year, the Monogram Club, and Football.  

Loyalty: this virtue has been the guiding force in Isaac Hester’s life.

Brennan Smith ’27 is the fourth generation of the Smith family to enroll at Catholic Central, and younger brother Kellan is only a few years behind him! We asked Craig ’67, Brian ’94, Brennan ’27, and Kellan (hopeful ’30) a few questions on their CC experience. Be sure to scan the QR code to view their full responses!

As the bustling heart of a community, businesses often become synonymous with the spirit and values of the people they serve. Orin Jewelers, a name that resonates with elegance and trust, has been a cornerstone of the community for several decades. 

Meet the new Alumni Executive Board as they share on what Catholic Central means to them. 

On their 50th anniversary of graduation, members of the Class of 1973 bring us up to date.

34th Annual Alumni Dinner and All Classes Reunion Honors  Frank Jonna '67 and Dr. Larry Schenden '79 with the Fr. Canning F. Harrison, CSB Distinguished Alumnus Award

Documentary filmmaker, Tyler Besh ‘09, came back to CC to speak to Jennifer Teed’s film production classes about his new documentary, A Techno Tragedy, and share an early cut of the film. 

After graduating from Catholic Central in 1979, Larry attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983.  After ND, he went on to the University of Michigan Medical School, graduating with a M.D. degree in 1987.

Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Frank’s family immigrated to Detroit, Michigan when he was 6 months old; he was one of seven children.

Brandon Naurato '03 Named Permanent Head Coach of Michigan Hockey

Detroit Catholic Central welcomed home over 45 alumni CC Hockey players and their families for a fun-filled, competitive day of CC Hockey and camaraderie Sunday at USA Hockey Arena, the home of Catholic Central Hockey.

The 17th season of the Catholic Central Alumni Association Basketball League (AABL) concluded on March 26, with the annual finals and family gathering at CC. Thank you to all the players and family members for making this year’s season a great success and one filled with many fun memories!

The Shamrock Bar Association gathered Thursday at Catholic Central for its spring meeting. The gathering included Mass, camaraderie, and a discussion on the topic of “Michigan Estate Planning Law, An Overview of Consideration for You and Your Clients.”

The CC Spirit was alive and well at the 2023 Florida Reunion on March 18. The atmosphere, weather, CC camaraderie, food, and hospitality of the Sharky’s on the Pier staff and Pachota Family was top notch at our annual gathering in sunny Florida!

Detroit Catholic Central High School welcomed back alumnus Pete Davis '95, President & CEO of IMPACT Management Services, on Friday, March 17 as part of the school's DRIVE Development Day series. The series brings professional learning opportunities to students across grade levels to hone their leadership skills and gain real-world experience.

Integrated Design Solutions (IDS), designers of the George & Mary Turek Hall of Science, spoke to students interested in architecture careers as part of the Career Conferences series sponsored by the Counseling and Advancement & Alumni Relations Offices. 

Detroit Catholic Central congratulates Eric D. McPherson ‘83, who was sworn in as a new member of the road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) Board. 

Harrison Nguyen’s interest in medicine began as a child. He knew from an early age that he wanted to help people live the best lives they could. Now, having earned his medical degree in 2018 and board certified in dermatology, he is currently on a Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Nguyen is living out his mission to bring cures to those who need it most. 

Brian Chaney ‘91, CEO of Chane Reaction Counseling Services, returned home to Catholic Central on Wednesday, February 8 to share his life journey and provide students a glimpse into the world of social work and counseling.

Richard Kuzma '61 returned home to Catholic Central February 6 to speak to students in the finance club. Mr. Kuzma provided insights into career options within finance and shared real-life experiences from his career as a CFO.

From Student Activities, Aluminator Editor-in-Chief, to coaching, Mr. Mike Carrier '06 embodies Christ through living out Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge each and every day.

Michael Rose '03, Associate Director of Ground Vehicles Robotics for Army Future Command, returned home to Catholic Central on Tuesday, January 31 to share his career journey with students interested in engineering. The talk was part of the Career Conferences series sponsored by the Counseling and Advancement Offices.

Join Head Coach Stephen Juncaj '18 as he prepares the Esports team for the fall championship tournaments in Rocket League and Super Smash Bros.

Catholic Central welcomed back home over 45 alumni hockey players for a good dose CC camaraderie and fellowship January 21. Alumni and their families gathered at USA Arena on the Mitchel Kiefer Memorial Rink, the home of Catholic Central Hockey.

Detroit Catholic Central High School today announced Justin Cessante ’99 has been named the 13th head coach in school history.

Joshua Gandy '13 is an Ironman contestant, “The Power of a Growth Mindset” podcast co-founder, and a former four-year collegiate track & field athlete at North Caroline State. Now, he works within STEM to bridge the technology gap with communities of color.

Brothers Anthony Tomey ’99 and Michael Tomey ’07 are building an enterprise that strengthens their family and their community. It started nearly 20 years ago when Anthony was playing baseball with the Detroit Tigers organization and Michael was a student at Our Lady of Sorrows. The family purchased their first Jimmy John's store at Grand River and Haggerty Road in Novi.

Mr. Rudy Seichter '59 spoke with business and marketing students Wednesday, sharing tips and life lessons learned after a successful career in the business world. Seichter primarily spoke on his time managing the sales department for a computer company in a pre-personal computer era. 

Alumni guest speakers Private 1st Class Maxwell Bartol ‘18 and Walbridge Group Vice President Mr. John Linenberg '89, PE, LEED AP BD+C met with students interested in the Army and engineering, respectively.

In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10, guest speaker Mr. Chris Okoye ‘14, Social Studies Teacher and Freshman Moderator Mr. Ben Herman ‘98, and Athletic Director Mr. Aaron Babicz ‘93 spoke to students during homeroom assemblies on their personal journeys in mental wellness. 

The Most Reverend Byrnes celebrated Mass, met with students, and toured campus.

Alumni speakers Travis Charette ‘10, Ken Dabrowski ‘60, and  Dr. Matthew Confer ‘13 shared expertise with students in their selective fields

Matthew Doneth '12 is on the forefront of changing the narrative for those who stutter.

Bronze medal-winning Olympian, US Amateur Open Champion, and eight-time state championship winning wrestling coach to receive league’s highest honor.

Pinto spoke to students interested in medicine April 25 as part of CC’s Career Conferences series.

Pulitzer Prize winner Bryan Gruley ‘75 returned to Catholic Central April 12 to speak with current students interested in writing and journalism as part of Catholic Central’s DRIVE Development Day series.

James Burns ‘04 and Mitch Eisenstein ‘05 spoke to students interested in careers in financial planning, accounting, and sports management on March 15 as a part of CC’s Career Conferences series.

Founder of BD’s Mongolian Barbeque and Grill and CC Alumnus Billy Downs III ‘84 spoke to students interested in entrepreneurship on April 5 as a part of CC’s Career Conferences series.

Alumni Fred Lauck ‘61 and Michael Meister ‘83 recently visited forensic science classes to share practical applications in related fields.

Spencer Hicks ‘09 spoke to students interested in careers in engineering on March 29 as a part of CC’s Career Conference series. 

John Rehm ‘86 spoke to students interested in careers in marketing and advertising on March 23 as a part of CC’s Career Conferences series.

Catholic Central  Alumni Kyle Smith ‘04 and Corrigan O’Donohue ‘87 spoke to students interested in careers in law services, law enforcement, and city planning on March 16 as a part of CC’s Career Conferences series.

Dr. Grant Prior, DDS ‘14 spoke to students interested in dental and medical careers February 16 as a part of CC’s Career Conference series. 

Despite the towering responsibility of being a full-time student, part-time business owner, and newly inducted city council member, all while dealing with the tragic passing of his father, Casey remains humble, confident and joyful – traits he learned from his father and teachings he says learned at Catholic Central.